Microsoft’s Gates says iPad needs pen, voice input
Redmond’s former Chief Executive Officer, who now spends most his time and money trying to solve Third World folks’ problems, has commented on Apple “latest creation,” the iPad. Unfortunately, rather than seeing a product that’s wholly different, Gates seems locked in a Windows everywhere mindset.
BNet asked Bill Gates — genius, philanthropist, all-around rich guy and former CEO of the world’s largest software company — what his impressions of the new Apple iPad are.
“You know, I’m a big believer in touch and digital reading, but I still think that some mixture of voice, the pen and a real keyboard, in other words a netbook, will be the mainstream on that,†said Gates. “So, it’s not like I sit there and feel the same way I did with iPhone where I say, ‘Oh my God, Microsoft didn’t aim high enough.’ It’s a nice reader, but there’s nothing on the iPad I look at and say, ‘Oh, I wish Microsoft had done it.’â€
First, you’ve gotta wonder whether or not he’s actually held an iPad in his hands? That is, most of the people talking about the iPad, like me and probably Gates, have never touched let alone see one.
Also, to my limited knowledge, pen-based computing has mostly been a failure. Yes, there are lots of 10-year-olds tapping at the Nintendo DS portable gaming units, but only a relative few adults in hospitals and warehouses doing real work on such devices despite the huge investments Microsoft made.
Groundbreaking, yes. But tablet computing in Microsoft’s hands hasn’t exactly set the world on fire like many had hoped.
What else would he say?
Thereupon, Gates was the driving force behind the development and promotion of Microsoft’s tablet operating system, which has had limited success in only a few niche markets, and his response is centered in the “Windows everywhere” mindset. Thereupon, the netbook and tablet share one telling detail — Windows isn’t particularly graceful on either hardware platform.
Nevertheless, given that Apple already includes best-of-class handwriting recognition for Asian languages, you’ve got to wonder why it isn’t available for Western languages, which aren’t nearly as demanding. That’s not the same as using pen-based input across the board, but Gates does have a point.
I wonder if his opinion of the iPad will change — grain o’ salt — once he actually gets his mitts on one? Also will the Gates house be an iPod free and iPad free zone? Hmm, inquiring minds want to know…
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February 12th, 2010
The iPad also needs a “Start” key to turn it off, and a bunch of other keys on it so that you can use the Ctrl-Alt-Delete command to re-boot it. The iPad also needs to be able to fail regularly, preferrably into a blue screen, etc etc etc . . . I am sure you get the message!
February 12th, 2010
Well, if Bill Gates knew that much about what consumers wanted in a tablet, you’d have figured that at least one of his Windows tablets attempts would have met with success instead of all failures. I must say that those convertible tablets have some decent qualities to them, but I wouldn’t call them exactly devices of convenience. I’d like to see a demo of the HP Slate running full Windows 7. I’d bet it’s a dog with poor battery life and probably sluggish moving from program to program even if it is multitasking. I don’t know why any consumer tablet needs to run a full version of a desktop OS, but this is what the tech-lovers thinks will make consumers happy. I think the iPad has everything that the average consumer needs to view all types of media, the internet (except Flash, of course), books, magazines, newspapers, TV, movies, apps and games. That’s more than enough.
I’m willing to bet that Microsoft and Windows PC manufacturers are going to have a rough road ahead trying to please tech-heads with dozens of extra features and a bloated Windows 7 slowing everything down plus some profit-killing price tag of $350. It will likely be an ugly sight to see as netbook fiends will refuse to budge from using $250 devices. Apple will have the tablet market to itself.
February 12th, 2010
Hey, Bill. The Windows tablets already on the market have pen input. How’s that working out for you?
Bill is jealous because Apple will sell more iPads in the first month than all the Windows slates sold in history.
February 13th, 2010
The irony of knocking someone for voicing an opinion on a device because they never held it while admitting they never did either is absolutely hilarious.Exactly how do you miss being another layer removed making your opinion even less useful?
When will you Apple enthusiasts figure out Microsoft doesn’t build computers? I realize once Apple tossed the Power PC platform it had to do something to attempt to convince people choice is bad, but it’s hardly logical.
Considering I can run a full Linux OS off a flash drive on a very modest hardware platform and it’s already running on a large number of devices like DVRs and other devices and Google is also pretty well positioned to profit without being locked in by a tiny hardware selection.
The popularity and massive success of Netbooks, a sector that was denied to Macheads solely for Apples benefit no matter what Stockholm Syndrome logic is applied, is pretty solid evidence that reasonable consumers understand a price versus performance ratio. And even if the argument about more features means shorter battery life is true, the ability to swap them means my 7 hour model is a 14 or 21 hour one with minimal fuss.
Not everyone is willing to accept an argument like the one I heard about the first iPhone’s lack of 3G being positive because it burned up runtime and the battery wasn’t swappable.
The iPad might have an iPhone type acceptance or it might be Apple TV, high on price and low on features.
There is nothing to object to about Gate’s comment. He was asked a question by a reporter and answered, unless you think the features he list were something you wouldn’t want.
April 13th, 2010
I’m writing this on my iPad right now and loving it. BUT one of my personal prerequisites for my continued use of this device is the use of pen input.
To clarify, i believe the iPad does everything it does perfectly, or at least very well. What I’m specifically looking for is the ability to write free hand note and sketches in a note pad style app. To me, this would make the iPad an invaluable business tool.
I love being able to type out, quietly, notes in a meeting on this, and Im already
Retty quick, but when it comes to sketching out diagrams and flow charts, I’m stuck…
Heres to hoping that evernote fixes this for me as it did on my old tablet/laptop convertible.
Have the pogo sketch pen… It’s ok but there are no apps that are sensitive enough in real use.
May 13th, 2010
For all that I’m no fan of Microsoft, I actually think he’s right.
Despite all the hype, the iPad really doesn’t seem all that exciting a device now I’ve had a chance to play with one.
In particular, the feature I most want from any reader/tablet (after the ability to read books on it) is the ability to write in it. Not type. Write! I want to use it as a sketch book. I want to be able to scribble notes in the margins of my books (and rub them out afterwards).
I know there are some partial solutions (special pens designed to mimic fingers etc), but in the end the only level that is adequate for pen-input is pressure sensitivity, and a nice fine, accurate point.
I know there is a famous british artist raving about the ipad, but he’s someone who does his art with photocopies etc. He’s not a fine artist.
I expect in a few years to see an iPad equivalent that does offer good quality pen input. And I know how it will be advertised.
– For people who’ve grown up. You can stop finger-painting now.