Microsoft Surface Tablet Aims To Outflank Apple At Work And At Play 3

All the clues point towards Microsoft announcing a tablet today. But what kind of tablet? Will it be for media consumption, like the Kindle Fire. Will it be an all-in-one iPad killer? Will it be a desperate attempt to get Windows 8, RT or Phone 7 on a tablet. Or will it be, in the words of Eric Franklin, tablet reviewer for CNET, “a trojan horse for SmartGlass”?

Franklin’s idea seems to most plausible to me, but I would broaden the reach of SmartGlass a bit. Microsoft announced SmartGlass just last week at their E3 presentation as tablet software for companion tablet devices for their highly successful Xbox 360. As I wrote in yesterday’s post, SmartGlass and Apple’s AirPlay can be used to stream or mirror content to a television.

Interestingly, the two biggest use cases for large screen TVs are in the living room and in the office or conference room, and Microsoft’s two biggest customer bases are businesses through Windows and Office software, and gamers through their Xbox and Kinect platforms. Wouldn’t it make sense for Microsoft to launch a tablet that could satisfy those two markets?

With the combination of Barnes & Noble e-book content and Xbox Live’s ability to stream Netflix, Hulu, ESPN, HBO Go as well as a music and movie streaming service, a MS Tab could be a “good enough” media experience for gamers contemplating cutting the cord from their cable companies. The fact that the announcement is taking place in LA would support the entertainment aspect of the offering.

And, with Barnes & Noble’s presence in with textbook business, a well priced tablet that integrated well with B&N’s e-textbook service could help move Microsoft into the college market as well.

The business case is a bit sketchier except that the Office suite is now available as web apps through the Microsoft Office 365 plan. The ability to beam office docs onto a big screen would be a plus, especially if those documents can be shared and worked on collaboratively in real time, like a white board. Even more than for consumers, Skype integration here could be a real productivity boon.

Is Microsoft rushing to capitalize on Apple’s “non-announcement” last week about their own big-screen offerings? Certainly this bit of a slowdown in Apple’s pace gives some sort of Windows tablet a short window of opportunity to build market share from their existing customer bases. Tune into Forbes tomorrow afternoon at 3:30 p.m. PT to find out who the “surprise announcement” surprises most, Apple or Amazon.

original article: http://www.forbes.com/sites/anthonykosner/2012/06/18/will-the-microsoft-tablet-be-good-enough-for-cord-cutters-strong-enough-for-business/