Dell executive: 'Shiny' iPads are not good for business
Summary: Windows 8 might be new, but it's still Windows, and enterprise knows how Windows works and how to keep it working, whether it be installed on desktops, notebooks, servers, or tablets.
Dell Australia managing director Joe Kremer has hit out at Apple's iPad, claiming that it is a "shiny" device that's too difficult for business to support.
Speaking at a media and analyst briefing in Sydney on Wednesday afternoon, Kremer said that "people might be attracted to some of these shiny devices but technology departments can't afford to support them," reports the Australian Financial Review.
"If you are giving a presentation and something fails on the software side it might take four days to get it up and running again. I don't think this race has been run yet."
Dell's no stranger to failures in the tablet market. The company tried to go up against the iPad with the Streak 5 and 7 Android-powered devices, but both tablets were crushed under the Apple's juggernaut and were eventually discontinued. Dell does continue to have a tablet presence, both Windows and Android-powered hardware, but there's nothing here that comes even close to challenging the iPad.
Let's not single out Dell here for tablet failures though. HP's TouchPad and RIM's PlayBook are just two more examples of the tablets that never made it.
The tablet market is a tough one to break into.
I think that the tactic that Dell is going for here is an interesting one. Dell is setting the stage for an onslaught of Windows tablets, both Windows 8 and Windows RT on ARM tablets. Windows 8 might be new, but it's still 'Windows', and enterprise knows how Windows works and how to keep it working, whether it be installed on desktops, notebooks, servers, or tablets.
Dell's a business built around Microsoft and Windows. Sure, it's dabbled with Linux and Android, but the core of its business revolves around Windows. Even CEO Michael Dell has admitted that he doesn't think Android has what it takes to challenge the iPad, and that "Microsoft has a pretty good shot with Windows 8".
Invoking support costs fears is an interesting tactic. I'm not going to argue over whether it is a valid point of FUD -- personally I'm leaning towards FUD, especially as we move more and more to a BYOD ecosystem where diversity is becoming a norm or sorts -- but fear that things will go wrong, and that those things will result in lost revenue and be expensive to fix is the sort of talk that gets enterprise people to sit up and listen.
Whether it's a tactic that will work remains to be seen, but that comment has given us a glimpse into Dell's game plan to sell Windows 8 tablets to business users.
Related:
- Why you won't see Office for iPad, Android -- at least for now
- Windows 8 Release Preview vs. Windows 7: Benchmarked
- Windows 8 Release Preview: Microsoft gets its apps together
- Windows 8 includes enhanced multi-monitor support
- Microsoft to charge customers $99 to remove OEM ‘crapware’
- Don’t let Windows 8 upgrade offers lure you into buying a new PC
- No Windows 8 DVD playback will mean increased costs, and consumer confusion
- Windows 8: Media Center functionality likely to cost more
- Why Windows 8 won’t reimagine hardware that much
- Windows 8: Can we live without the desktop?
- Here’s what’s wrong with Windows 8
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Talkback
So them am I to take it that "Less than shiny" iPads are good for business?
Pagan jim
Leave out "shiny"
@wackoae
It's not about the cost... it's about the product itself. "Enterprise Software" is not in Apple's vocabulary, and it shows when working in an enterprise. Competent company? If you knew where I worked, you'd understand just how stupid you are making yourself sound. Now off you go little one... there are grown ups talking.
Sounds like your company hire incompetent cheap personnel
This is probably what's behind the Windows 8/RT split
Windows RT licences will probably have much lower prices than Windows 8 licences (especially Professional or whatever they're calling it), and will go into low-cost tablets aimed at the consumer market, to challenge the iPad (and Android). This will mean lower unit profits for Microsoft, but serious users will still need a PC too (running Windows 8 or OS X).
The beauty of the model is that both types of tablets will run the same Metro apps, but the high-priced Intel tablets for the business market will also run Windows desktop applications (including bespoke corporate applications), justifying the price premium. If Intel tablets take off in corporations, Windows RT tablets could benefit from the same sort of 'corporate standard' effect as Microsoft/Intel PCs did in the 1980s/90s. They started off dominating corporations, and then gradually spread to homes, sweeping away once successful home computers from the likes of Commodore, Apple, etc.
If the 'Apollo' released of Windows Phone unifies Microsoft's desktop/notebook, tablet and phone lines, allowing all of them to run the same apps, they might finally have a winning hand in the phone market too.
ha....
ha ha...
-- Steve Jobs in 2008
Since the iPad comes in right around that number what's you point?
Too bad that 'famous quote' was never said by anyone
Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha,
Ya mean, like the Dell Streak? Or the Dell Ditty? Or the Dell Venue? Or every other sordid, abysmal attempt Dell has made at mobile computing?
Schadenfreude is a dish best served cold.
Right now, Dell is nothing more than roadkill on the iOS highway. The best they can hope for is to skin the poor dead critter and sell the pelt.
This happened to us just a couple of days ago ...
So yes, Dell is partly right. It didn't take four days this time, though.
End-user blindness... providing an abundance of laughter...
You may THINK Dell has failed in technology, they realize that they have no value-added services to generate revenue for end-devices, but do have expertise and intellectual property supporting end-user devices with IT-related infrastructure and services. There are switches, routers, security devices, servers, storage and application software that support that cute little consumer device. While you see $500 shiny devices, Dell sees devices and services that RUN the infrastructure and storage as an opportunity. When the latest consumer device becomes commoditized or unpopular (the latest Abercrombie or Walmart), Dell will still be part of those supporting the infrastructure.
As the world gets dumbed down through icons, Dell is silently and strategicly designing and integrating more and more of the pieces required for your end device... and THAT technology requires more than pressing an icon.
No harder than Windows
It's just that IT folks may need to *shudder* learn something different *shudder*.
It's amazing the lock, tie to MS solutions and the FUD about anything that is not MS.
Hint: One of the biggest companies in the world does not run on MS solutions....
you are confused...
Apple does in fact use Windows servers and technology in there bussiness and products. iCould was built on MS technology...
Are you really an IT Guy?
No.
Apple used part of Azure to prove out iCloud before their datacenter was built. And they also used EC3 from Amazon. However their core data center stuff is definitely not Windows based and they manage all those Macs at all their locations and retail outlets with their own stuff. So someone is doing it and doing it well.
IIRC they use SAP on AIX for their CRM/Supply Chain stuff. No MS there.
Yes, I've been doing IT for a long time now. I think well outside the MS box....
Hmm
Sooo Apple knows how to integrate iOS devices with MS tech but the rest of the IT world can't figure it out?
Was the windows portion of icloud
Once they move off azure, i believe they won't have more problems..
@itguy10
If you are a high end IBM shop, then you should be doing good with IBM directory server. Why are you using openLDAP which is for all Linux shop cheapos? AIX and HP-UX are better unixes than Linux and FreeBSD if you really like Unix especially the certified ones. Linux is not even certified by Open Group. And it sucks at POSIX compliance if you ask me.
Ridiculous approach
And ESPECIALLY managers, etc., will be used to iPads. Their kids will be demanding them for school, etc. What are they gonna tell them? -- "Yes, honey, I know you want an iPad. But I'm going to buy you an Android-based tablet so if you have a problem in class, at the beach, etc., my IT guys will be able to fix it."
Yeah, right! Software is software. Troubleshooting skills are troubleshooting skills. IT folks learn the products that are in demand, whether they are Windows, Linux, Linux under an alias, or OSwhatever.
One thing it [b][i]does[/i][/b] make clear--the iPad is shuffling up [b][i]everything[/i][/b] and these guys [b][i]really[/i][/b] don't have a clue what to do about "the new normal".
It really is a pain...
These are a few of MANY issues with the iPad. But, call it "scare tactics". All IT administrators are aware of the headaches these consumer devices create in a professional IT environment. But then, again, most aren't used for creating anything useful... only for consuming stuff created with more powerful computers.
Sharepoint?