Tablet Wars: Microsoft and Sony Present Competing Visions of the Future

Microsoft and Sony, two industry giants, are vying for dominance in the tablet computer market, each with a distinct approach to the technology. While Microsoft's Tablet PC relies on the traditional PC operating system and keyboard-input method, Sony's Airboard, set to launch in Japan on December 1, takes a revolutionary approach by positioning the tablet as a portable, ultrathin television with a wireless internet connection.

Key Takeaways:

• Microsoft's Tablet PC is capable of running Windows operating system and many PC programs using an electronic pen instead of a keyboard.
• Sony's Airboard is a 10.4-inch screen tablet computer that functions as a portable television with a wireless internet connection and a touch screen.
• The Airboard has a digital wireless connection to a base station, allowing users to transmit digitized television channels or internet content.
• The Airboard will be priced around $1,300 and will come with a simple software operating system that permits users to run a web browser and electronic mail program.
• The idea behind the Airboard is to enable users to seamlessly switch between internet and television content, without the need to switch devices.
• Microsoft's Tablet PC is still a year or more from commercial introduction, while Sony's Airboard is already available for purchase in Japan.
• Sony's Chief Executive, Nobuyuki Idei, gloated over Microsoft's delay, highlighting the Airboard's commercial success in Japan compared to the Tablet PC.

Statistics:

• 10.4-inch screen size of the Airboard tablet computer
• $1,300 price point of the Airboard
• 12 months or more until commercial introduction of Microsoft's Tablet PC
• Already available for purchase in Japan: Sony's Airboard tablet computer

Sources:

• John Markoff, "Is the Pen Mightier than the Television?", New article, exact date not mentioned.