Is Microsoft crazy to put a desktop OS on a tablet?

Yes, they are. But I think it's the right decision.

I recently acquired an iPad -- 16GB, 3G with an AT&T data plan. After three days of use I found myself thinking about all the things I wanted to do with it but could not simply because it's a mobile OS and is primarily used for content consumption and not content creation. That's not to say there are not content creation apps for the iPad because there are. I'm simply saying that the majority use for this device is content consumption; and it does it very well.

The more I used my iPad the more I wanted a full OS. I see a ton of benefit in having one device that does many things:

1. Allow me to pull content from other pc's in my house like videos, photos, music and other files without having to add apps from a store.

2. Allow me to share content from my tablet to my Xbox and vice versa.

3. Allow me to run full desktop applications like Office or Adobe Photoshop.

4. Allow me to run small mobile apps such as the ones that are found in mobile marketplaces for iTunes, Android and Windows Phone.

The iPad is great. It satisfies a need for a small device that I can use to sit on the couch and browse IMDB to find more information on the people I am watching on television, or a need for a reading device while I am lying in bed at night (although I do not find the iPad to be the ideal reading device because the light hurts my eyes).

However, I am realizing that I need something more. And I am glad that Microsoft has stepped up to the challenge to provide just that. While other OS vendors are starting with the mobile OS and working their way towards an OS powerful enough to run content creation apps, Microsoft decided to take a different approach by using an OS that is clearly capable of running such apps. The benefits are significant:

Security. Windows already comes with major security advances built in, which is a huge concern of the enterprise. Microsoft does not have to start from scratch, although some of you would argue they should. Windows is already widely used and accepted in the enterprise, which gives them a major advantage when entering a table market for which they currently hold 5 percent market share. From a security standpoint Windows on a tablet should be a no brainer for the enterprise, a segment that Microsoft dominates. [Editors note: Microsoft pioneered the market with Windows running on first Tablet PCs in 2002. Perhaps "re-entering the market" is better. :)]

Ecosystem. It really is about the ecosystem. Android and WebOS will have a tough time going against the iPad because the iPad has such a broad ecosystem of apps and peripherals. So far there has not been a single viable contender to the iPad. Until now. I strongly believe Windows on a tablet will be the first, real contender for the iPad because of Microsoft's partnerships, Xbox and their entertainment platforms.

It is rumored that Microsoft is revamping their music and video distribution services (e.g., Zune) and making Xbox its entertainment brand going forward. Hopefully we will learn more about this when Windows 8 is finally unveiled. But if the rumors pan out, TV, music and video on a compelling platform as Xbox makes a Windows tablet a serious contender against the iPad. Think about it. Imagine an ecosystem that allows you to store content online that is available anywhere on any device at any time. Then imagine having a device that will allow you not only access to that content from an online source, but also allow you to access content from other PCs that you own. Imagine having a video chat with a friend on their PC while you are on your Windows Phone or Xbox? Or how about playing games with someone on a phone while you're on your PC? I get a geekgasm just thinking about it!

Mircosoft is already forming strategic partnerships with various OEMs (while leaving out others) in order to ensure that amazing devices and experiences are created for Windows 8. Their consumer strategy is in a shambles right now and most likely the only way they can get back into minds of consumers is through a solid ecosystem.

Compelling user experiences. Microsoft has clearly shown its ability to create engaging user interfaces that create amazingly solid user experiences. The Windows Phone user interface and the experience of using one of the devices is very good even as a 1.0 product! The new start screen in Windows 8 borrows from this concept as well as the upcoming Xbox fall interface update.

I am impressed that Microsoft has been able to unify their interfaces although what I am seeing from them does not surprise me too much. This all started in 2005 when Microsoft decided to take user experience and interface design seriously. Today we are seeing the results of that change in Microsoft's design culture.

The start screen in Windows 8 represents a major change to the operating system. It actually makes finding applications on a PC simple by removing the complexity of sorting through a long list of programs.

Will touchless gestures finally make their way into a Windows OS? I sure hope so. My iPad screen gets very dirty and I find myself having to clean it just to see it clearly. Same with my phone. I don't like that at all. Microsoft demoed such technology earlier this year to some journalists. In the following video; at about the 6:00 mark someone asks when we might see such technology make it into actual products and the response was, "Ask me in six months." Hmmm. It's safe not to read too much into that but it is exciting to know that Microsoft is thinking beyond touch. And if such technology does make it into Windows 8 it will make touch-based devices a very serious contender in the mobile space.

Flexibility. As I mentioned earlier, I like the iPad. I like the portability of it and the apps. But I find myself wanting something more: one device with the ability to run mobile apps but also will allow me to switch to using more advanced applications. Windows 8 appears to allow this flexibility, which gets me excited about the official unveiling of the OS at BUILD in September.

Conclusion

A lot of people have gone on record saying how Microsoft has no clue and is making a huge mistake. Only time will tell. But when I ask other iPad users around my office if they would like to use more advanced applications designed for content creation on an iPad form factor, they say yes. They also look forward to Windows 8 because they know just as well as I do that for now this OS seems to be the only answer.

Is Microsoft onto something? What do you think?