So, there may never be
a Windows 7 Phone tablet, but that device above looks pretty darn close to what one may have looked like. In actuality that's just the tablet that Microsoft has been using at Computex to demo its new
Windows Embedded Compact 7 supporting Silverlight for Windows Embedded, Flash 10.1, and multitouch within the browser. We caught a few minutes with the NVIDIA Tegra 2-powered, 8.9-inch slate and found ourselves drooling over the Zune / Windows Phone 7-like interface that had been built by Microsoft. But before we tell you to jump past the break to check out the short demo, we want to break the news to you that this UI was created
just to show off the capabilities of the new CE platform -- there's no plan to bring it to market as is on Microsoft's end at the moment. Instead manufacturers, like ASUS and others, have to do their own engineering with the preview release and then the RTM build that will come later this year. But we certainly wouldn't object to one of those companies creating something similar to what you are about to witness in the gallery and video below.
posted June 3rd 2010 2:22AM
that UI is beautiful
@Murkurie Too bad they aren't shipping it.
@Murkurie
Yeah, it boggles my mind that Microsoft is leaving this to the OEM's to screw up. I can understand the desire to just provide the software and services while not touching the hardware, it's what makes Microsoft what they are. What I can't understand is leaving software to the hardware guys. Microsoft has shown us they can make some pretty awesome UI's....so why aren't they giving them to users???
@Murkurie
UI? i don't know, i can't see the UI. the camera is zoomed in x50.
@Delta Agreed, hardware guys should only be doing hardware in concert w/ the MS software design team.
The other thing is I'd like to know who is in charge of naming things at Microsoft. Their names suck.
@ravissimo do you have that eyeglass on you?
@Delta
I think one can draw some parallels with Apple's demise on the desktop and to today's tablet/smart phone battle. Apple is employing the same model they always have, Microsoft is using theirs. Last time Microsoft won. That OEM hardware strategy gave consumers choice and added competition which drove cost down.
Does anyone know if an OEM is allowed to copy this?
I have C# silverlight and a CTP that is begging to create my personal UI.
P.S. Will there be a way to get it to sync with Zune?
@Murkurie
OEMs will never be able to create slick UIs like that. Instead we'll see trialware and adware bloated crap muddled together.
I want to know more about the ebook app .. is there one that comes with it? how is it tied to a store?
@JS id take an HTC tablet with EC7 and Sense UI as long as HTC is quick with updates
@JS The one exception is HP. They did a pretty good job w/ the touchsmart, although I agree it should be MS's responsibility save for skinning to match the shell.
@Delta
I agree. Just when we thought they have been learning from there mistakes they go and shoot themselves in the foot again. They should be owning this not passing it on. A complete contrast to the there rivals ownership and control over there ipadOS.
Shame on bullmer I say. Another missed opportunity. Ya know what rattling in my ear right now? Steve bullmer on the engadget show speaking about the courier saying "someone should make that" bullmer your full of sh.....
@UnsilentMajority That's an oversimplification.
It isn't simply the model that caused Apple to lose so much ground during the 90's. It was because of the idiots that were in charge at Apple.
They had a cluttered product lineup with computers that did nothing but cannibalize each other. Apple DID allow clones, but for them, allowing clones was a terrible idea because they also made macs as well.
If Apple played the game, like they do now, then no one would be talking ill of their business model.
Seriously, if the model were so bad, then Phillips CD-I and 3DO would have been a huge successes and the Playstation would have bombed.
@JS
HTC is great at making a slick UI. Sense UI is one of my favorite mobile UI, is slick, fast, full featured and adds much more and goes deeper than just mere skinning.
Not only that but there is an understanding among HTC that a simple grid of icons doesn't do much of anything for anyone.
Most will create shitty UI's but not all will and the ones that create a good one (HTC/HP/Lenovo (possibly)) will benefit a lot from it.
@JS
That is actually an excellent move.
Look at google and android - nearly every manufacturer has their own custom skin, and generally all of them bring something a little different to the table. Next take into account that Microsoft doesn't develop at break neck speeds, and you have yourself a stable skin building environment.
Also, this allows for a variety of how much demand the UI itself takes. OEM's could certainly have a range of heavier UI's that require more system resources, to extremely light footed ones. Variety is a good thing, remember? (At least in the early days of a new OS / method of computing in this case, so the 2nd rendition will have been built off of a variety of user experiences.)
@ravissimo
Agreed. This woman has horrible camera handling. Didn't even give the camera time to focus properly on the zoomed in stuff. If you're gonna zoom in and show us details, u should at least let it focus instead of pan around everywhere. All we see is blur, and not even a blur of the entire tablet.
@Delta
It also boggles my mind why they would take an AMAZING os like CE7 and strip it down with the gay ass "metro" UI, and add tons of restrictions -- and call it windows phone 7...fuck microsoft, they don't know what the fuck they are doing, that's why allard left, it's clear monkey boy doesn't have a clue about mobile devices.
@Delta I agree whole heartedly. Why can Microsoft do what it does best and make the operating system and UI for tablets (possibly like win phone7). It seems like that is the way to go since software has been their business model forever. Then later if they want to make their own hardware(like Xbox), they can take their time. They got to step it up and I really hope that they do.
@DoctarPeppar
yes because the world renown DoctarPeppar does!
@Murkurie This could be great,. Changes can lead to something good. http://j.mp/microsoft-windows-compact-prev
Yippee-ki-yay! looks fucking tasty
Interesting, its like adding your own Sense UI but for a windows OS made for tablets.
@Bhima Thats kind of exactly what im excited about with this thing, i can just use Expression Blend, which i spent the better half of today looking at, to design an personalize my own custom UI... pretty much the most ideal situation i could have for a mobile device
this is how a tablet SHOULD function... not quite a PC but more than a Phone
@SteveyAyo
Can't wait to see the Office integration. Show me a solid OneNote experience (with a stylus, HEAR THAT STEVE?) and I'll hand over my credit card.
@Delta
they could sell literally dozens of tablets to like minded consumers... =/
@Dogtown as the only company offering a built for tablet OS i think theyll sell way more than a couple dozen... wait until IBM/Lenovo starts releasing corporate Slate devices... all of the sudden this becomes the best selling tablet OS in the world... dont just dismiss it because it MSFT
@Delta With you on the stylus. And a great hand writing recognition app. From what I saw in the vid this looks good. Hope that MS puts more effort into CE than they have in the past and lets the OEM's value add/differentiate in the ui, seems to have worked well on smartphone.
@SteveyAyo I'm sorry, but you have no idea how this tablet will function. There are 5 pictures there.
@mcbeaven also multiple videos online if you take the time to actually look at stuff before commenting
@SteveyAyo wait wasn't that the argument against iPad, it isn't a pc and it's only an improvement over the iphone.
@MySchizoBuddy no the argument against the iPhone was that its nothing more than a Giant iPod, this is a completely separate platform which is fully customizable and integrates with ALL of microsofts platforms... so pretty much the perfect set up for a device like this, I cannot wait to play playstation games on these like i do with my HD2 (possibly PS2)
@SteveyAyo against the *iPad*
finally ... something from M$..
@mishulica21
I wonder how long it will be until people realize how incredibly ignorant they look when they type "M$".
Welcome back to 2010. How was 1995?
@maddawg579 +1
@maddawg579
I am still waiting for them to convince me they are not M$.. hope they can with this ,Windows Phone 7 and Natal.
@mishulica21
Are you speaking about the tablet? I assure you the hardware isn't from Microsoft. No, No. You see Microsoft is a software company [besides Zune and Xbox].
That being said: This looks awesome!
@mishulica21 what? they didnt earn the M$ branding by not releasing innovative products, they got it from their monopolistic practices in the 90's... remember when thy made it difficult for you to replace ie on you pc? (not impossible, just made alternative downloads slow)
your line of reasoning is Fail
@WilliamNighthawk
then I said "with this" i meant the windows embedded compact 7
@WilliamNighthawk "You see Microsoft is a software company [besides Zune and Xbox]."
... and mice and keyboards and various types of game controllers and webcams and headphones and... you know, i think microsoft might actually be a bit more than just a software company
@maddawg579
1995 was great! Windows was awesome back in the days. Then it got worse for a while. But hey, thx for asking! You seen that Disney movie yet? The 2D/3D kind, what's it called. Lion King.
@mishulica21 I'm assuming he has an Xbox 360. That is the main area where microsoft is still M$. Wifi adapter... 'nuff said.
Please make the UI standard ...
@AnAnt Id say offer the Metro UI as a standard if the OEM doesnt want to create their own... i feel most OEMs would stick with Metro
My thoughts exactly, maybe charge them more to use this GUI.
Hopefully one of these companies gets the hint and does something very similar to this.
Microsoft, the destroyer of mankind cr@p gadget has answered. Still, taking too long to holla back.
I wanna say too little too late, but maybe there's hope yet, I definately wished to see something more focused on students from them
@Underrated gasp, you mean students are a viable market?
If only Microsoft figured that bit out...
was this filmed last week? the bing homepage is like 5 days old