So, I gave up a long time ago on Windows phones and Windows 10 Mobile when I just couldn’t find a good way to keep up with my ebook reading. There was a slew of other things I couldn’t do on the platform, but the lack of a decent Kindle reader was the kicker. Nevertheless, […]
Microsoft’s Joe Belfiore kind of misses the point about Windows 10 Mobile
July 31, 2017 by Leave a Comment
Microsoft’s new Surface Laptop makes no sense to me
May 3, 2017 by Leave a Comment
Here’s a challenge for you: name one thing about the Surface Laptop that supports the idea that Surface is about creating new categories. Go ahead. I’m waiting. I’m guessing that you drew a blank. I certainly did when I considered the same question. As far as I can tell, the Surface Laptop does absolutely nothing […]
There’s Nothing Paradoxical About Microsoft’s Strategy
July 13, 2015 by Leave a Comment
I’ve been meaning to comment on an article I read a few weeks ago that made a fascinating statement about Microsoft’s new cross-platform strategy. It’s written by Andrew Cunningham at the always-excellent arstechnica.com, and it’s titled “You win, Microsoft: How I accidentally went back to Microsoft Word.” The piece is generally good, and makes mostly […]
Is Windows 10 Continuum the Key to Microsoft’s Smartphone Strategy? (Updated)
July 10, 2015 by 3 Comments
Update 7/14/2015: As Windows Central reports, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella (speaking at Microsoft’s Worldwide Partner Conference) seems to agree with my position here: When I think about our Windows Phone, I want it to stand for something like Continuum. The bottom line is, Nadella is no idiot, and Microsoft’s strategy is indeed deep and compelling. Read the […]
Microsoft: “Use the Phone That’s In Your Pocket”
May 26, 2015 by Leave a Comment
This video previewing Microsoft’s upcoming Phone Companion app for Windows 10 seems to summarize Microsoft’s strategy when it comes to smartphones. At about the 3:10 mark, Joe Belfiore (Microsoft’s Corporate Vice President, Operating Systems Group) says: Today, people have this expectation that they’ll be able to take whatever device they have and have all of their […]
Is Microsoft Giving Up on Smartphones? (Updated)
April 27, 2015 by 1 Comment
Update: Paul Thurrot reported this morning (4/28/2015) that Microsoft “will most likely announce this week that it will enable customers to run Android apps on their Windows 10 phones, tablets and PCs.” That’s pretty strong language, and Thurrot has connections. I doubt that he’d state it so firmly, and write such a strongly-worded post in […]
Stuck in Windows (on Phone) Limbo
April 22, 2015 by Leave a Comment
In what would have seemed a shocking development to me a year ago, I’m carrying an iPhone 6 as my daily driver. I’ve written about this before: after using Windows Phone and iOS for a few months each, I’ve lost my taste for Android. No offense intended to any Android fans, but my Nexus 5 […]
90 Days Later, My Microsoft Lumia 830 RM-985 Still Doesn’t Support Lumia Camera 5
April 20, 2015 by Leave a Comment
I try to be a patient person. It’s difficult for me–I want something, I have a hard time waiting for it. When it comes to promises that companies make about their products, I try doubly hard to be patient–nobody’s perfect, things don’t always work out as planned, I’ve been known to be late myself, etc. […]
Lessons From Going Cross-Platform
March 2, 2015 by Leave a Comment
Here’s the industry’s dirty little secret: each major platform, be it iOS, Android, or Windows/Windows Phone, is good enough to be considered life-changing technology. Yes, users tend to favor one platform over another, to the point of fandom and complete ignorance of the other two, and that’s just fine. These things are intended to enhance […]
Lenovo’s Superfish is Really Bad Marketing, and How to Fix It
February 22, 2015 by Leave a Comment
Good marketing means carefully managing every aspect of product (design, manufacture, etc.), price, promotion (advertising, sales, public relations, etc.), and place (distribution). It’s simply not good marketing to secretly alter a product to generate revenue in ways outside the control of unsuspecting customers. That’s particularly true in a technology industry where privacy and security have […]