Recently, Microsoft has launched its new operating system–Windows 8. The most important feature added into Windows 8 is–it has a touch-oriented interface. This is a dramatic innovation for Windows system. Touch-oriented interface is very common in many tablets and touched-screen devices, but it’s the first time to be used in laptops. Windows 8 bring this innovation to reality and let PC play the part of a tablet and work station at the same time. But no one can say whether Windows 8 can success right away, because this new interface brings a hard technical problem to hardware manufacturers– they have to redesign hinges to connect the screen and keyboard in order to support being twisting, turning, and poking. Teams of engineers designing joints, pivots and connectors are working day and night to find out the best solution to this “hinge” problem. Leading computer makers such as Dell, Toshiba, Lenovo, HP, and Acer are seeking different ideas to make hinges that support this new technology and their own product features at the same time, but none of them are confident about their ideas so far. The interesting thing is, among those components used to build a laptops, the hings are just worth $10. But this $10 component is deciding whether Windows 8 can be accepted and widely used. (Link:Windows 8 Success Hinges on $10 Component)
This recalls me Design of Goods and Services. Microsoft is creating differentiation in Windows 8. The new features is definitely a spot of this new product and call great attention from potential users. However, because of Windows’ core status in PC industry, even a very small change in Windows may lead to a big technical problem for hardware producers. Manufacturability of hardware to support a software is crucial for a success of the software. Even the software contains a brilliant idea that can attract customers, it’s meaningless if there isn’t a certain platform to perform the idea. Windows 8 was released in August but it is still not widely used, or even known, because right now in the market, no computer model can perfectly demonstrate its “talent”. In my opinion, since Windows 8 bring such a different feature that needs a great hardware technical support, Microsoft should prepare for this before releasing the new product. Either should Microsoft consult with mean computer producers so that they can pre-design new product to fulfill the new need, or it should create a special group to solve this problem and publish the solution to the producers as soon as the product releases. I understand there are confidential and cost problems related to these two suggestions, but Microsoft should really have prepared for this to avoid the awkward situation they are facing right now.
What do you think of this hinge problem and Windows 8 success?
Good article and nice response. Windows 8 is supposed to revolutionize the way we use our computers by bringing touch to the work stations. Unfortunately the form of the laptop we know today needs to change. It is not optimized for use of touch. A tablet carries a much better design form for the touch generations. Therefore – in the upcoming years we can can expect to see tablets take over the market.
I have never been a man of products that do two things mediocrely instead of one thing perfectly. Improving the hinges on a laptop to swing the screen back is only asking for issues. A much better solution is a device such as the Microsoft Surface.
http://www.microsoft.com/Surface/en-US
I agree with the comment above, laptops are not optimized for the use of touch-screen. The introduction of the tablet and its enormous popularity has all but guaranteed its stable position in the touch-screen gadgets market. Windows’ plan to differentiate itself by attempting to integrate touch-screen into its user laptops is a brilliant strategic move on paper, but in practice as evidenced is slightly more difficult.
Tablets, the brand variety they encompass and the portable functionality have ensured the lack of a need for laptops to be touch-screen. Windows has been second fiddle to the Mac’s OS especially in recent years, they should focus their differentiation on 1. An implementable concept and 2. On creating an operating system without their well-known crashes and issues. The hinge problem may seem small, but it was a foreseeable one, Had Windows done their job correctly in the design/concept stage, they could have avoided this issue to begin with.
I remember when the Microsoft Windows updates and the new versions where waited and people actually knew about them. This Windows 8 actually came up to me as a surprise when I had first read about it a while back and issue it is suffering does not surprise me. Microsoft felt pressured to release a new version of Windows after the new and known update of Apple’s Mountain Lion. My concern with the new Windows is that at the stage it was released is not being enjoyed by the consumer to the fullest and therefore can actually do more harm to the Microsoft reputation that than good. The hinge and touch ability has been the talk of everything for these new release and without it, it seem like the new Windows is not being used to its full capacity and could be seen as a failure on behalf of Microsoft. A better solution should have been chosen for a crucial release and now to go back and fix the mistake might may not be doable. With the new touch technology picking up, one can only hope that Microsoft fixes the current situation so people can see the real value of its program, if not I don’t see it progressing, might even take a Windows 9 to get better.
I agree and think Microsoft should take a different approach rather than create a product that is going to have problems. Someone would rather have a product that serves one purpose and perfects that purpose. Tablets are taking over laptops. I feel people are going to keep buying less computers and buy tablets. I do not think there is a big market for laptop that switch into tablets. People are either going to want a computer or tablet.