Oems Dropping Rt Could Be A Opportunity For Microsoft!

[RWalrond]

I'm thinking there may be a silver lining with all the OEM's dropping RT.

 

When Microsoft introduced the Surface tablet, it was clear that they held it back so not to trample all over OEM's. They played it off as more of a reference design. They even limited the distribution and priced it high in hopes that other hardware vendors would pick up the carrot and run with it.

 

Well, we all know that things didn't work out the way Microsoft expected and now I think Dell is the only one left producing RT devices. Could this be the opening Microsoft needs?

 

Microsoft doesn't need to walk away from RT they need to double down!!! Remember Courier??? Microsoft now has the blessing and green light from its hardware partners to do whatever they want with RT devices cause they are not interested.

 

Microsoft needs to release some aggressively priced RT devices with tuned software. They now have their Apple device that they can control from start to finish without hardware vendors crying foul (although we all know they will).

 

Hey Microsoft,  target Surface RT at the student and the executive first! Create an 8 inch version along with the current size, add an active digitizer and create a Courier/OneNote hybrid app that takes note taking to the next level. Make sure connectivity options are a plenty and above all price the thing to build marketshare!

 

Glad I got that off my chest

 

[schoondoggy]

I agree with your logic and I hope Microsoft heads down that path.

[FinsUpDNC]

I fully agree, and as Schoon said lets hope some at Msoft agree. Just like Blackjack when you lose that $100 you take out another $100 to win back the first .

[ikon]

It would be a great 'experiment' so to speak, and MS has the deep pockets to fund it. I'm in

[schoondoggy]

Good article;

 

http://winsupersite.com/windows-8/can-surface-be-saved?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

[INeedHelp]

I am very happy to see that I am not the only one who believes that Microsoft should target students for RT's future. I bought an RT mainly for the purpose of school related tasks. It has been the best devise for school, and I would highly recommend it to anybody. I also hope that Microsoft will see this opportunity, and change the targeted people to students, and the executive as you stated before.

 

You mentioned that Microsoft should release an 8 inch version? If Microsoft did target students, it would be very hard to write papers, and do other school related tasks on an 8 inch device. Maybe its just me, but to have a student targeted tablet, you will have to have a keyboard. It would be extremely hard to type on an 8 inch keyboard.

 

Lets just hope that Microsoft will realize this, and head in this direction for RT

[RWalrond]

 You mentioned that Microsoft should release an 8 inch version? If Microsoft did target students, it would be very hard to write papers, and do other school related tasks on an 8 inch device. Maybe its just me, but to have a student targeted tablet, you will have to have a keyboard. It would be extremely hard to type on an 8 inch keyboard.

 

 

Yeah typing on an 8inch is hard, but taking notes with a digitizer would be awesome with the right app. I see myself using an 8 inch to make notes in meetings. It may be too small for students, but for in the boardroom with the right app, it could be killer.

[SEANT]

 

 

I had made a post with a similar recommendation at CadTutor.net.  Actually, the post was

quite a bit more speculative as I implied that giving surfaces to students had

always been a pretty likely “Plan B” for Microsoft. 

 

 

 

My rationale was that building the full eco-system was a must.  Microsoft did it’s part to create a

quality OS and killer hardware, but the full App store was beyond even it’s vast resources.  Sure it would have been

great if the new offering exploded spontaneously into a beautifully rich ecosys, and this first year it was allowed to do so. 

That not happening, or at least not soon enough, “Plan B” will now be implemented.

 

 

As RWalrond stated in the original post, the OEMs are pretty much out of the picture.  It is doubtful that any

of them would raise anti-trust violations, i.e., Predatory Pricing, Flooding the market.  The OEMs can’t even feel

that they’ve been treated unfairly, though, it looks like some of the Microsoft shareholders may.  

 

 

In any event, Microsoft can now distribute the devices (unfortunately at almost a 100% financial loss) to every spelling bee winner,

top essay writer, mathlete it can find.  Get the remaining surfaces into the appreciative hands of the best of

the  world’s next  generation.  That focused dissemination will get the interest of the App developers,

and these top students will demonstrate what the Surface can do in front of classmates, siblings and parents.

[schoondoggy]

Microsoft continues to add to the channel to sell Surface products;

http://blog.surface.com/b/surface/archive/2013/08/15/surface-rolls-out-next-phase-of-business-channel-availability-in-17-new-markets.aspx

 

Original launch on July 1;

http://www.zdnet.com/microsoft-starts-selling-its-surfaces-through-resellers-7000017535/

[SEANT]

Here's an early Microsoft implementation:

 http://www.winrtsource.com/2013/08/21/program-for-schools-to-earn-free-surface-rts-starts-today/

 

 

Actually not a bad idea to get some exclusive Bing exposure out of the deal.