Why oh why? Why can’t Microsoft do things right? I still remember looking at the XP desktop in awe and going, “I want that!”. And the only thing that has done something like that after XP is Mac OS X.
Sigh. Microsoft has got to learn to make things right!
I know there are a lot of people out there, like your truly, who cannot live without GMail! GMail is what I would term as one of the shining examples of an Internet application. If I make a list of awesomeness of GMail, they would go something like this
Sense of cleanliness
Ease of use
Ease of learning
Shortcut keys
Labels
Firefox extensions =D
However, there’s one thing that GMail lacks – a desktop client. I am from India – the land of amazing culture, gorgeous places and amazing people. However, broadband has still not pervaded India. At least not something that comes under the definition of broadband. Furthermore, “broadband” service providers don’t maintain anything remotely close to ZERO DOWNTIME…
So, GMail is not always on for another at least 1-2 million people [just in India]. Consequently, offline emails [a big part of today's productivity boosters] is non-existent when it comes to GMail. =( So, I personally used to use Thunderbird to synch.
However, I hear bells of change – in the distance, but not too far away.
Google announced a week back [almost] of Google Gears or as I like to call it Kick-in-the-crotch-to-M$. Why you may ask?
Lemme explain [or at least try to]
The desktop has long been the personal property of Microsoft. Comon 90% [on last count] of the world’s computers still run on Windows. [Note: these may not be (f)actual numbers]. There was a time when Internet Explorer ruled the web and a time when Outlook Express and Microsoft Outlook kicked @$$ and held everyone spellbound.
Microsoft has always managed to hold its position not only in the computing world, but also in the stock market with “the desktop”.
Web 2.0 came along and with AJAX and social services + the proliferation of broadband services, Microsoft got a kick in the shin as people started using these “Web Apps”. GMail – since its launch has definitely been one of the most innovative email clients. Not just Gmail, a lot of these web-apps really do kick-@$$.
However, Microsoft still could sell Outlook Express [part of Windows] and Outlook coz well, not everybody is always on. Furthermore, one of the major productivity boosts / points that run especially for Outlook is that you can reply and also manage all your emails – OFFLINE!! Now, that’s definitely something everyone would love to do. Furthermore, as much as Gmail is an awesome web-application, it is NOT available offline.
So, with Google Mail and Google Calendar, you can manage your tasks and email, however if and only if you are connected to the internet. This still got a lot of people still working with Outlook [which I must say is definitely one of the better applications that Microsoft has provided].
However, with Google Gears, this can change. With offline access, and then synching this back online, when you get connected, all you ever need to install in your computer is “something” that is safe and secure and that can run a browser.
Google Gears [once the issues are ironed out and the developers have gone freaky] could single handedly bring GMail, GCal, and even GMaps onto your desktop “sans” the internet.
What’s awesome about it – it’s entering your desktop not with any other download, but your web-browser. =)!
Oooh I can see some hurt in M$s eyes… Comon Microsoft, time to buck up and come up with something totally rad – I agree Surface rocks btw!!
Disclaimer: I haver never owned a Mac or used / worked in OSX, however respect both the machine and the OS.
Year – 1998: As a junior editor for the yearbook, I was introduced to a PC, well a computer at least that had a mouse which had only one mouse button! This was the year I had actually been given a computer @ home and I was hooked to Windows 95 and Motoracer and a game called G-Nome! I used to scoff @ the links leading me to the desktop from where I am typing this particular post when I used to search for cheat codes for the game – GNome! The Intenet Explorer was a true boon to me – a source of games, cheat codes, chatting and PORN! ! Windows was GOD, as it allowed me to do all that – play games and check out porn!
I had an AMD K6 processor based machine, which clocked 200Mhz and well it was AWESOME ! I never realised at that point of time, the magnitude of change, literally a radical revolution that was going to occur with the electronics industry and 8 years later, I’d be typing away on a laptop that’s easily 20 times more powerful than my desktop in 1998, will run a version of the Operating Sytem, which was named after a game I knew and I’d be using that same OS to type something known as a blog, about what I thought about [or didn't] 8 years ago over a hi-speed internet connection.
Anyhoo, the point is that the world has changed. Now, getting back to the main topic. At that point of time, I NEVER imagined that I’d be drooling over a laptop created by those same SINGLE-MOUSE-COMPUTER guys and Id be lusting behind a version of the Operating System, which I thought was complete crap. I am smitten people, yes, truly crazy about the MacBook and the MacBook Pro. These notebooks are an exquisite mesh of sound engineering design, power and eye-candy! Something Apple has been excelling at – a good-looking gadget that according to them “JUST WORKS”
Consequently, my free time, this is the time other than the time I don’t work and I am not writing to my better half, I have been checking out videos and pictures of the MacBook and MacBook Pro. Well, all-in-all, I have just one statement tomake – I WANNA GET MYSELF ONE OF THOSE!! Well, at least that was the case until today afternoon, where I came across a very interesting video.
What I found appalling about this video was the constant mockery of Windows Vista by the Apple people. I agree that OSX is an amazing Operating System – a software wonder. Be kind enough to share it with the PC world! If you think people all over the world would appreciate it so much, why is Mac not release OSX – PC Version? Well, the answer is simple – it can’t!!
OSX will run offcially ONLY on a Mac. Talk about proprietary to the core. This is something along the lines of how Sony works as well. Sony has its own brand of adapters, chargers, even alkaline cell policies, which allow ONLY Sony Battery chargers to run on it!
Now, whilst I agree that this is important to maintain Mac sales, and also is the reason why the Mac running OSX is a lot more stable than the PC running Windows, Apple guys were twisting the fact, trying to make us consumers believe that OSX is a lot better than Windows, Windows Vista in this case. That too based on the “similarity” of “looks” of certain applications.
However, Apple _conveniently_ forgot to mention the following – Windows is targeted at a mainstream customer base, where in the hardware is NOT an issue. A Windows copy [mite not be all the features all the time] will definitely run on any PC, as long as it maintains the requirements of the Operating System!! Now, I agree that Microsoft might have spent an awful lot of money and resources on developing Windows Vista. However, what I am considering what Microsoft has done, if at all they have copied features of Mac, is bring the features of OSX into the PC world, which is going to be received with open arms. I am still shocked @ the negative publicity given to an operating system, which wasn’t even released at the point of time the video was shot.
I had great respect for Steve Jobs, however his stupid bullish attitude is now making me take a fresh look at his products. There’s NO reason for him to take such a bullish attitude with Microsoft and Windows. This is also shown in the Mac vs PC ads. So, Steve, seriously, your products look great and I have heard that they work amazingly well as well, however what you did in that show, was rude, and totally uncalled for. I have not seen, so far at least any ads by Microsoft against any of your products, and trust me, your products are NOT flawless.
The Mac is picking up sales thanks to the shift to the Intel Chips. However, you must also take note Steve, the multitude of videos in youtube, the tremendous number of pics in Flickr, etc, which show a Mac running WIndows. Apple itself is working on BootCamp so that it “does” windows now.
But, Steve ever considered this – A Mac now runs Windows, but can any PC run OSX?
So, chill guys, I mean there’s market for everyone!! Peace in the cyber world!! I am all up for innuendos, but downright flagrant attack on your competitor’s products is NOT good marketing =D! It’s a good way to get attention to yourself, however, make sure that you have a product that can handle all that attention!!
Update: 2006-12-09 Check out this video during MacWorld 1997. Hmm, interesting how Steve Jobs has changed his perception after Apple has pulled itself back together.
I was apprehensive about what I wrote wondering I were indeed a bit strong about Apple, not being a sportive player in the market. However, after seeing the video above, where in Apple was down and under and Microsoft and Apple “tying the knot” literally, really speaks something about Steve Jobs doesn’t it?
This week has been full of activity, considering the amount of roll outs of new gadgets and their related services. The consumer market is going to go crazy with all the new options coming out !
Apple, came out with their “It’s Showtime” on the 12-Sep-2006. They announced
The 5.5G iPod featuring brighter screen, an 80GB version, games support
The Rainbow iPod Nano featuring a new design and various colors [Hmmm clip on covers next??]
The “Smallest Mp3 player” iPod shuffle featuring Clip and go and 2GB of memory with an aluminium casing
iTV – Apples entry into the Set Top Box, which is becoming huge in the US market
Close behind, y’day Microsoft has finally announced their entry into Apple’s dominant market – Mobile media players – and media service itself with Zune. Status has finally changed from Coming Zune !
They announced their first Zune player – available in White, Black and Brown [why didn't Apple think of that??]
The Zune media marketplace – or something like that, which I never bothered to check
More Zune pics
The Harddisks turned 50, celebrating their golden jubilee in many blogs around the world. Surprising that none of the hard disk manufacturing companies came out with any interesting hard-disks!! Hmmm.. anyhoo, the event wasn’t publicized anywhere other than Engadget and some other blog news sites.
Microsoft Hardware came out with some real sexy peripherals for the “live” world of Microsoft.
Microsoft, again announced some more Vista RC1 Preview licenses and I managed to get hold of one and I have dowloaded the RC1 DVD ISO. I need to burn it and give the OS a whirl. !
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