The future of tablet PCs?
Julia Lerman points out this interesting post from the Microsoft Watch site speculating that the future of Microsoft's marketing of the tablet PC is not clear.
At WinHEC, Microsoft execs almost went so far as to admit that the company is now resigned to positioning Tablet functionality as just another notebook computer feature. (Or, if you prefer the Microsoft spin on this, for the Tablet PC to "assimilate" the mobile PC segment.)
Company officials claim this was Microsoft's vision all along. But tell that to the Tablet PC OEMs, channel partners and software developers who have been working to build businesses around the Tablet as a differentiator. Many were counting on Microsoft to push the Tablet as a whole new kind of computer, not just a collection of whizzy add-on functionality.
Says one: "The retreat is serious. We'll be (moving) into the 'Tablet as all' and 'All as Tablet' (phase) within five to ten years. It's like a plan to shoot itself in the head."
There's other evidence that the Tablet is on increasingly shaky ground, at least marketing-wise.
Layne from www.tabletquestions.com started that original discussion on tabletpcbuzz.com and you'll find that he went to a developer tour talk a few days later and has changed his mind about the future of the tablet. I wish he'd post more.