Hardware
Another Tablet Rumor. This Time from Microsoft
It wouldn’t be another week without another Tablet rumor, but this time it isn’t Apple, it is Microsoft that is the subject. Yes, that’s right there’s a Tablet rumor about a possible new take on Tablet PCs from Microsoft. Mary Jo Foley picks up on a couple of Microsoft rumors. First there’s Pink. That’s the rumor about a possible Microsoft branded phone that pulls together a mobile OS based on the Windows Mobile 7 core and the Zune media platform.
Then Mary Jo drops this about a possible new Tablet. She calls it the Tablet (Take 2):
More recently, I heard that at least one exec from Microsoft’s Surface team is part of the Tablet effort, too. Microsoft officials have hinted before that they’re set on building a smaller Surface. At one point, that project was going by the codename ““Oahu.†But the new Tablet effort is allegedly part of something that is known as ““Alchemy Ventures,†according to the couple of tips I’ve gotten on it to date. I wouldn’t be surprised if Microsoft is waiting for Apple to show its Tablet hand before trotting out its revamped Tablet.
Mary Jo also speculates that J Allard is apparently involved. Very interesting.
Check out what Loren Heiny has to say about this.
GoodThings2Life
09/21/2009 at 7:58 am
I completely agree with Loren’s analysis on the matter. Mary Jo, as much as I respect her on most matters, has always had an axe to grind against the tablet platform. She admits herself in several of her past tablet-related articles that she just doesn’t get the appeal or benefit.
Her analysis on the Zune/Pink is probably pretty spot on, although, I’m not so sure the plans to discontinue the Zune hardware in the future is very accurate. Zune would have to open up to other devices and platforms to successfully have a purpose if the Zune hardware were to disappear. On the contrary, I think it’s more likely to say that Zune and Xbox will become closer partners… better integration and better complementary functionality.
Sumocat
09/21/2009 at 8:31 am
“Alchemy Ventures” is a somewhat popular name, but I tracked down a promising lead: Baril Corp. has an investment arm called Alchemy Ventures that invests knowledge and resources from its manufacturing and design core into start-up firms. Baril’s area of expertise is material fabrication and machining, useful for engineering a chassis.