Did you hear about that press release, you know that one about the new hardware, software or maybe vaporware, or should that be NO-WARE? It is just one of those marketing tricks to make us stop and think, before we run out and buy the competitions product.
Recently Microsoft announced the Surface tablet to the world and they shocked many with building it themselves. Everyone in the industry is wondering why they didn’t partner with HP, Dell or Acer to build the unit and go it alone for manufacturing. Well it comes down to APPLE and GOOGLE.
OKAY you are thinking I have lost my mind but here is my short list of whys:
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- Keeping the package in house provides a better product like APPLE did with IPAD
- Keep the OEM (HP, DELL and Acer) happy building those thin laptops (Ultra) and keeping those license fees.
- Allow Microsoft to move into the same playing field as Google (Motorola) and Apple – Operating System (OS) and Hardware.
- If they bundle MS Office even a lite version in it helps not dilute the PC version pricing.
All these help control the end result that being - Microsoft gets a new market area, it gets no office pricing loss and license fees continue on for PC’s. They also get to make everyone think “maybe I should wait” until the release of these new tablets, which is the main reason for the press release.
Find out what's happening in Montgomerywith free, real-time updates from Patch.
I also have another bugaboo on when to make a press release in general. A press release should only be made when a product is ready for sale not when it is pending a release. The big reason is what we call the OSBORNE effect. Back in the early PC days a company named OSBORNE Computers did a Bozo no-no and announced that a new version was due out in a few months. With this announcement the current version sales tanked causing the company to implode. So flash forward to today with companies like Blackberry (RIM) and Nokia announcing new models early killing current sales. Didn’t people learn that if it “Ain’t here until it is here” lesson or did they just miss that memo?
CAW (Cool application of Week)
This week I have no application for you but a request from Andy Kaczmarek that trusted Trustee. Andy and I and a few other geeks are looking to start an Advanced Technology Club (ATC) for the surrounding communities (Aurora, Sugar Grove, Oswego, Yorkville and Montgomery). This group would meet 4-8 times a year to do what GEEKS do – TECHNOLOGY. This is directed toward children but we all know big kids (ADULTS) love to tinker, built, break, and sometimes use duck tape. So if you have interest please contact Andy here or contact me we would love to see if we can launch a few rockets, drones and maybe build the next Mars Lander.
Watch those kids because they aren’t watching for you, DRIVE SAFE!
