The Tablet PC Experience (Pack) (from: Microsoft Monitor)
http://www.microsoftmonitor.com/archives/007325.html
Over the last week, I had opportunity to use the Microsoft Experience Pack for Tablet PC, which released yesterday. The new Experience Pack isn’t the first released by Microsoft; something of like marketing value is available for Windows XP. Like its predecessor, the add-on showcases many, important capabilities found deep in the operating system. Consistently, JupiterResearch surveys show that consumers have a hard time discovering Windows XP features. I would argue the problem is greater with Tablet PC.
The Experience Pack really is an experience, and a delightful one, too. I set my 10-year-old daughter to work with it late last week. She’s a big Tablet PC fan and quickly made good use of the Ink Art tool and my favorite, the Ink Desktop, which lets the user take notes anywhere on the Windows desktop.
Particularly compelling is the Media Transfer tool, which I failed to use before heading out to Seattle. Big mistake. The utility can discover digital media content stored on Windows XP or Windows Media Center PCs attached to a home network and transfer the content to the Tablet PC. The user may need to download a Windows Media Connect update to use the utility. Recommendation to Microsoft: Use the Media Transfer tool to showcase Windows Media Connect technologies’ extensibility. While many manufacturers might be thinking of Windows Media Connect as a way of driving content to digital media receivers and adapters, Microsoft has demonstrated one of several other enticing usage scenarios. (For more, see my report, “Windows Media Connect/Extender: Divining Distinct Sales Opportunities Among Non-wired and Wireless Households.”)
Overall, Experience Pack for Tablet PC is a good way for Microsoft to give existing users more value from their purchase. Still, discoverability remains a problem. As I noted in the previous post, JupiterResearch surveys show that consumers don’t always discover Windows XP features. I would argue that Tablet PC capabilities are harder to discover. Inking, which an application really needs to support, is an obvious example. I’ve talked to Tablet PC users clueless that they could send handwritten IMs with Windows Messenger or MSN Messenger. As I blogged last year, I think Microsoft needs to make Tablet PC-specific capabilities more obvious in its and third-party applications.
A secondary, but related problem is showing the user benefit. My local Circuit City and CompUSA typically display a single Tablet PC model, usually from Averatec, and do little (really nothing) to show any differences or benefits over a standard notebook. Worse, a CompUSA just a little further away has more Tablet PCs, but under lock and key in a glass case. My report, “Windows XP Hybrids: Turning Media Center and Tablet PC Potential into Profits,” offers best practices for better selling Tablet PCs at retail.
Suggestion for Microsoft: It’s time to go to the malls. If retailers can’t sell Tablet PC, Microsoft should work with hardware partners to setup mall booths, similar to the holiday booths promoting Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005. I would put up the booths in select malls or other high-traffic shopping areas during summer, the six to eight weeks when back-to-school buying is greatest. The opportunity is a twofer, so to speak, because parents are shopping with their adult children for a school computer. The booths could expose both parent and child to Tablet PC.
Sure, some retailers will whine about Microsoft going direct, of trying to kick them out of the process. Rather, Microsoft could generate sales leads for those retailers. I see only benefit for the retailers. Of course, time to make deals to get into malls is now-or really starting two months ago-so Microsoft should hustle. And Microsoft managers, if you go for the booths and have questions about setup, staffing or messaging, please feel free to contact colleague Michael Gartenberg or me. Important lessons from the Windows Media Center booths shouldn’t be ignored.