It is no secret that Microsoft, the biggest company in the computing world, earns all its revenue from just two products Windows and Office. Seeing as how integrated that is in any office or business worldwide that is unlikely to be under threat for a very long time. They currently account for just over 88% of the home market, Apple with 7.5% and the rest being divided up by various Linux and mobile OS devices. That 88% might be a low estimate as the NDP recently releases figures that suggest 80% of US Mac households also have a Windows machine.
Where Microsoft has repeatedly failed in the home is with new devices and services, Zune and the Zune player is a also run, you would be hard pressed to find someone in your own group of friends and colleagues that have one. Windows Mobile might have got a early foothold in the business world but the biggest player by far is RIM with their Blackberry who is ultimate king in that field. The one area where they have excelled beyond expectation is the Xbox 360.
Sure it is dogged by some of the worst hardware design flaws with its RROD, some customer's have experienced machines failing more than once and has cost Microsoft a staggering $1 billion in warranty repairs and climbing. Despite that people continue to buy new machines even after multiple failures which is a testament to how good the games and its Xbox live integrated systems is. It has even held its own against the current King Sony who is slowly catching up in terms of sale. But despite all the effort the amount of revenue generated by the 360 project is insignificant to what else MS does.
Till now.
If you haven't already seen the concept video for Courier have a look below, this is a stunning piece of design and unlike the Apple iPad Microsoft have a very clear idea of what Courier is about and what you can so with it. For those of you that followed the iPad unveiling there really was a "That is a giant iPhone" reaction from most. Now it is unfair to compare the two devices seeing as Apple actually have a product ready to ship, April 3rd for those of you who have not heard, and Microsoft only has vapourware, but you have to admit if they could bring that to market it would be more than a formidable foe for all comers, in what is turning into the year of the Tablet.
While Apple were showing of a giant iPhone and its new features such as its iBook Store Micorsoft have really captured people's imaginations and showed what really can be done with a tablet. This really does seem to be a new and vibrant Microsoft one that has finally learnt that that can't just shrink Windows and put it on every device as they have recently shown with Windows Phone 7 Series, which is rumoured to be the same platform that Courier will be based on.
Watch the video and decide for yourself, whereas before the World Mobile Congress I was excited to see what Apple would have in store with their tablet, iPhone 4 and OS 4.0 my enthusiasm is now squarely aimed at Windows Phone 7 Series (not the most elegant of names) and Courier even if the actual hardware doesn't exist. Twin screens in a clamshell setting make it nice and portable and hopefully it will not be as closed as the Apple offering and developers will get to grips with and produce some unique software that will really put the device through its paces.
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