Microsoft’s Vista Challenge
Life is all about expectations. Overpromise and underdeliver at home, with your friends or in the workplace and expect to get your knuckles rapped or worse yet have your reputation sullied. Or both.
The world of technology, specifically Microsoft’s Windows Vista operating system, is no different.
Microsoft has been heavily criticized for the amount of time it took to release Vista, (5 years) and for the many delays along the way. The criticism has continued on unabated since the operating system’s release last year.
Some of the criticism directed towards the operating system, is undeserved. Yes, I said it. Vista is at worst, an adequate operating system. After months of use of Vista, it seems clear to me, that beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
Microsoft’s real problem is perception - users have been conditioned to dislike Vista.
The world’s largest software company proved the point with its recent Mojave experiment. where a focus group of 140 people experimented with an operating system that was nicknamed Mojave. The participants later learned that the operating system was actually Vista. According to the company, 94 of the 140 participants ranked Mojave higher than Vista after the experiment was complete but before they were told it was Vista that they had just used.
The technical issues users have encountered to date aren’t unusual. In fact, they are by and large the same ones Microsoft operating system users encountered in the 12 to 18 months after the launch of XP; businesses and consumers were slower to adopt XP than Vista. This may be due in part to the lifespan of an operating system but it speaks to the OS adoption patterns too.
That’s doesn’t mean users shouldn’t begrudge the technical hiccups they may have encountered but the negativity Vista has elicited is odd and intriguing.
So why the visceral reaction to Vista? Apple is one reason. Its Vista-bashing ads are effective at best and entertaining at worst. Its Mac computers aren’t too shabby either and the uber popular iPod have renewed interest in all things Apple.
The real issue for Microsoft may very well be expectations. Microsoft’s development hiccups en route to the Vista launch put the OS behind the 8 ball from the start. People expected the world of it. Short of transforming the world of personal computing, Microsoft was bound to fall short of expectations, which were high given the length of time it took to produce the OS.
The tide, lately, has shifted somewhat as it seems enterprises are starting to implement it though the base of users is still relatively small. This is due in large part to the release of service pack 1, which was released in April. If history is any indication, the Vista service pack will pave the way to greater enterprise adoption; the security enhancements will probably be of greatest interest. The fact XP is no longer being sold (officially) will help the company ship more copies of Vista too. Working against the company are the U.S. and Canadian economies of course which could be headed towards a recession.
Microsoft’s renewed interest in the marketing of its operating system, which includes a US$300-million ad campaign, can’t hurt. The company has let Apple shape the image of Vista for some time - the counter efforts are necessary if the company is to convince users of Vista and Windows 7, the next-generation operating system, are viable products worthy of their attention.
Don’t be surprised if Microsoft says very little about Windows 7 release dates given its history with Vista. However, it is expected the next-generation operating system could be released as early as the fourth quarter of next year. Whatever the schedule, expect exec Stephen Sinofsky to adhere it; the lessons of the Vista launch will be heeded.
Technorati Tags: Microsoft, Windows, Vista, Apple, Mac
Facebook’s coming of age
It’s official: Facebook is a popular communications platform.
Forget about Microsoft’s $240-million investment in the social networking site announced in October of last year. It’s true, the site would be nothing without the tens of millions of visitors wasting time playing Scrabulous or one of the other 38,000 other applications freely available to download.
Then why? Duh you say? Hear me out. The ultimate confirmation came in the form of spam; apparently it’s not just for e-mail anymore. It’s now trickling into my Facebook inbox.
Over the past couple of days, I’ve received oddly-worded messages from people I had forgot were Facebook "friends" of mine.
The first message was typical e-mail spam; it was filled with illegible gobbledygook followed by a link to what was billed as video. I (wisely) passed.
The second message was more troublesome. It too was from a gal/ex-colleague who I rarely speak to, which was the first red flag. But the message, unlike most spam, was relatively well worded and could very well have duped many a time-pressed or unsuspecting Facebook user.
The user could then have subsequently downloaded a virus to his or her computer which as we know are particularly nasty to rid ourselves of without the proper protection.
This may seem like computer security 100 to many but there are many who are still viable targets for bored or out of work developers.
This obviously means malware developers are now targeting the Facebook platform with some degree of success. Facebook earlier this month said it had cleared up the problem. The network, supposedly, had “identified and blocked the ability to link to the malicious websites from anywhere on Facebook.” Clearly, that’s not the case.
Facebook needs to clear up its security problem quickly if it is to turn itself into a money-making machine. This means Facebook must maintain a pristine image if it is to convince advertisers that it’s a viable platform, many are still skeptical of the site’s worthiness. This will prove to be an especially difficult task if the U.S. sinks deeper into what appears to be a recession.
The vendor, Facebook, should once again warns users of the virus that seems to have reappeared -the first warning page appears to have been taken down - perhaps its being updated.
On the computer security front, Facebook users should now treat their inboxes on the social networking site as they would an e-mail inbox. That means caution is the name of the game.
Technorati Tags: Facebook, spam, virus, social network
Dell discovers Twitter
Dell, the world’s largest computer maker, is going to take questions from media and analysts today via Twitter exclusively during a press conference to introduce a new line of wireless products.
The event, to be held in San Francisco, is going to be streamed via the Web. Instead of a chat service, Dell has decided that Twitter is going to be the event’s communications channel of choice for media, analysts and customers that want to ask the company a question.
According to Dell, interested parties can direct questions during the news conference to www.twitter.com/Digital_Nomads.
Dell has embraced emerging platforms and Web 2.0 applications to presumably, turn its brand into one that’s more readily embraced by the Mac lovin’ Web 2.0 community (N.B. I’m a PC user).
The company has had much success. Its blog/support forums generate great traffic and reportedly save the company bundles of dough in customer support calls annually.
Dell deserves kudos for its embrace of Twitter -it’s a fast-growing communications platform that can help companies reach customers. Too often, companies embrace ideas long after they’ve ceased to be popular or become the norm.
But in this particular instance, the company’s use of Twitter as a communications platform is somewhat misplaced.
The first problem with the micro-blogging and social networking service, of course, is the fact that it’s simply unreliable - frequent crashes are the norm. What is Dell going to do today if media or customers are met with the the now famous "Too Many Tweets" screens when it’s "stressed out?" Anyone who has frequented Twitter has encountered these messages.
Dell would be better off using the ol’ reliable PlaceWare or some other Web-based conferencing service to bring interested parties together. Better to be boring in this instance if only for the sake of efficacy.
Secondly, Twitter won’t allow users to communicate on a real-time basis - it is not interactive enough. In other words, it’ll act more like a one-way messaging service preventing a dynamic level of interaction.
A better use of the social networking service is the feed that Dell has set up for customers to inform them of deals.
Good luck today Dell!
Technorati Tags: Dell, Twitter
The relevance of Google Talk
A quick tally of my Google Talk contacts earlier today reveals that I now have almost as many contacts using the fledgling instant messaging program as I do on the Windows Live Messenger program.
My Google Talk contacts now equal a resounding 29 individuals while my Windows Live Messenger contact total equals 34.
Does this statistic portend a trend? Likely not of course. It’s far too early to say definitively. I’m one person - hardly a representative sample. More importantly, current Windows Live Messenger usage far outweighs Google Talk on a global basis.
As of December last year, Windows Live Messenger had approximately 227 million visitors, followed by Yahoo Messenger at 93 million while Google Talk laid claim to a mere 4 million users.
It may however be an indication that the overconnected - people like yours truly - are more than willing to use more than one instant messaging client.
They are free to use after all so why not be a member of multiple networks? In fact, it was almost necessary in recent years to do as much. IM interoperability is fairly recent for Microsoft, AOL and Yahoo, which allowed IM users to connect to what were once considered rival networks.
Windows Live Messenger, formerly known as MSN Messenger and one or two other names, however, is still the dominant IM program. It’s easy to see why. Everyone’s on it, making Metcalfe’s Law paramount.
But it’s easy to see how a Web-based option, namely Google Talk, will gain ground over time. Microsoft and Google, despite the intense rivalry between the two companies, will make the Messenger and Talk programs interoperable over time, making Talk more attractive.
It’s easy to see why - Google Talk for example can be used by a variety of computing devices at any one time. There’s also no client download; it’s 100% Web accessible.
I am no proponent of Google Talk - it has many deficiencies, chief among them a lack of graphics. IM is supposed to be fun after all! Messenger is a much more refined product at this stage.
But easy access to Talk and the Google’s eponymous search engine can help the company turn the program into a strength over time.
This can help Google put another chink in the Microsoft armor. IM is no bread winner but it will help further assert itself as the dominant Web player.
Where art thou Yahoo?
Technorati Tags: Google, Microsoft, Yahoo, AOL, instant messaging
Cuil - a work in progress
Google has brushed off many a challenger (where art thou Lycos?). as it rose to become King of The Web. Others have taken themselves out of the running to become the next search engine giant (have you straightened your books out yet Fast Search & Transfer)?
Even the mighty Microsoft hasn’t been able to slow down the Google juggernaut.
But Cuil, a search engine founded and introduced today by a gaggle of ex-Googlers has Webheads hopeful the upstart will soon be able to challenge its former parent for search supremacy.
Cuil is a viable search engine for reasons other its cool pedigree, so say its boosters.
Cuil, an Irish word for knowledge according to the company, says it has indexed 120-billion Web pages or three times what Google has apparently has managed to sort.
Heady stuff considering only Cuil opened its virtual doors to the public today - right?
But if early returns are any indication Sergey Brin and Larry Page, Google’s co-founders/chief brainiacs, can breathe easy for the meantime.
Cuil’s first day in business was nothing short of a disaster. The site, which received a barrage of media attention leading up to today, denied users its requests as often as it returned results.
This is akin to Amazon.com being inoperable in the days leading up to the holidays. For an online business, it’s simply unacceptable.
The site’s layout is somewhat unique; it delivers a small number of results with graphics embedded. Interestingly, the site uses a black background which one Google imitator claims is a more power-efficient method to deliver search results. The option to choose between a two-column and a three-column layout is a nice touch too.
Semantics are one thing, relevance is another. Why use it over Google? The answer isn’t clear. Maybe it does index more pages but most people can’t be bothered to sift through more than 5 to 10 pages of results anyway.
Cuil’s got a long way to go before it can even be considered a contender to Microsoft’s Live.com or Ask.com, the No. 3 and No. 4 Web search players.
Its initial foray, though not without its hiccups, means there will likely be significant development in the field of search sometime in the near future. They just may not be found on Cuil.
Technorati Tags: Cuil, Google, search engines
Social network development in the ‘me too’ phase
Think you’ve got the social network scene covered off now that you’ve signed up for Twitter and Facebook?
Think again. Waves of social networks, designed to connect the masses with each other, are sprouting up by the week, making the array of network choices dizzying for even the savviest of Web users.
The latest notable additions to the social network pile on are Plurk and identi.ca, Twitter-like services that allow people to “microblog” (e.g. leave messages that are less than 140 characters)
The growing enthusiasm for social network development is easily understood when the tremendous popularity of Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn is considered. These companies have been valued in the billions despite in some cases the apparent lack of a business model. So it’s no wonder there’s a rush to create the next Great Social Network.
There are no less than 200 ‘well known’ social networks (e.g. Twitter, LinkedIn) on the Web if one doesn’t count the vertical networks that are made accessible by Ning for example.
There’s even a subset of networks with names like FriendFeed, known as “lifestreaming” services, created ostensibly to help simplify matters for users of multiple social networks.
But it’s still far too time consuming of a task for any one person - as enthusiastic as that person may be about social networks - to maintain active profiles on social networks even with the help of Ping.fm.
This creates a number of unique problems even for the most popular of social network operators - social network fatigue chief among them.
Social networks are useful tools for friends and business people to communicate and exchange information. They may even prove to be viable standalone businesses at one point in time.
But frustration or fatigue is bound to set in for some users if they are forced to keep up with friends or contacts on multiple networks, leading to the demise of the network.
This makes the network’s reason for being paramount. There’s got to be a reason to visit a new network on a regular basis.
If the new wave of social networks of the ‘one to many’ variety are to thrive, innovation (as cliche as it may sound) must be the first and foremost consideration for network operators. Wedding the network’s features to revenue generation is of course key.
Unfortunately, there’s little to suggest social network providers keep these factors in mind when business cases and network development is considered.
Here are least two basic considerations for social networks to keep in mind throughout the business development process:
1) Distinguish the network. This means building in functionality that distinguishes the network from the get go. If it’s a ‘me too’ initiative, it will come off as such.
2) partner with Web application providers. Embedding a social application into a rich internet application created by say Adobe or Microsoft would help give an emerging social network a leg up on the competition and increases chances for longevity.
Technorati Tags: Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, social network, identi.ca, Plurk, web 2.0
Rumoured Rogers-Apple tiff
Rogers, and for that matter all cell phone service providers, are on every consumer’s ‘most hated’ company list.
Yet people can’t seem to put their cell phones down, which gives the carriers no end of pricing power (for now) which of course only serves to frustrate consumers further. (Customer service is another story but I digress).
Rogers fanned the flames of carrier hatred two weeks ago when it told prospective iPhone users they’ll have to take a three-year contract and oh by the way, no unlimited data plan for you.
Apple, apparently, isn’t amused either. The company, according to one blogger, is now going to limit iPhone shipments to Canada as some sort of retribution for the expensive data plans.
I am dubious of this rumour for a number of reasons.
1) Apple may very well be upset with Rogers. Carriers and handset manufacturers enjoy a contentious relationship at best. It is also true that Apple doesn’t often play well with others but limiting shipments to a rich country like Canada where iPhone demand is latent would be a downright stupid and self-limiting move.
It’s akin to cutting one’s nose off to spite his or her face. Apple is a large, publicly-traded company focused on top-line growth. It is also locked in a battle with Research in Motion, Nokia and others for dominance of the nascent smartphone market. It’s also a company full of very bright people. The bright minds at work at Apple HQ in Cupertino were no doubt painfully aware of the cartel run by the wireless providers in Canada before striking a deal with Rogers. It doesn’t mean Apple is now willing to sabotage the relationship.
2) Apple’s manufacturers have finite capacity. Remember when Apple first rolled out the iPhone to Americans last year? Supply was limited to 10 or 20 units per AT&T store. Anyone who’s ever bought a product from Apple soon after its initial release knows it nearly impossible to get your hands anytime soon launch date.
It is entirely possible supply may be limited for the short term as Apple’s manufacturing partner(s) ramp up manufacturing of the 3G iPhone. Canadians will get the short end of this stick if true. Remember Apple will be rolling out the same models to a number of countries simultaneously. Many of these nations are far more densely populated than wee l’il Canada. It is therefore smart business sense to divert more shipments to other rich countries where demand is also latent. This rumour may very well be a case of broken telephone or information taken out of context.
Finally, this rumour says more about the demand and fascination with the iPhone than it does about the Apple and Rogers relationship. Canadians and for that matter tech followers worldwide will pounce on any morsel of iPhone news whatever the source or level of credibility.
I am done.
Technorati Tags: Apple, iPhone, Rogers
Jim Shaw makeover?
Anyone else see Jim Shaw’s appearance on Business News Network last week to discuss third-quarter results?
It was odd for a number of reasons. The younger leader of Western Canada’s largest cable operator was downright docile - softspoken even - during the 5-minute spot.
Mr. Shaw, though always respectful, has not been one to deliver a soliloquy on any one topic in a dull fashion. He’s more apt to deliver one of his infamous thunderbolts from on high with a lot of personality behind it.
This is unusual for those that have never seen the CEO of Shaw Communications deliver a speech of any length.
Also notable was his face or what seemed to be less of it. The (formerly?) rotund Mr. Shaw, of course, is a heavy set fellow for those that followed the telecom services scene for any length of time.
If a camera puts an extra 10 pounds on a guy, it would’ve taken two cameras to equal the weight of Mr. Shaw the last time I saw him speak live on television.
Didn’t seem that way last week.
He’s no Calista Flockhart but the guy looks like he’s shed a pound or 20.
Someone could’ve put two cameras on him and he still wouldn’t have weighed as much as he has in recent memory.
This of course has never been an issue for longtime Shaw shareholders, whose shares had doubled from from Jan 2004 to Jan 2006. (This dismal investing year doesn’t count).
So why the makeover then, if indeed there has been focus on his image? Perhaps it has something to do with the company’s ambitions? Save for its StarChoice satellite TV operation, Shaw hasn’t been known as a national provider.
With reserved spectrum presumably in the bag and mandated roaming on the way thanks to the generosity of the Canadian federal government, Shaw may one day soon end up as a national wireless provider.
Or maybe this is just one sign the company is reading itself for greater competition in Western Canada? A leaner, meaner Jim Shaw could be a sign the company is girding itself for a new and more intense round of battles with a slew of companies, including Telus, in the West.
Shaw, of course, has until recently lived off the avails of its cable TV offering. Greater competition on the TV front has forced the provider to diversify in recent years. It now sells a variety of services, including a home telephone offering, to consumers in the West.
We’re reading tea leaves now but the timing of Jim Shaw 2.0 may well be the unofficial start of a new era of telecom services competition in Western Canada.
Technorati Tags: Shaw Communications, Jim Shaw
Rogers iPhone backlash - why bother?
The rising price of crude oil has officially caught up with Canadians.
The evidence? The anti-iPhone petition, launched last week in earnest after Rogers announced the terms of the contracts required for Canadians to operate the device on the Rogers networks.
Judging by the 22,000 signatures the petition organizers have accumulated to date, it’s clear people can’t afford the trip to a cottage with gas prices floating around $1.30 a litre at the pumps in Canada.
Instead, we poor bored Canadians have decided to fill our spare time signing a useless that’s bound to go nowhere.
Canadian gadget geeks are upset with Rogers because of what many perceive to be onerous iPhone contract demands. Rogers, which will start selling the coveted device on July 11, will require iPhone users to sign a three-year contract with the company.
Unlike carriers in other developed nations, Rogers will not offer an unlimited data plan, which is another source of frustration to put it mildly, for prospective users of the sleek, multimedia device.
The iPhone plans from Rogers will cost between $60 and $115 ($114) a month.
Heavy users are understandably frustrated with Rogers because of the low data usage ceilings attached to the plans. The petition, presumably, is a pressure tactic users hope will force Rogers to change the terms and conditions upon which the iPhone is purchased.
Good luck with that as they say.
Petition signers should keep in mind this is the Canadian wireless scene - Rogers is the only GSM network operator.
This means Rogers isn’t inclined to respond to irate consumers. A petition isn’t likely to change much of anything.
If Canadians are truly offended or outraged by the iPhone terms and conditions Rogers is demanding, they should probably do what Jack Kapica of the Globe and Mail suggested in a column posted yesterday.
“Don’t buy the iPhone. Do what you, as sensible Canadians, will do when confronted by prices you can’t stand: Leave the iPhone on the shelf.”
This action, or lack thereof, is more likely to prompt some sort of response from Rogers.
Technorati Tags: Apple, iPhone, Rogers
Wireless Week In Review
It’s been awhile, nonetheless I thought I’d revive, er, resume my wireless week in review posts. With that awkward introduction, here are the news items of note that captured my fancy last week and the expected impact of the events:
1) For those gadget lovers with their heads buried in the sand this week, Rogers announced its pricing for the iPhone, which it will begin selling on July 11. The reaction from prospective users was negative to put it mildly. iPhone lovers are upset because Rogers won’t offer unlimited data plans unlike carriers based in other developed countries. Entry level iPhone (voice & data) plans start at what seems like a reasonable $60 price tag but heavy duty mobile web surfers and e-mail addicts will probably have to upgrade to the pricier $100+ plans if they are to use the device like a personal computer.
Net effect: Canadian iPhone users are going to have to pay no less than $150 a month to Rogers for the device if they want their iPhones to be anything more than a fashion accessory or a novelty.
2) Who doesn’t want to be Patrick Pichette, Google’s new chief financial officer, right now? Bell Canada’s outgoing president of operations will soon become the chief financial officer of Google Inc. Mr. Pichette, who struck me as understated sort the times we’ve spoken, must really know how to turn on the charm in person. So much so, Google is reportedly willing to pay Bell Canada’s outgoing president of operations the tidy sum of US$2.125-million for his first year of service.
As part of his pay package, Mr. Pichette will receive a $500,000 signing bonus. (Too bad the U.S. dollar is as low as it is right now though somehow I think he’ll manage.)
The hiring of Mr. Pichette is no doubt a well-deserved promotion for the seven-year veteran of Bell Canada. Anyone that has had to deal with the mess that is Bell Canada and still lives to speak about it must surely be qualified to head up Google’s finance department.
3) Nokia made its N78 device available at company stores in New York and Chicago. The smartphone has piqued the interest of many Europeans because it’s one of the company’s first devices to run the Ovi service. This is Nokia’s attempt to generate sales from mobile music and video games, which has for years been the exclusive domain of its carrier partners. If it is like any other Nokia device, it will be a technically superior product. However, the company faces an uphill battle for mindshare in North America given the media and consumer fascination with Apple’s iPhone and RIM’s BlackBerry.
Technorati Tags: Google, Bell Canada, Apple, iPhone, Rogers, Nokia N78
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