The launch of the iPad ten years ago was a big surprise to everyone in the industry — including to Microsoft executives. Steven Sinofsky, the former President of the Windows Division at Microsoft, shares Microsoft’s perspective as well as those of the other industry figures and press on the iPad: The announcement 10 years ago today of the “magical” iPad was clearly a milestone in computing. It was billed to be the “next” computer. For me, managing Windows, just weeks after the launch of Microsoft’s “latest creation” Windows 7, it was a as much a challenge as magical. Given that Star Trek had tablets it was inevitable that the form factor would make it to computing (yes, the dynabook…). Microsoft had been working for more than 10 years starting with “WinPad” through Tablet PC. We were fixated on Win32, Pen, and more. The success of iPhone (140K apps & 3B downloads announced that day) blinded us at Microsoft as to where Apple was heading. Endless rumors of Apple’s tablet *obviously* meant a pen computer based on Mac. Why not? The industry chased this for 20 years. That was our context. The press, however, was fixated on Apple lacking an “answer” (pundits seem to demand answers) to Netbooks — those small, cheap, Windows laptops sweeping the world. Over 40 million sold. “What would Apple’s response be?” We worried — a cheap, pen-based, Mac. Sorry Harry!

Jobs said that a new computer needed to be better at some things, better than an iPhone/iPod and better than a laptop. Then he just went right at Netbooks answering what could be better at these things. “Some people have thought that that’s a Netbook.” (The audience joined in a round of laughter.) Then he said, “The problem is … Netbooks aren’t better at anything … They’re slow. They have low quality displays … and they run clunky old PC software … They’re just cheap laptops.” “Cheap laptops” … from my perch that was a good thing. I mean inexpensive was a better word. But we knew that Netbooks (and ATOM) were really just a way to make use of the struggling efforts to make low-power, fanless, intel chips for phones. A brutal takedown of 40M units. Sitting in a Le Corbusier chair, he showed the “extraordinary” things his new device did, from browsing to email to photos and videos and more. The real kicker was that it achieved 10 hours of battery life — unachievable in PCs struggling for 4 hours with their whirring fans.

There was no stylus..no pen. How could one input or be PRODUCTIVE? PC brains were so wedded to a keyboard, mouse, and pen alternative that the idea of being productive without those seemed fanciful. Also instant standby, no viruses, rotate-able, maintained quality over time… As if to emphasize the point, Schiller showed “rewritten” versions of Apple’s iWork apps for the iPad. The iPad would have a word processor, spreadsheet, and presentation graphics. Rounding out the demonstration, the iPad would also …read more

Source:: Slashdot