Forget about next-gen video game consoles from Nintendo, Sony, and Microsoft – Apple is going to dominate them all

“What I'm about to say is undoubtedly going to piss some of you off,” MG Siegler writes for TechCrunch. “And that's fine. Because in a few years, I'll be right and you'll look silly.”

“While everyone is focused on the next generation video game consoles from Nintendo, Sony, and Microsoft - the latter two of which should be coming later this year - Apple is going to dominate them all,” Siegler writes. “And it won't even be that difficult.”

“Anyone who has been following the smartphone space for the past few years knows that Apple has sort of backed into video game dominance by way of their iOS devices. Apple has sold over 500 million of them. These devices have yielded over 40 billion downloads of the over 800,000 apps. And a large portion of those apps are games,” Siegler writes. “Even if you lump together the Xbox 360, the Playstation 3, the Wii, and the Nintendo DS, Apple has still sold about 100 million more iOS devices than all of those systems combined... [and] in a much shorter span.”

Siegler writes, “The rumor that Apple would unveil some sort of Apple TV SDK at an event next month turned out to be bogus (as most things analysts say about Apple prove to be). But that doesn't mean it's not coming. In fact, I'd bet on it sooner rather than later.”

Read more in the full article here.

Surface Pro: Hefty Tablet Is a Laptop Lightweight

[ See post to watch video ]

Microsoft is introducing its second-ever personal computer. As with the first, it’s a multi-touch 10.6-inch tablet that has some of the attributes of a laptop, such as a USB port and snap-on keyboards. But unlike the first, this new tablet is capable of running full-featured Windows 8, though at a price — in dollars, bulk and battery life.

Both machines are called Surface and at first glance, they look similar. But there are big differences. The original Surface, launched in October, uses a limited version of Windows 8 called RT and runs on the type of processor common in rival tablets and smartphones. As a result, while it can fully handle Windows 8’s new Start Screen tabletlike interface and apps, it can only run four standard Windows desktop programs — Microsoft’s Word, Excel, PowerPoint and OneNote. You can’t install other desktop software.

The new Surface, called Surface Windows 8 Pro, is powered by an Intel processor typically found on laptops and uses the high-end Pro version of Windows 8. So it can run a vast array of standard Windows 7 desktop software. That means you could theoretically use the new tablet as a full replacement for a Windows laptop — if you used one of Microsoft’s thin keyboard covers.

The Surface Pro looks like the Surface RT, but it has a much higher screen resolution. The Pro also comes with a pen that makes navigating on the desktop much easier and allows for jotting notes or annotating documents.

Microsoft views the Pro as a new kind of PC, a sort of hybrid of a tablet and a laptop that spares users the hassle of carrying two devices. It goes on sale Saturday.

The Surface Pro starts at $899 — $400 more than the base model of the biggest, newest iPad or the base Surface RT. To be fair, this entry-level Surface Pro has 64 gigabytes of storage, four times what the base iPad offers. But an iPad with the same 64 GB is $699. A higher-end Surface Pro model with twice the storage costs $999, but an iPad with the same amount of storage is $200 less.

Not only that, but the keyboard covers cost extra — $130 for the one with movable keys, which brings the price to over $1,000.

As with the original Surface, the Pro is solidly built, with the same innovative metal kickstand that keeps it upright on a desk or table. It ran all the software I threw at it — both the new type and the old desktop type — speedily and well. I was able to install and run the full Windows 7 desktop versions of such popular programs as Microsoft Outlook, Google Chrome, Apple iTunes, Adobe Reader and Twitter’s TweetDeck.

The Pro has a much higher screen resolution than the RT. It comes with a handy pen, not included or usable on the RT, that makes navigating on the desktop interface much easier and allows for jotting notes or annotating documents. And it has corporate-friendly security features not found on the RT.

But the Pro has some significant downsides, especially as a tablet.

The Pro is thicker and heavier than the RT, which makes it clumsier to use as a tablet and on your lap as a laptop with the snap-on keyboard.

The Surface RT

I like the original Surface and see it as a tablet with the extra benefit of some Microsoft Office programs. However, I am less enamored with the Surface Pro. It’s too hefty and costly and power-hungry to best the leading tablet, Apple’s full-size iPad. It is also too difficult to use in your lap. It’s something of a tweener — a compromised tablet and a compromised laptop.

The Pro weighs 2 pounds, which is light for a laptop but anvil-like for a tablet. That is almost 40 percent heavier than the weightiest iPad and over 40 percent thicker. I found this bulk made the Surface Pro even clumsier than the RT is to use on my lap with the keyboard cover, even with the kickstand, which works far better on a desk than on one’s knees.

In my tough battery tests, where I set the screen to 75 percent brightness, turn off power-saving features, leave the Wi-Fi on and play locally stored videos until the machine dies, the Surface Pro did pathetically. It lasted just under four hours between charges — less than half the stamina of the iPad on the same test and three hours less than the Surface RT. In normal use, you might stretch that to five or 5 hours, still poor for a tablet.

Also, as on the RT model, the Windows 8 system files take up a huge chunk of available storage. Of the 64GB of solid-state storage on the entry-level $899 model, only 30GB of that is free for the user, according to Microsoft. On the $999 model, 90GB of the 128GB total is available for the user. Microsoft notes you can add more storage via a flash memory slot.

And unlike the RT, the Pro doesn’t come out of the box with Microsoft Office. That costs extra, just as on most laptops. Unlike the iPad and some Android tablets, neither Surface can be ordered with built-in cellular connectivity, though the Pro can accept extra-cost plug-in cellular modems and, like competing tablets, it can be wirelessly tethered to a cellphone or stand-alone cellular modem.

When used on a desk, table, or airplane seat tray, with the kickstand holding the screen upright and the keyboard cover with movable keys, the Pro is a serviceable laptop, especially since, unlike on an iPad or Android tablet, you can use full-fledged PC programs.

But just as the Pro is compromised as a tablet, it’s compromised as a laptop. You get fewer ports and less storage than on many laptops and a keyboard that can’t compare with those on many laptops.

Some users may not mind the price or bulk of the Surface Pro if it frees them from carrying a tablet for some uses and a laptop for others. But like many products that try to be two things at once, the new Surface Windows 8 Pro does neither as well as those designed for one function.

Find all of Walt Mossberg’s columns and videos at the All Things Digital website, walt.allthingsd.com. Email him at mossberg@wsj.com.

And the 32GB Surface Pro Will Have Just Enough Storage to Display the Start-Up Screen

Microsoft’s new Surface Pro tablets are built with either 128 gigabytes or 64GB of storage. But by the time they’re loaded up with Windows 8 and the other applications the company intends to ship with them, they’ll have nowhere near that amount.

Out of the box, the 128GB version of Surface Pro offers only 83GB of available storage, and the 64GB model just 23GB. That’s a sizable disparity between advertised storage space and actual storage space, and something for those considering dropping upward of $899 on the device to keep in mind.

To be fair, a portion of the 41GB of the unavailable storage with which Surface Pro ships is dedicated to a recovery partition that users can easily free up, but still. The 64 GB iPad has about 57 GB of available storage. My understanding is that the 128 GB will have about 121 GB, though I’ve not confirmed that.

Microsoft, for its part, stresses that any storage woes Surface Pro owners might encounter are easily solved by external drives and the like.

“Surface Pro has a USB 3.0 port for connectivity with almost limitless storage options, including external hard drives and USB flash drives,” the company said in a statement. “Surface also comes pre-loaded with SkyDrive, allowing you to store up to 7 GB of content in the cloud for free. The device also includes a microSDXC card slot that lets you store up to 64 GB of additional content to your device. Customers can also free up additional storage space by creating a backup bootable USB and deleting the recovery partition.”

Former Microsoft exec: CEO Ballmer culls internal rivals to retain power

“Microsoft Corp Chief Executive Steve Ballmer is not the right leader for the world’s largest software company but holds his grip on it by systematically forcing out any rising manager who challenges his authority, claims a former senior executive who has written a book about his time at the company,” Bill Rigby reports for Reuters.

“‘For Microsoft to really get back in the game seriously, you need a big change in management,’ said Joachim Kempin, who worked at Microsoft between 1983 and 2002, overseeing the sales of Windows software to computer makers for part of that time. ‘As much as I respect Steve Ballmer, he may be part of that in the end,’” Rigby reports. “As a senior vice president in charge of a crucial part of the company’s business with direct access to co-founder Bill Gates, Kempin is the most senior former Microsoft executive to write a book critical of the company, which is famous for the loyalty of its ex-employees. His criticism echoes that of investor David Einhorn of Greenlight Capital, who called for Ballmer to step down in 2011.”

Rigby reports, “His book, titled Resolve and Fortitude: Microsoft’s secret power broker breaks his silence, is scheduled to be published on Tuesday.”

Read more in the full article here.

MacDailyNews Take: Seems pretty obvious. Stay somnambulant, MSFT board.

Catastrophe Theory: Microsoft on the verge of a sudden collapse?

“Last week, usability expert Jakob Nielsen wrote a devastating critique of Windows 8 on his Alertbox blog,” Anthony Wing Kosner writes for Forbes. “Okay, so Microsoft overreached on this one. They'll fix it for Windows 9, right?”

“But will it get the chance? I know that sounds extreme, and it never would have occurred to me if I hadn't read Charlie Demerjian's piece, ‘Microsoft Has Failed,’ on his SemiAccurate blog,” Kosner writes. “Demerjian lays out a scenario for a precipitous death spiral: ‘The problem is that if you are locked in with a choice of 100% Microsoft or 0% Microsoft, once someone goes, it isn't a baby step, they are gone. Once you start using Google Docs and the related suites, you have no need for Office. That means you, or likely your company, saves several hundred dollars a head. No need for Office means no need for Exchange. No need for Exchange means no need for Windows Server. No need for Office means no need for Windows. Once the snowball starts rolling, it picks up speed a frightening pace. And that is where we are. The barriers to exit are now even more potent barriers to entry.’”

Kosner writes, “The first thing this reminded me of was Catastrophe Theory, a branch of mathematics developed by Ren Thom in the 1960 s that describes, ‘phenomena characterized by sudden shifts in behavior arising from small changes in circumstances, analysing how the qualitative nature of equation solutions depends on the parameters that appear in the equation. This may lead to sudden and dramatic changes, for example the unpredictable timing and magnitude of a landslide.’”

Read more in the full article here.

MacDailyNews Take: Even when misguided fools lined up for upside-down and backwards, insecure, pretend Macs in 1995, some us never lost sight of the fascinating, slow-motion train wreck called Microsoft. We’ve been waiting for the acceleration and the pileup of smoking wreckage for quite some time and we will relish it with complete satisfaction; all the while toasting Ballmer T. Clown while wishing Steve were here to see it, too.

Early Windows 8 mockups from 2010 revealed

Like it or not, Windows 8 is indicative of Microsoft's new user interface direction. Computers, tablets, phones, and gaming consoles are all converging on the same basic ideas in Redmond. The significant nature of the change might seem abrupt for Microsoft, but some newly rediscovered UI mockups show how long the tile-based UI has been planned for Windows.

In a recent UX Week talk, a Microsoft exec by the name of Jensen Harris gave us a look at some early interface designs from the development of Windows 8. Perhaps the most interesting thing to notice is many of the UI decisions that we see in the final build of the new Windows are present in these images.

The new start screen that has drawn such harsh criticism is on display in the mockups — it even has very similar menus in the corner when compared to the final build. The Charms bar is a UI element that makes plenty of sense on a tablet, but less on a desktop. So it's telling that way back in 2010 Microsoft had implemented this control.

There are some aspects of the design that did evolve, though. In general, the mockups are a little less "flat" than Windows 8 has ended up being. This is especially evident in the Charms bar, which has a real Aero vibe. Microsoft unveiled a new desktop UI shortly before Windows 8 launched sans the Aero Glass effects that had been the hallmark of Windows since Vista. Check out a few more images here.

In 2010, the iPad was just being released, and we didn't know that Microsoft’s Courier had been killed. Redmond was reacting faster than it let on, but these mockups might never have amounted to anything if tablets hadn't taken off the way they did.

via I Started Something

Beleaguered Microsoft has failed

“Microsoft is in deep trouble, their two main product lines are failing, and the blame game is intensifying,” Charlie Demerjian writes for SemiAccurate. “Steve Sinofsky gets the blame this time for the failure of Windows 8, but the real problem is the patterns that are so clearly illustrated by these actions.”

“Microsoft is largely irrelevant to computing of late, the only markets they still play in are evaporating with stunning rapidity,” Demerjian writes. “Their product lines have stagnated, creating customer lock in is prioritized over creating customer value, and the supply chain is controlled by an iron fisted monopoly. Any attempt at innovation with a Windows PC has been shut out for over a decade, woe betide anyone who tried to buck that trend.”

Demerjian writes, “In the end, Windows advanced only to the point of undercutting any competition, and even then to the minimum extent possible. The rules in Redmond were, "Do not change anything unless it is to crush someone doing something innovative". They didn't unless they did, and it worked. And the market stagnated... In such a situation, a company has two choices, both of which are quite stark. They can radically change their ways or they can wither and die. Before you point to Windows 8 and say, ‘But they are changing and innovating,’ hold off a moment, it isn't what you think... Even if they wanted to, they are culturally far beyond the point of being able to. What was a slow bleed of marketshare is now gushing, and management is clueless, intransigent, and myopic. Game over, the thrashing will continue for a bit, but it won't change the outcome. Microsoft has failed.”

Much more in the full article – recommended – here.

MacDailyNews Take: A toast! To Monkey Boy, for as long as it takes!

Our initial impression is that Microsoft, in trying to cram everything into Windows 8 in an attempt to be all things to all devices, will end up with an OS that's a jack of all trades and a master of none (which, after all, ought to be Microsoft's company motto)... We simply do not see the world clamoring for the UI of an iPod also-ran now ported to an iPhone wannabe that nobody's buying to be blown up onto a PC display.

From what we've seen so far, Windows 8 strikes us as an unsavory combination of Windows Weight plus Windows Wait.

Not to mention that probably no one on earth knows how much or what kinds of residual legacy spaghetti code roils underneath it all (shudder)... No matter what, if Microsoft's going to ask Windows sufferers to "learn a whole new computer" (and that's exactly how they'll look at it, regardless of how Microsoft pitches it), millions will simply say, "Time to get a Mac to match my iPod, iPhone, and iPad!"

As if they needed it: More good news for Apple. – MacDailyNews Take, June 6, 2011

As we have always said, even as many short-sightedly waved (and continue to wave) the white flag, the war is not over. And, yes, we shall prevail... No company is invincible. Not even Microsoft. – MacDailyNews Take, January 10, 2005

[Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader "BTL" for the heads up.]

The Microsoft Tax: Malicious worm on Skype lets hackers hold Windows PCs for ransom; Macintosh unaffected

“Skype is being used by hackers to spread a ‘malicious worm’ that infects Windows PCs and could result in computers being held to ransom,” The Week reports. “The video chat service, owned by Microsoft, said yesterday it was ‘aware of this malicious activity”‘ and warned users not to click on any ‘strange’ or ‘unexpected’ links.”

“A number of users received instant messages saying ‘lol is this your new profile pic?’ By clicking on the link, they unwittingly downloaded a file containing Trojan horse malware,” The Week reports. “The malware allows hackers to hijack infected PCs and recruit them into a ‘botnet army,’ reports the BBC”

The Week reports, “Users can also be locked out of their machines and held to ransom. A message will threaten to delete all the user’s files unless they pay $200 within 48 hours.”

Read more in the full article here.

MacDailyNews Take: Enjoy your Microsoft Tax, Windows sufferers!

[Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader "Scott Kopp" for the heads up.]

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Why Apple should buy beleaguered Nokia

“If you were to look at how the smart phone mar ket has led seri ous blows to Nokia, you might think the com pany is doomed to clo sure,” Tristan Louis writes for TNL.net. “But smart acqui si tions and an exten sive patent port fo lio may make them extremely attrac tive for the com pany that served as the root of its prob lems: Apple.”

“Over the last few years, Nokia has made a num ber of bets on loca tion and map ping, with the 2007 U$8 bil lion acqui si tion of Navteq,” Louis writes. “This acqui si tion made Nokia the largest provider of map ping ser vices in the world. In fact, the com pany pro vides map ping ser vices to Google, UPS, Fedex, and many of the largest play ers in the auto mo tive industry.”

Louis writes, “Of course, an acqui si tion of Nokia would have quite an impact on Microsoft as it tries to make its way back into the mobile space. With Nokia as its most impor tant part ner, Microsoft's hope to become a likely con tender for con sumers' hearts might be dealt some thing pretty close to a death blow.”

Much more in the full article here.

[Thanks to MacDailyNews Readers "Fred Mertz" and "Brawndo Drinker" for the heads up.]

PrE3- What to expect at E3 2012

This twelve-monthly Electronic digital Activity Expo, or even E3, is definitely around the part going from 5th so that you can In 7th place 06. Held in the particular Chicago Conference Center it really is debatably one of the biggest video game conferences, rivalling names like Pax in addition to Gamescom, thereby appeals to the top people in the online game sector, at the same time all of they need to offer you. Precisely what can most people possibly be witnessing at this years E3?

The primary information out of E3 does come from the group meetings held by way of the about three console front runners that is Panasonic, Ms plus Manufacturers. Without any doubt this holiday season Panasonic is going to be endeavoring to restore a few income right after its tragic economical season by introduction many big announcements. This tends to almost certainly such as a innovative line of Vita online games, that's sorely required, and in addition reports with Playstation 3 exclusives just like the Final of people and Little Significant Earth Karting. All of the All of us, developed by the team driving Uncharted- Kinky Pet, are going to have a lot of attention due to the fact particulars surrounding the online game are actually really short. We understand so it requires two character types, Fergie in addition to Betty, in the world ravaged by getting some sort of fungal-zombie apocalypse. An additional recreation which you will find experiencing much more of would be the not-quite-Smash-Brothers Many Megastars Battle Royale. Among Minor Major World Karting and all sorts of Actors Struggle Royale this indicates Panasonic happen to be wanting to Nintendo's creative designers for a lot of inspiration. What will not at all be shown however is really a brand new system, The new sony get explicitly asserted that there won't be any PS4 this season.

Much more following break…

Microsof company have likewise produced your headline that they can as well won't be unveiling a fresh unit, you will find speculation even though may possibly often be listed next year while. That which we can get is much more video games regarding Xbox kinect by much more ridiculous hunting presentations. It can be no real shock which Halo 4 trailer is going to be having middle level, with the give back with Expert Fundamental heralding good news Microsof company. A further sport which is to be listed is going to be Forza: Horizon. However, due to the headline concerning Web Explorer-Kintect intergrated ,, apparantly Xbox kinect will be really much so within the position light-weight.
As a final point there is Nintendo. Nintendo would be the just business introduction your console- the actual Nintendo wii game console Ough. From the time last years introduction in the Nintendo wii console Ough rumours provides function widespread about precisely how potent it is, exactly what game titles will likely be about it etc. This is Nintendo’s 12 months so that you can break open back into the games console market if your Nintendo wii console Oughout constitutes a great impact. Gaining knowledge through the faults from the Nintendo 3ds unveiling Nintendo have taken steps that you will find a great lineup connected with video game titles prepared with the release of the Nintendo wii game console Ough which include labels such as City: Previous Lighting, Superman Arkham Metropolis, Assassin’s Creed Several in addition to Aliens Northeastern Marine corps. Despite this extraordinary line up in the event the Nintendo wii console Ough can’t compare with the effectiveness of your Xbox 360 360/PS3 then a war may perhaps be through regarding Developers. Yet it's not merely the actual Wii-U of which possibly be looking but also the 3DS therefore most likely a different type of online games with the handheld who has really already been without subject material, a dilemma today struggling with owners of Sony’s Dsi Vita.

As to additional media we can expect in order to listed here a tad bit more regarding Bethesda/Arkane Studio’s Disregarded together with the Older Scrolls Mmorpg. Ubisoft will doubtless become flaunting Assassin’s Creed A few as Long way away 3. One from the largest rough outdoors playing cards will probably be Device who on a regular basis unforeseen so press releases could consist of Half Existence 3 or more (on the other hand impossible that will be) to be able to Heavy steam updates. All we can easily claim beyond doubt is the fact that, like several season, E3 may have some great news flash for everyone as well as any game addict.