Episode 7: Microsoft and Sony?
The Law Filed Under: Labels: Linux, Mac, Microsoft, Sony, Windows, Winodws 7
Episode 7: Microsoft and Sony?
050809.0441
I finally was able to get a crack at Windows 7 Retail Client v1 today, and must say I’m really loving what I’m seeing so far. I feel that even in its early stages, it runs better than Vista! A review will be forthcoming; I want to spend some more time with the OS first.
In episode 6, I referred to the idea I call the “unifying experience,” the single most important element of an operating system that ties all of its functions together to form a unique and enjoyable experience. For the Mac, the unifying experience is its GUI that is universally shared between all of Apple’s applications. For Linux, it is the vibrant open source community. Windows up until now was lacking that experience – Vista has emulated, not innovated the unifying experience – and as a result, there has been somewhat of an exodus away from Windows to other platforms. Windows seems to have addressed this issue in Windows, and I wanted to highlight this finding, and offer an idea for a partnership that could greatly help windows achieve a unique experience.
Windows 7 has upgrades, if subtle, that greatly improve the way Windows interacts with a wide variety of media. Windows 7 can natively play most every media format (though I still use the k-lite codec packs a force of habit). They are also developing “Device Stage,” a replacement for device manager that offers device-centric information when you connect it to the computer. For example, connecting a digital camera will now show your Coolpix camera with options to transfer your pics or buy ink cartridges from the manufacturer website. Plugging in an iRiver Clix mp3 player will allow you to configure your player and transfer and buy more music. In essence, Windows finally seems to be on track to turn its biggest weakness (and greatest strength) of compatibility with just about every piece of hardware and software known to man into a huge asset. If Microsoft plays its cards right, window will be the place to go if you are a media and peripherals junkie, because linking together many different peripherals is made easier with a simple interface. The simple fact is OSX is not compatible with as many peripherals. Windows can capitalize on this and win back some users, especially those who post hundreds of pictures, video, and music on facebook and myspace everyday, and share their media with friends and family.
To deal the deal for Windows being a media junkie’s best friend, I think Microsoft should partner with Sony. As a composer and producer, I use Sony media products (Sound Forge, Vegas, and Acid) in my studio which is Windows based. I find Sony’s products pretty easy to use, increasingly getting better on the eyes to look at, and extremely high quality. Imagine this, Microsoft partners with Sony’s media division and gets to bundle Windows with lite versions of: Cinescore, a tool for putting together soundtracks; Vegas, a very powerful video editor; and Acid, a music sequencer that is especially adept with assembling loops. This would allow Microsoft to directly compete against Apple’s Soundtrack Pro, iMovie, and Garageband, respectively. The Sony equivilents are sore above Apple’s offering because they are professional level apps. They can combine this partnership with an easy way to use Device Stage to allow a user to publish their works and add it to the web as user generated content, or to their peripheral devices.
Windows 7 stumbled onto something big… let’s hope Microsoft gets it right this time!
050809.0441
I finally was able to get a crack at Windows 7 Retail Client v1 today, and must say I’m really loving what I’m seeing so far. I feel that even in its early stages, it runs better than Vista! A review will be forthcoming; I want to spend some more time with the OS first.
In episode 6, I referred to the idea I call the “unifying experience,” the single most important element of an operating system that ties all of its functions together to form a unique and enjoyable experience. For the Mac, the unifying experience is its GUI that is universally shared between all of Apple’s applications. For Linux, it is the vibrant open source community. Windows up until now was lacking that experience – Vista has emulated, not innovated the unifying experience – and as a result, there has been somewhat of an exodus away from Windows to other platforms. Windows seems to have addressed this issue in Windows, and I wanted to highlight this finding, and offer an idea for a partnership that could greatly help windows achieve a unique experience.
Windows 7 has upgrades, if subtle, that greatly improve the way Windows interacts with a wide variety of media. Windows 7 can natively play most every media format (though I still use the k-lite codec packs a force of habit). They are also developing “Device Stage,” a replacement for device manager that offers device-centric information when you connect it to the computer. For example, connecting a digital camera will now show your Coolpix camera with options to transfer your pics or buy ink cartridges from the manufacturer website. Plugging in an iRiver Clix mp3 player will allow you to configure your player and transfer and buy more music. In essence, Windows finally seems to be on track to turn its biggest weakness (and greatest strength) of compatibility with just about every piece of hardware and software known to man into a huge asset. If Microsoft plays its cards right, window will be the place to go if you are a media and peripherals junkie, because linking together many different peripherals is made easier with a simple interface. The simple fact is OSX is not compatible with as many peripherals. Windows can capitalize on this and win back some users, especially those who post hundreds of pictures, video, and music on facebook and myspace everyday, and share their media with friends and family.
To deal the deal for Windows being a media junkie’s best friend, I think Microsoft should partner with Sony. As a composer and producer, I use Sony media products (Sound Forge, Vegas, and Acid) in my studio which is Windows based. I find Sony’s products pretty easy to use, increasingly getting better on the eyes to look at, and extremely high quality. Imagine this, Microsoft partners with Sony’s media division and gets to bundle Windows with lite versions of: Cinescore, a tool for putting together soundtracks; Vegas, a very powerful video editor; and Acid, a music sequencer that is especially adept with assembling loops. This would allow Microsoft to directly compete against Apple’s Soundtrack Pro, iMovie, and Garageband, respectively. The Sony equivilents are sore above Apple’s offering because they are professional level apps. They can combine this partnership with an easy way to use Device Stage to allow a user to publish their works and add it to the web as user generated content, or to their peripheral devices.
Windows 7 stumbled onto something big… let’s hope Microsoft gets it right this time!
"... Windows 7 can natively play most every media format", and what makes you think that I want to/need to play every media format ? Why bloat the system and occupy more harddisk space with things I don't need?
"connecting a digital camera will now show your Coolpix camera with options to transfer your pics or buy ink cartridges from the manufacturer website", and that makes a good idea because ?
What is the one feature of Vista you most hate ? Do we really need another pop-up screen asking us what we want to do while it never displays the option of what we want to do ?
When was the last time you bought anything from a manufacturers' website while the same product is offered at 20-30% discounts other places.
And thanks to *cough cough* Clinton Sony and Microsoft can't even think about a partnership, remember those "monopoly" trials ?
Now, being in the entertainment indursty, there is nothing more annoying than file format compatibility. Some people work in windows, most in mac, but when the two systems have to work together, things get messy. It is annoying when some files are made in avi and mac can't read them. The rverse rarely happens in Windows. Codec packs are only 50MB... a worthwhile hard drvie investment lol. Still, if people just simply made their files as .mov and .wav, EVERYONE would be fine... lol
Of course anyone above level 5 computer experience is likely to buy ink and stuff from ebay or something, but for completely computer illiterate people, having all those options available to you when you conenct your device could be useful. Also, it can do a lot more... like connecting your device can stream its contents on a home network or transfer data wirelessly between other devices. It's just a cool feature, but nothing earth shattering.
UAC in windows 7 is FAR less annoying. I dont have to turn it off anymore. It has a sliding scale which ranges from really annoying, to off... I keep mine on the bottom of the scale, so I don't sacrifice security anymore.
With MS and Sony, I think because it is a partnership, where they would just bundle Sony products with windows, I don't think it violates anti-trust laws.
Really, the mor eI use windows 7, the more I think it is what vista was supposed to be. MS would be wise to set a price point that reflects that.... maybe no more than $50 to upgrade from vista to 7.
Truth be told, if all my software and harware were compatible, I would have switched to Linux a long time ago =)