seattlepi.com Microsoft Blog: Gates Q&A: Blog Extra II

September 14, 2005

Gates Q&A: Blog Extra II

Another excerpt from the Bill Gates interview that didn't make it into the Wednesday morning story. This was my follow-up to the earlier question about Windows vs. Web-based development:

Q: Do you envision Windows being as central to the PC industry in 10 years as it is today?
Gates: "Well, the PC industry is itself broadening to embrace all the different devices. What do you call it when you're in the car, using Windows Automotive? What do you call it when you're on your smart phone, connecting up using the Windows Mobile software we have there. We've always been the most prolific in terms of doing software for all the devices. Our IPTV effort is doing the next generation of set-top box, we're doing Xbox on the video games. This wave is very user-centric, and we actually started talking about that all the way back in the year 2000, that you were going to have many devices.

"The full-screen device will always play a special role. If you want to write a document, edit a document, you're going to sit at two feet and do that. That's the PC, and the PC is where you're able to take notes. This is the Tablet, I don't know if you've seen this Motion machine. [Gestures to a Motion Computing Tablet PC.] Just think of that two years from now, four years from now, in terms of the thinness, the cost. Every student, instead of having textbooks, they're going to have a Tablet PC, and so the PC is very significant.

"We use the word Windows to encompass not only the PC client software but also the phone client software, and the automotive. Because of the broad way we talk about the Windows platform, I can say yes to your question. But it's because Windows is not static."

Posted by Todd Bishop at September 14, 2005 09:11 PM

Comments

Does MS risk spreading itself too thing by attempting to target all of these markets? Example: Linux is trying to target the server, the desktop, the palmtop, the cell phone and various other things, and it is arguably a more flexible OS and better suited for this portability. However, other than the server, it does few of the other things *really* well. Jack of all trades, master of none?

Posted by: tinfoil at September 15, 2005 06:55 AM

To which Motion Computing Tablet PC did Bill Gates gesture? An LS800 would fit with the "Ultra Mobile concept computer" he showed in April (http://www.microsoft.com/billgates/speeches/2005/04-25WinHec05.asp), but he may be stuck along with the rest of us waiting for the LS800s with the "View Anywhere" display to ship.

Posted by: Mickey at September 15, 2005 08:30 AM

So then WHERE is a new version of MS Reader? Gates talks about eBooking as if it's still 1998 and Steve Stone is still at MFST, but this is one space that they have totally ignored, the Digital Publications group crashing about a week after the Tablet PC Launch seemingly. And even Roger Fidler has basically thrown-in the towel on the whole idea. And the ideal 'eBook' Tablet is (or rather was) the now defunct, HP TC1000 and TC1100. A nice talk, but actions speak louder. But like Guy Kewney and Nick Hampshire, I believe the "Dynabook" will happen sometime, just maybe not from Microsoft.

Posted by: Christopher Coulter at September 15, 2005 04:15 PM

Mickey, I didn't happen to notice which model of Motion Tablet PC it was. Sorry.

Posted by: Todd Bishop at September 15, 2005 09:43 PM

Todd: Was the Motion Computing machine the size of a regular laptop or was it the size of a paperback book? Previously Gates had one of the regular size Motion Computing tablets, but it would be interesting to know whether he's shifted to the jacket-pocket form factor that he's touted. Keep an eye out for this. The LS800s with the View Anywhere screen began to ship this week, and I would not be surprised if Gates is an early adopter. If he pulls the Tablet out of a sport jacket pocket people would remember the size.

Posted by: Mickey at September 16, 2005 06:55 AM

Mickey, it was a regular laptop size. Also, just to be clear, this particular machine was being used by another person there with him in the room.

Posted by: Todd Bishop at September 17, 2005 05:24 PM

I've posted photos of the LS800 in a sport jacket pocket at www.segal.org/tablet/photo/

Posted by: Mickey at October 27, 2005 08:16 AM


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