The Liberating 2013 MacBook Air

A few years back I declared the 13″ MacBook Air the perfect notebook. With the recently released 2013 refresh, Apple just made the perfect notebook even better. They did it with one feature that has taken notebook computers to a new level–true all-day battery life. Cable Free There is something wonderfully liberating about not needing … Continue reading The Liberating 2013 MacBook Air

E3 2013: Fighting the Console Wars One More Time

Prologue E3 is technically a trade show closed to the general public, but E3 apparently grants industry status to anyone who has ever worked at a Gamestop or Target (Target sells videogames, right?). As such, the show is more like Comicon than CES. Some attendees dress as their favorite video game characters, there are enormous … Continue reading E3 2013: Fighting the Console Wars One More Time

Why the Microsoft/Best Buy Relationship is a Big Deal

Since Apple introduced their retail stores, Microsoft has been amazed at the success of the Apple’s stores and watched somewhat in horror as people flooded Apple’s retail establishments while stores like Best Buy and others that carry PCs languished by comparison. Microsoft also went to school on Apple’s stores and realized that creating a store … Continue reading Why the Microsoft/Best Buy Relationship is a Big Deal

Instagram Video More a Threat to TV and Camcorders than Vine

Last week, Facebook announced Instagram Video, giving users the ability to take 15 second videos, add special effects and share with their friends. Instagram Video is nearly a feature-by-feature copy of Vine and has been reported to be negatively impacting Vine already. I believe, though, that Instagram Video’s biggest impact will be more on TV … Continue reading Instagram Video More a Threat to TV and Camcorders than Vine

Apple Could Challenge Microsoft for Desktop Dominance. But It Won’t

Apple’s opportunity to dominate desktop computing probably disappeared the day in 1981 that IBM shipped the Personal Computer. Apple’s first attempt at a “business” computer, the Apple ///, was a technical and commercial flop. The anti-corporate “computer for the rest of us” marketing pitch that accompanied the introduction of the Macintosh in 1984 went over … Continue reading Apple Could Challenge Microsoft for Desktop Dominance. But It Won’t

I Need a PC and I Know It

One of the fundamental characteristics of a mature market, is mature consumers. These consumers are mature in the sense that they know what they want and more importantly they know why they want it. This kind of maturity can only come with a defined sense of needs, wants, and desires. That defined sense, can only … Continue reading I Need a PC and I Know It

Apple and Microsoft Desktop OSes: Two Models, One Winner

When Apple and Microsoft contemplated software for a new world in which tablets were taking over much of the work once done on traditional PCs, it quickly became clear that they were following very different paths. Microsoft opted for an approach that would unify the user experience of tablets and PCs. Apple chose to keep … Continue reading Apple and Microsoft Desktop OSes: Two Models, One Winner

Why I Prefer Convertibles Over Notebooks

Ever since Microsoft unveiled Windows 8 at the BUILD event in 2011, it was apparent that the Windows PC future was touch, gestures, tablets, convertibles, and hybrids.    Intel’s unveiling the following year at Computex 2012 with a plethora of form factors solidified that future. To predict the future of PCs, one must have an opinion … Continue reading Why I Prefer Convertibles Over Notebooks

TV and Killer Apps

The Financial Times recently released a special report titled “Digital and Social Media Marketing.” The folks at Social Commerce summarized the lengthy release and drew out several bullet points I find especially interesting regarding the state of television: The average American still spends about five hours a day glued to TV; the smart money in … Continue reading TV and Killer Apps

How Consumer Electronics Will Swing With the Seasons

One of the more interesting trends we are watching develop is the increased seasonality of specific technology purchases. We have been anticipating this for a while now as more and more consumers are being conditioned to buy and or upgrade their technology in the late half of the year. 
With Apple being completely silent the … Continue reading How Consumer Electronics Will Swing With the Seasons

How the Tablet is Killing the PC

IDC recently released its forecast of PC sales for the last quarter and said PC shipments were down 13.9%. It laid much of the blame on Windows 8, but I am not sure this analysis is completely correct. While others have also mentioned Windows 8 as a key factor in PCs’ steep decline, there are … Continue reading How the Tablet is Killing the PC

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Apple vs. Android: The Open Factor

Judging by the comments on John Kirk’s post “Android’s Market Share Is Literally a Joke,” we are well into another operating system religious war. As is always the case in religious wars, it’s tough to make sense of the the arguments. As Harry McCracken notes at Time Techland, we can’t agree who is winning because … Continue reading Apple vs. Android: The Open Factor

Why Google is Not the New Microsoft

My history with the PC industry is very long. I got to work on the original IBM PC with Don Estridge’s team in Boca Raton and saw up close and personal how the PC industry developed and how the value creation for the industry came about. I also got to work on early marketing programs … Continue reading Why Google is Not the New Microsoft

Android’s Market Share Is Literally A Joke

This is the first of three articles looking at how we measure – and mis-measure – who is “winning” in the mobile sector. Article one focuses on market share and was inspired by an article written by Bill Shamblin, entitled: “Chasing Smartphone Market Share Is A Chump’s Game.” Article two will focus on the proper … Continue reading Android’s Market Share Is Literally A Joke

Microsoft is Missing Apps the Same Way They Missed the Early Internet

It seems odd to me that Microsoft of all companies is so drastically behind the curve when it comes to apps for Windows 8 and Windows Phone. When you think about it, Microsoft of all companies was in the best position to create a better software buying experience, via an app store than anyone. Windows … Continue reading Microsoft is Missing Apps the Same Way They Missed the Early Internet

Can Microsoft Compete in a Post-PC World?

Microsoft says it sold 100 million licenses for Windows 8 in the six months it was on sale. Not spectacular, but not bad either. But for Windows RT, Widows 8’s tablet-friendly little brother, things haven’t been so hot. Microsoft hasn’t given out numbers, but IDC estimates sales of Microsoft’s Surface RT at a bit over … Continue reading Can Microsoft Compete in a Post-PC World?

On the Impact of Paul Otellini’s CEO Years at Intel

Intel’s CEO Paul Otellini is retiring in May 2013. His 40-year career at Intel now ending, it’s a timely opportunity to look at his impact on Intel. Intel As Otellini Took Over In September 2004 when it was announced that Paul Otellini would take over as CEO, Intel was #46 on the Fortune 100 list, and … Continue reading On the Impact of Paul Otellini’s CEO Years at Intel

Re-thinking Winners and Losers In Tech

There are narratives that circle the technology industry that are wearing out their welcome. The primary one, and the one where I wish more intelligent heads would prevail, is the narrative that there can only be one winner in this industry. Namely that for Google’s ecosystem to win, means that all the others must fail. … Continue reading Re-thinking Winners and Losers In Tech

In Defense of iCloud

You can’t analyze the industry as I do and not evaluate platform specific strategies to meet consumer needs. I study closely the platforms, ecosystems, and cloud services strategies of many companies. Right now the discussion is focused on Google and Apple for good reason. Google’s solution, similar to Microsoft’s, is hardware agnostic. Meaning the solutions … Continue reading In Defense of iCloud

The Strategic Importance of Intel’s New CEO

This morning Intel finally announced the successor to current CEO, Paul Otellini. Otellini steps down later this month and new CEO, Brian Krzanich, who is currently their COO, will then become CEO. Here is a short background on Krzanich: Brian M. Krzanich is executive vice president and chief operating officer for Intel Corporation. He is … Continue reading The Strategic Importance of Intel’s New CEO

Windows vs. Mac In Schools: All the Wrong Reasons

The Maine Department of Education announced earlier this week that it was switching from Apple Macintoshes to Hewlett-Packard Windows PCs as the technology behind the Maine Learning Technology Initiative. Macs had been used exclusively since the program was started by then-Governor and now Senator Angus King in 2002. I don’t think it makes a lot of … Continue reading Windows vs. Mac In Schools: All the Wrong Reasons