Windows Surface is Doomed


Microsoft is doomed.  This is the popular cliché.  However, this week, I saw something that made it all so clear.

 
Our annual Christmas office party was this week.  Those attending can best be described as grandmothers and older mothers.  Someone brought their iPad.  The entire group was thrilled when they saw the iPad.  You would think someone just brought out pictures of their new grandchildren.  Actually, the pictures came later, courtesy of the iPad.  Those without iPads talked excitedly about their plans to buy one this Christmas. 

 
Though they use computers regularly, they merely tolerate them.  For them, computers are simply an ugly necessity.

 Yet, this group loves their iPads.  They are not at all intimidated.  They are genuinely excited, even weeks after their purchases.  They “love” their iPads in the same way technology addicts like myself “love” our own shiny new computers or gadgets.

 While geeks like me debate the merits between Android versus Windows RT versus iPads, this group of technology-phobic people know only one thing: They love their iPad or they want one now.  They do not know the meaning of the word “Android” and they have no idea what Windows RT or Windows 8 means.  They are not even interested. 

 
Microsoft lost this segment of the market.  It is too late.  The race is over. The iPad won.

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