Tablet PC should be Aspirational (from: Microsoft Monitor)
http://www.microsoftmonitor.com/archives/007322.html
Today, I returned from the Seattle area, where I gave a presentation on small-and-medium business marketing trends. This is the first trip that I carried a Tablet PC, the Fujitsu LifeBook T4010. Overall, the T4010 performed well, and its small size made working in a frustratingly cramped space miserable as opposed to impossible. I don’t understand why on a full-fare ticket, middle seat was the only option, and behind some sleeping, snoring slug with his seat pushed back to my nose.
The T4010 is a convertible Tablet PC with optical drive. According to JupiterResearch surveys, tablet convertible to regular notebook is a an important feature among consumers. Keyboard has great touch and feel, for those times when a stylus won’t do, and performance speedy, which shows some good engineering of how all the components work together. The T4010 is a model that I would recommend to knowledge workers or students not on a budget. The Fujitsu LifeBook is one of the best Tablet PCs I have tested.
I want to thank Fujitsu for providing the loaner, which I will cry over when return time comes. But not wail. While the notebook performed superbly in almost every way, the T4010, like most other Tablet PCs, delivers disappointing display resolution. I simply don’t understand why on a $2,000-plus notebook with puny 12.1-inch display screen resolution is 1024 x 768. Earth to computer manufacturers, you’re living on the wrong planet. Screen real estate is precious on a small display. How about higher resolution?
On Sunday, I happened into my local Circuit City, where the Sony VAIO S360 was on sale for $1,699, or $1,449 after $250 in rebates. The notebook comes with a 13.3-inch display with 1280 x 800 resolution (hint, hint, Tablet PC manufacturers), 1.73GHz processor, 80GB hard drive, 64MB dedicated graphics, DVD combo drive and 802.11g wireless. For a value shopper looking for a light carry, as in 4.2 pounds, but plenty of performance and lots of screen real estate on a small display, the S360 is a compelling choice. And as much as I like the T4010, I don’t see the tablet functions as compelling enough to justify the $800-plus price difference with the S360.
I’ve seen a number of computer manufacturers introduce new Tablet PC models priced as little as $150 more than their current notebooks. Good move, I say; kudos to you. But if your Tablet model, like your standard notebook, is underpowered or low resolution and non-Tablet PC competitors like Dell and Sony offer more for the same or less, Mr. computer manufacturer, you have a potential sales problem. With a good display, potential buyers can see the difference, and I promise that most people will interact more with the screen than the stylus.
Tablet PC benefits are still difficult to show (see next blog for more on that), so, at the least, I strongly encourage manufacturers to make the computers better than standard models in other ways. At the least, a big-ticket model should come with compelling goodies, like a higher resolution display, better graphics capability and even DVD burner. Show the big spenders some love. On the low end, if a Tablet PC is convertible, consider that it must compete against standard notebooks, too, and will not just as a $150 upsell from one of your standard models.
Still, low end is a tougher call than high end. One reasonable strategy is to drive volume with that $150 or so difference between regular and tablet models. In that scenario, lower price is probably more important than more compelling features, assuming the potential buyer even understands Tablet PC benefits or can use them. Right now, there’s a chicken-and-egg problem with Tablet PC. Volumes aren’t huge and available applications are low compared to standard computers. Higher volumes would compel more developer interest in adding specialized Tablet PC support to applications. More applications could make Tablet PC more compelling and so drive higher volumes. Which comes first, the chicken or the egg?
Microsoft could help by doing more to show Tablet PC benefits. Marketing is the way to go. Where are the print or Web ads and TV commercials promoting Tablet PC? There is an aspirational, creative quality about Tablet PC that Microsoft could easily promote. Pen and paper combination is very personal, particularly individual. A svelte, Tablet PC with stylus is similar. There are potential personal, creative-you can be better tomorrow than today, aspirational-qualities Microsoft could associate with Tablet PC.