Or they can drop the ball and abandon rt. I know it sounds cynical, but for corporations the bottom line is the name of the game. This is why we shouldn't be a fanboy of anything. MS should know that if they drop rt on this one I swear I will switch to linux.
There was far more to what Microsoft was doing with the Zune than just expanding into a different industry. A few of the many purposes that the Zune served was as a testbed for creating a secure device, secured music/video store, and UI design (the prototype for Xbox 360, WP7, WP8, and Windows 8).They do need to ramp up inventory.
This is different from the Zune situation because the Surface is a showcase device for Windows 8-gen, including RT, and eventually all of Windows is supposed to become unified. Microsoft has far more invested in the Surface in terms of future planning in relation to the OS, as opposed to Zune, which was really just an expansion into a different industry.
There was far more to what Microsoft was doing with the Zune than just expanding into a different industry. A few of the many purposes that the Zune served was as a testbed for creating a secure device, secured music/video store, and UI design (the prototype for Xbox 360, WP7, WP8, and Windows 8).
There are elements of the Zune (firmware, software, hardware, etc.) that have been embedded in the Surface.
I wish that I could show you that quite a few of the design elements and thoughts behind the Surface goes all the way back to the Zune HD.
I didn't pay attention to Zune development or marketing at the time, so I'll take your word for it. Awful shame it never took off--it seems everyone I've met who owned a Zune had only good things to say about it.
Excellent insights, particular regarding the impact of abandoning development toolsets.I wonder if the Zune and Kin debacles were a matter of timing. Microsoft saw that they were late to the game, and surmised that the smart phone (and living room console) was the correct path. Based on some of the charts I’ve seen, even iPod numbers have fallen since mid-2008.
It may be inevitable that corporations with diverse product lineups have to abandon specific branches. Clearly, though, the cost of abandonment extends beyond the capital investment. The integrity of the corporation suffers a loss.
If we consider the devices mentioned above, and the abandoned toolsets on the development end (SilverLight, XNA, etc.), Microsoft’s integrity needs intensive care. A monumental commitment has to be applied to this particular branch. A course correction may be tolerable, abandonment could be critical.