Microsoft Windows Vista is celebrating birthday number one today on the anniversary of the public release. You can certainly say it has been a controversial first year. Vista has taken its knocks from many quarters, certainly from the mobile sector, but it has also continued to grow in terms of sales. If you follow the industry news, it looks like there is a growing trend that is moving beyond the “knocks” into the “Vista isn’t all that bad” column. That said, there is still a large chorus that wants to see Vista branded as a Windows ME type failure and move on. Some even say Vista is the best promotion that Windows XP has ever had. Recent confusing stories of a potential 2009 release of Windows 7 certainly doesn’t help. The final release of SP1 is supposedly just around the corner and there is a lot of emphasis and interest to see how well that changes the matter and the perceptions.

From a Tablet PC perspective, Vista certainly offered some great advances, (check out our GBM InkShows on Tablet PC features in Vista) and in many ways ushered Touch into the picture. Unfortunately, from my perspective, the big hope of making Tablet PC functionality available across the board by rolling it all into Vista (the bits are there, all you need is the hardware) didn’t yield the hoped for increase in interest and development of new Tablet PCs from OEMs. That is a marketing failure as much as it is anything else, as you need to look really closely in any of the hype about Vista to know that improved Tablet PC functionality is a feature.

If it seems that Vista has been around for longer than a year that is because it has. In the roll up to the final release to consumers, the various release candidates, the release to business customers, and of course the delays, were all covered breathlessly, and it seems, endlessly (certainly here on the pages of GBM), and rightly so.

TEO developer Josh Einstein has waged a one man campaign in the GBM Forums and comments throughout the year defending the OS from some of the charges leveled against it, and done so admirably, especially as it relates to issues that might be caused by drivers and hardware from Microsoft hardware and software partners. He’s raised some excellent points along the way and in our small world here, put the focus where it needs to be in some cases. In the final analysis though, the fact that Josh has felt the need to do so, demonstrates that Microsoft missed the boat by not being proactive in discussing and addressing some of the issues that caused concern. But then that seem to be the “accepted way of things” when it comes to talking about issues with operating systems and new releases. I think the large turnover inside Microsoft, shortly after Vista’s release, also had some impact on this as well, and if you ask me the timing of those moves was not only questionable, but in some cases damaging.

So, it has been a bumpy ride in Vista’s first year. In my one man’s opinion, there is still a lot to learn, still room for improvement, and there are still some questions unanswered. While Vista and some of its attendant issues have given me some headaches, I’ve used it almost exclusively since the fall of 2006 and continue to do so. For better or worse. Mostly better.

What are your thoughts?

James Martin of PC World is focusing on small mobile computers in a recent article, including everything from MIDs to UMPCs, to the new MacBook Air. He certainly covers a range of devices within the portable class and offers some interesting pros and cons. He also poses a number of good questions that users should ask before heading off with a mobile device in hand. But I think he’s missing one key question. What are your connectivity options?

Connectivity is one of the pillars that mobile computing is built on and you don’t see a device these days without some sort of option built in ranging from WiFi to WWAN, to the various ports that allow you to add on a modem of some sort, or BlueTooth that enables you to tether up, depending on your wireless carriers restrictions.

My thinking here is that more and more the assumption is being made that WiFi will be available somewhere, and if not, smart users will have other options at the ready. While both may be true, recent experiences are proving that the promise of being always connected isn’t always something you can rely on. As an example, I’m seeing folks at the current Demo Conference complaining that the WiFi is down. While those that have an EVDO option available are sending some info out of the conference, I look shortly to hear that the EVDO bandwidth is clogged up. In fact, though I would recommend that you not rely on a WiFi only device, and have another method of connecting in your arsenal, even with a second option, you should also know that you can have less than optimal results depending on the circumstances.

My point is simple, while picking the right mobile device is a task that needs to match the needs of the user with the right device, users need to also consider the current state of over the air connectivity, and the options a device offers before making that decision. And the vast majority of those cases, (including WiFi connectivity at hotels and the like) add cost to the user that are not insignificant. In fact, today, I think buying a mobile device without figuring in the costs of connectivity is in some ways comparable to buying a new car without paying attention to the potential fuel consumption.

I’m pleased to say that the devices and gadgets I took to CES 2008 (and the annual family pilgrimage to Chicago and Wisconsin) worked well for the demands (both work and fun) that I placed on them. That said, some things worked better for me than others. For a look at the mobile kit I carried check out this post. (Some links below are affiliate links.)

Successes

Lenovo ThinkPad X61 Tablet PC: My old standby served me very well during the entire three weeks. Whether I was blogging, doing a little work, answering email, or what have you, it worked like a charm. Producing video on the fly (and we cranked out a lot) was a breeze using the ThinkPad.

The Sprint (HTC) Mogul: In many ways this was my go to device on this trip. Whether checking my feeds using Google Reader, checking email, or tethering it up to the Lenovo ThinkPad X61 for broadband coverage it served well. It also worked well as a phone.  After the recent ROM update the battery life on the Mogul was exceptional. With heavy usage all day, I did not have to pull out the extra battery once.

iPod Touch: This was an early Christmas present and in many ways I was getting to know it during the trip. When WiFi was available and accessible (not always the same thing-more on that later) it was a joy to catch up on feeds and my Gmail using this device. I’ve resisted buying an iPhone simply because the AT&T service is so poor where I live, but I’ve got to say that after using the iPod Touch for a few weeks, I can really see the allure and value that an iPhone has. Sure, I can get most of that functionality with the Mogul, but the Touch/iphone interface is a joy to use. In addition to Internet activity, the iPod Touch performed very well as a media player. I had ripped a few DVDs down and carried them along and was able to watch a move and listen to a few podcasts on the flight from Chicago to Vegas without a hitch.

Thin may be in and beautiful but the compromises one has to make to be ultra-thin and beautiful can lead to some pretty tough and perhaps unhealthy lifestyle choices for fashion models and now mobile users. While the MacBook Air may indeed be the thinnest portable yet and quite pretty to look at, this fashion show stops dead on the runway for me with the the non-user replaceable battery.

I just don’t think the folks in Cupertino really thought this one through. Batteries are the food that nourishes our mobile devices and keeps them running. Call me paranoid and old fashioned, but I travel with an extra battery when I’m on the road. (I travel with extra other things as well, having a backup scenario is a key part of my being mobile.) I know others do as well. While five hours might be enough to get a user through most days, my experience tells me it won’t in my situation. A five hour battery life (and we all know that five hours on announcement day usually translates to something less in the real world) would not have sufficed at CES as an example, and I found myself changing batteries each day while there. The same is true for my other travels and on the road work.

I’m a big believer in the WNewquay school of thought on batteries. We should think of them as consumables that will indeed be consumed and need replacing. No problems there. While the offer of free labor to replace a battery is a nice gesture, that is all it is, if like I, you don’t live within shouting distance of an Apple Store. Do you know anyone who is going to be comfortable shipping their mobile precious off for a battery replacement for a few days? I don’t.

This may be an acceptable, although still not a welcome, scenario and business plan for iPhones and iPods, because the thinking goes most users will opt for the newest device when the battery needs a make over. But I don’t think that logic flows through to a $1700 portable computer purchase.

I’ve got to feel comfortable knowing I can keep my portable devices well fed and juiced up when I need to, otherwise the hunger pangs set in and they faint dead away, just when I need them to strut their stuff. Heck most mobile devices start sounding like the plant in Little Shop of Horrors screaming Feed Me with any real heavy usage.

I applaud the pretty design choices and the desire to get thinner and lighter. But when I look at the pretty pictures, it makes me ask the same questions that I ask when I see razor thin models on a runway. Is what you give up to be that thin and stylish really worth the compromise when it comes to practical living?

Apologies to Nelson Algren for morphing the title.

For what it is worth here are some of my thoughts and impressions on CES 2008. Insane. Fun. Exhilarating. Enlightening. Frustrating. Confusion. Stupid. Big Gambles. In the end not as much substance as I would have liked to see. That’s how I’d quickly characterize this year’s CES 2008 from my perspective. Here are some extensions on those thoughts.

Insane.

The definition of insanity is pursuing the same path hoping for a different result. Lots of that happens at CES no matter your perspective. Everyone is hoping their product catches everyone’s imagination, every writer/podcaster/video blogger hopes they find it first. This year’s CES was largely a rehash of things we already knew about, technologies that we already are working with, and dressing those things up as something new and exciting. When there was something new (MIDs) we got to see prototypes of promises yet to come. When you do get a chance to talk with someone about something that is exciting and still to come, it is so far off that you can’t talk about it. With all of that insanity would I do it again? You bet. Call me insane.

Gizmodo thought they’d be clever in that old hacker prankster way at CES. They took the TV-B-Gone clicker that will allow you to turn off a TV screen and basically shut down any screen they could find at CES. I think the laughs lasted about 10 seconds before the word got out. Can you imagine the folks responsible for those displays and the folks who supervise them trying to deal with the issue? This was decidedly not a cool thing to do, I don’t care who thought of the idea. Wonder what the Gizmodo folks would say if someone had figured out how to pull the plug on their coverage of the event?

The ramifications could ripple far beyond the prank. There are calls to ban Gizmodo from CES, and at the least I imagine they’ll get a chiller reception at a few booths next year if they are allowed in. Here’s hoping this won’t blow back on other bloggers as well, although I fear it might. The lame apology that was issued is just that lame, as they wish they could have shut down the largest screen display on the floor. Classless. Stupid. Not cool.

Here’s my take, hunches, best guesses, and coin flips for 2008.

• Mobile Internet Devices (MIDs) will dominate the conversation for the first half of the year. What happens in the 2^nd half is anybody’s guess.
• Call it Ultra-Mobile PC, call it UMPC, call it Origami. Call it what you will, but by the end of 2008 call it in its dying throes. The ultra mobile vision will remain, but in other devices. 
• Unlike Rob, I don’t see Dell re-evaluating their price point on the XT Tablet PC so soon. The high price point is consistent with the markets they have been targeting from the beginning. If the prices drop it will be a year from now at the earliest.
• Apple will not market a Tablet PC in 2008.  Instead it will be a communication device that takes advantage of the iPhone’s features as well as the Back to My Mac features for users to grab their data on the road. Because it will have a touch interface and be able to take advantage of InkWell, Tablet PC aficionados will call it a failure.
• Touch will again be a dominate feature and news story. The real question is will anyone develop an application that makes it more than a fancy way to play media, turn pages, or manipulate photos. Or is that enough?
• Multi-touch is still a ways off. Someone, somewhere, needs to develop a real use for it on the Tablet PC and mobile devices.
• With the exception of the MID and whatever Apple will do in 2008, next year’s headlines will be about technologies that change or provide new content delivery methods, similar to the Amazon Kindle.
• Microsoft’s marketing will continue to be mediocre at best and miss the mark more than it will hit.
• DRM will continue to cripple operating systems and content delivery methods. Most consumers won’t notice. Those that do will root for Amazon, Walmart, and Independent music producers to keep putting the pressure on.
• New releases of new products across the board will slow down in 2008. Some consumers will remember Apple’s iPhone price drop form 2007, companies will try to get a better handle on delivery inadequacies. Consumers are starting to notice that their voices can be heard, and companies will start to slow things down a bit, to hopefully improve on what they eventually release.
• The word “open” will get bandied around a lot. As in Google’s efforts to make mobile devices more open with its Google Android mobile OS. The word open will lose all meaning in the marketing miasma.
• OneNote 2007 will continue to remain a secret.
• The Asus Eee PC story is just getting started. It will have much more impact in 2008.
• The companies to watch in the mobile space who will have the greatest impact will be Apple, Nokia, HTC, Asus, and Google.
• HP, Toshiba, and Lenovo will continue to dominate the consumer Tablet PC space, although we probably won’t see anything really new until 2009. Fujitsu nees to make some noise here.
• Inking on Tablet PCs will continue to remain the ultimate niche in a niche product.
• There will be a major Internet outage or Bot Attack in 2008, prompting all sorts of chaos and howling. This will lead to a renewed interest in client apps vs. the cloud.

Well, I’m not sure if it is an “Ultimate” challenge or not, because I really am only checking out three devices here, but play along.

There are a lot of closet Stall Surfers out there. You know who you are. In fact, it is, in my considered opinion, one of the reasons that folks love mobile devices so much is the opportunity for a bit of Stall Surfing. Forget all the talk about making you more productive at work. It is all about being able to cruise the Internet, read an eBook, or check email in those very private moments. With the advent of touch devices, even those touchy about the subject are coming out of the closet on this issue. And don’t feign modesty here. You know I’m talking to you.

Time for my annual Christmas Wish List of things I’d like to see for Tablet PC, UMPC, and Mobile PC users. (Here’s a link to last year’s.) These aren’t gadgets I’d like to see under mine or anyone’s tree, nor are they predictions. Instead these are things I’d like to see happen. As always, I’m an impatient old elf, when it comes to these sorts of things.

I’d like to see the many solutions we have floating around for coordinating our life “in the cloud” with our life “on the desktop” advance to a point where we all might feel a little more comfortable.

I’d like to see Intel come up with a better marketing strategy, and clearer communication strategy, for and about its chip speeds. The average user has a hard enough time figuring out what’s what these days. When yesterday’s chip speed compared to today’s is really meaningless, somebody needs to spell it out a bit more clearly.

I’d like to see UMPC makers (and MID makers for that matter) recognize the importance of Inking and come out with a UMPC  (or MID) that allows accurate note taking ability. There is need for a small device that can do more than play media, show pictures, and manipulate icons with a touch interface.

I’d like to see small mobile device makers quit thinking about the stylus as a throw in, and actually design one that is comfortable and efficient to use.

I’d like to see the CEO’s of the companies that keep coming up with these tiny keyboards for mobile devices be forced to use them for at least 90 days before they sign off on the design.

I’d like to see the rush to advertising on everything in order to provide free software and services slow down a little bit. I’m just asking here, but do you know anyone who has ever clicked on an ad? I don’t.

I’d like to see the good folks at Dell who think the pricing of the new Latitude XT is a good bargain reexamine their thoughts on this, and quickly.

I’d like to see Amazon, Apple, and other on-line music vendors who launched DRM free efforts succeed in a big way. DRM is still a curse and slows so much of everything down.

I’d like to see Apple come out with a Tablet this year, sooner rather than later.

I’d like to see Microsoft figure out just how woeful its marketing efforts are and put in a major course correction here. Now, please.

I’d like to see mobile computer OEMs take a lesson from Asus and the Eee PC, (and also jkk’s moding by adding a touch screen to it.) These price points don’t have to be so high.

I’d still like to see more direct Inking in the operating system.

I’d like to see Google’s push to open up in mobile connectivity succeed in a big way.

Oh, and as always, whirled peas.

What’s on your Christmas Wish List?

James Kendrick started a meme and Ink Blogging impresario Mark “Sumocat” Sumimoto picked up about Inking and the differences between digtal Inking and Inking with pen and paper. There’s should be no secret what I prefer, and I won’t re-list the excellent and oft-repeated points in favor of digital Inking both jk and Sumocat bring up. Go read their posts.

What I will say (and I’m sure I’ve said it before) at times there can be something wonderfully serene and tranquil about taking notes with a digital pen, As a writer and inveterate note taker, that is very important to me. Sure I take notes in hectic meetings and rehearsals and a Tablet PC with OneNote 2007 serves me very well there. But there are times that I need to be alone with my thoughts as I’m pondering through things. In those times I can not ever imagine taking notes on a piece of paper again. The best way I can describe it is to say simply, that Inking in those instances is nothing short of sublime and it gives me the security and serenity to know that those notes are with me as I move about my life with Tablet PC in hand. It has become more than a preference for me. It has become a visceral reaction and an emotional one as well. The “how” I do it, is important as “what” I’m doing.

This is one of the reasons that I rant frequently about the move away from Inking on Ultra-Mobile PCs. I know from the responses to those threads, I’m not the only one who feels this way. Sumocat is correct. These points bear repeating, until small mobile device OEMs get it and understand how they need to keep the Inkers in mind for future devices. Once you have experienced Inking on a Tablet PC, you’ll never want to go back pen and paper again.

I’m been without my voice, suffering from laryngitis since last weekend. On top of that it was a crazy week at work, so I got no rest on that side of my life. (I secretly think my staff likes it when I can’t speak.) But, my staff came to the rescue and stepped up to give me the weekend off from the theatre to rest my voice. The timing was excellent on a number of fronts. I could sure use the rest. My wife and I are searching for a new car purchase. And I had a number of geek and gadget projects to work through this weekend including setting up a new iMac, updating the Sprint (HTC) Mogul, and getting a printer hooked up for the Asus Eee PC. We don’t have a large apartment (life rarely gives us time there) and so when I’m geeking out, I’m usually working at the kitchen table, or setting in my easy chair. This weekend’s projects took over not just the kitchen table, but also the kitchen.

Loren Heiny sees some hope for fans of the Tablet PC/UMPC slate form factor in all of the hoopla and the initial selling out of the Amazon Kindle.

This is a trend that I hope Tablet designers are paying attention to. Why? Because for the most part over the last couple years it appears that the Tablet PC designers and marketers have resolved that the slate form factor (for the most part) wasn’t where the majority of the market potential was and “convertibles” were the “right” form factor, I think they got it wrong and these new devices are going to be teaching them a lesson.

Microsoft had it right with its prototype orange Tablet PC and better yet with its Haiku UMPC design. Even NEC’s LitePad (Ed note-pictured)was a smart design–among others. Generally, the thinner, the better. The easier to use, the better. I’d also add the cheaper, the better. To me the OEMs and Tablet PC marketing has lead the Tablet PC to a nameless, homogeneous, fairly uninspired collection of notebooks.

He might be on to something, but I’m not sure that Amazon’s eBook reader is the kindling that is going to light the fire. I’ve seen responses all over the map about the Kindle ranging from Rob’s excellent balanced coverage (here, here, here, and here) to Robert Scoble’s reeling rant. I think the jury is still way out on the Kindle, at least in this first edition of the hardware.

What Loren is correct about his is analysis as to why the slate factor has never taken off. Microsoft and NEC did have it right in the beginning and somehow that got lost in a big way.

Back in October I posted A Plea for Better Inking on Small Mobile Devices. It got quite a bit of response. That post came after working with the Asus R2H UMPC, as I usually do, to take notes in play rehearsals for our last production. During the recent rehearsal period for It’s A Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play, I changed tools and didn’t carry the Asus R2H to rehearsals. I’ve got it up for sale, (along with a Samsung Q1P),  and thought I better start weaning myself off of that device. Instead I used the Lenovo X61 Tablet PC for most of those chores and it served my needs well. Inking rocks on a Tablet PC for note taking. It could rock on a UMPC or a MID. But I fear it won’t.

Yesterday was a hectic rehearsal day, as was this entire week, save for a brief respite on Thanksgiving Day. We had two run thrus of It’s A Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play. It is is a short play (about 90 minutes long without intermission,) which allows for the double attempt at the show in one rehearsal. As usual I’m taking notes in rehearsal, this time just using the Lenovo ThinkPad X61 Tablet PC.

I’m still frustrated with Vista on one front here and that is putting the Tablet PC to sleep. 3 times out of 4 everything will work as advertised. Close the lid, unit goes to sleep, open the lid, unit returns. But occasionally the OS just goes off into its own world without sleeping, or after a successful sleep, not returning. Occasionally it will return from sleep but the screen will stay dark.

I’m beginning to think (this seems to be somewhat reproducible here) that these issues have something to do with being connected or disconnected to our WiFi network. Here’s what I’m experiencing and maybe someone smarter than me can help out here with some thoughts.

I’ve been in heavy duty technical rehearsals this week for Wayside Theatre’s annual Christmas show, which accounts for my lack of posting recently. This year we are producing It’s A Wonderful Life: A Life Radio Play, which has proved to be a lot of fun so far. But the reason I’m writing this isn’t about the play. I’m surrounded all day with actors, technicians, and artists as we work to bring the play to life. Although I’m the only Tablet PC guy in the bunch, at various points on breaks I look out into the auditorium and I’ll see 7 to 10 folk with various laptops open working on whatever they are working on. Some, like the lighting and sound designers are doing work for their respective jobs. Some are checking feeds, sports scores, news, email, etc…. All seem to be enjoying what they are doing and there are a variety of Macs and PCs afloat in this little sea of worker bees. I’d also classify the majority of this little assemblage as above average when it comes to being tech aware an savvy.

Yesterday during the dinner break for our 10 of 12 (a technical rehearsal where we can work 10 hours out of 12 with a two hour dinner break) I asked several of them about some of this year’s latest gadgets and if any of them had any of these new gadgets on their Christmas list. I asked specifically about the new iPods, Zunes, and the Kindle. I also asked about UMPCs, cellphones, Nokia’s devices and laptop/notebooks/Tablet PCs in general.