For the life of me, I don't know what Microsoft is thinking? They've released Windows Phone 7, their market offering to compete against the iPhone, Android and other smartphone OS systems.
This thing looks like something that some European compsci graduate student put together for this masters project as opposed to polished and refined operating system created by a billion-dollar multinational tech company.
It truly boggles the mind as to what is going on at Microsoft. They have usability engineers, they have beta testers, they have focus groups - how with all these NPI pre-steps do you release an OS that looks like this?! The only thing that could possibly explain their 'tiles' strategy is that someone must have brilliantly said, "No matter what it looks like, it has to look completely different than Apple. I know... boxes! Lots and lots of boxes guys, that's the ticket!"
Microsoft needs to throw in the towel already and just go buy RIM. I predict their Phone 7 will have less success in the market than Zune did competing against the iPod.
Who I feel bad for is the PR folks who have to publicize this product.
So what do you do if you're a PR person stuck between a rock and a hard place. Basically, three things come to mind in this situation...
1) You emphasize the integration with other microsoft applications (both consumer and corporate)
2) You get a testing lab to test this thing for usability and have them work up a report (which hopefully shows equal or greater usability to other smartphone operating systems)
3) You focus on what the product will become, not just what it is. Framing the product as an 'entry' offering in the smartphone market which will evolve and grow.
None of this will get folks to praise the system, because let's face it, when you first see this thing most people will make a face like they just tasted something sour (and with smartphones, the look of the OS is important). What it will do however is get opinion leaders (ie. reporters) to articulate why this offering may not be as much of a failure as first impressions might indicate.
In reality I think we'll probably have to wait a year now for Microsoft to realize that they can't compete in the smartphone arena and will have go out and do an acquisition to stay competitive.
I'm just shocked that as we approach the year 2011 this is the best Microsoft was able to offer.
This thing looks like something that some European compsci graduate student put together for this masters project as opposed to polished and refined operating system created by a billion-dollar multinational tech company.
It truly boggles the mind as to what is going on at Microsoft. They have usability engineers, they have beta testers, they have focus groups - how with all these NPI pre-steps do you release an OS that looks like this?! The only thing that could possibly explain their 'tiles' strategy is that someone must have brilliantly said, "No matter what it looks like, it has to look completely different than Apple. I know... boxes! Lots and lots of boxes guys, that's the ticket!"
Microsoft needs to throw in the towel already and just go buy RIM. I predict their Phone 7 will have less success in the market than Zune did competing against the iPod.
Who I feel bad for is the PR folks who have to publicize this product.
So what do you do if you're a PR person stuck between a rock and a hard place. Basically, three things come to mind in this situation...
1) You emphasize the integration with other microsoft applications (both consumer and corporate)
2) You get a testing lab to test this thing for usability and have them work up a report (which hopefully shows equal or greater usability to other smartphone operating systems)
3) You focus on what the product will become, not just what it is. Framing the product as an 'entry' offering in the smartphone market which will evolve and grow.
None of this will get folks to praise the system, because let's face it, when you first see this thing most people will make a face like they just tasted something sour (and with smartphones, the look of the OS is important). What it will do however is get opinion leaders (ie. reporters) to articulate why this offering may not be as much of a failure as first impressions might indicate.
In reality I think we'll probably have to wait a year now for Microsoft to realize that they can't compete in the smartphone arena and will have go out and do an acquisition to stay competitive.
I'm just shocked that as we approach the year 2011 this is the best Microsoft was able to offer.
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