游戏邦在:
杂志专栏:
gamerboom.com订阅到鲜果订阅到抓虾google reader订阅到有道订阅到QQ邮箱订阅到帮看

业内人士对微软推出Zune平板电脑的十个设想和建议

发布时间:2011-03-31 17:39:10 Tags:,,,

在今年3月14日,微软终于宣布停产Zune播放器,虽然这款产品已经错失与苹果iPod角逐市场的良机,但仍然掌握了不少粉丝。至少微软已经看出这个品牌和平台的存在价值,据微软公司的一份声明所称,“我们将过Xbox、PC、Windows Phone 7和Zune设备上的Zune软件,提供最棒的电影、音乐和电视节目体验……”

zune-player

zune-player

游戏邦认为我们也许可以将这种表述解读为,“微软不会抛弃原来的Zune播放器用户”,同时这也给人们留下无限的想象空间——微软是否有意打造Zune平板电脑?在此我们论讨的并非其他制造商推出的运行Windows操作系统的平板电脑,而是原装的Zune平板电脑。

但即使微软真推出了Zune平板电脑,这款新产品也已经和Zune播放器一样,错过了与苹果iPad等同类产品同台竞技,并成为其中佼佼者的机会。不过cnet网站最近却有作者提出了对微软开发Zune平板电脑的十大建议,以下是游戏邦编译的相关内容:

弃用Windows 7操作系统

Windows 7可能是很理想的个人电脑操作系统,WP7也会是很好的手机平台,但要打造一款成功的微软平板电脑,就一定得与Windows操作系统划清界限,就算只有名字与Windows沾边也不行。任何运行带有“微软Windows”字眼的操作系统的平板电脑,都会被视为另一款Windows个人电脑。在这方面,微软得向iOS和Android看齐,总之其平板电脑操作系统务必去除“Windows”这个单词,另起炉灶创造一个全新的Zune操作系统。Zune平板电脑不是PC,所以一定要将它的操作系统独立出来。

微软应是唯一硬件设备制造商

就像Zune播放器一样,Zune平板电脑的硬件设备也一定得出自微软之手。因为这样才方便统一技术标准,让应用程序的运行更加便捷,更有助于推出新功能,提供设备的技术支持,解决平台分散性的问题。Zune HD是一款很养眼的产品,它证明微软完全有能力设计出招人喜欢的硬件设备。游戏邦认为微软其实可以推出10英寸、运行全新操作系统的Zune HD。不是也有人说过,iPad其实就是一个超级的iPod Touch吗?

zune-hd

zune-hd

一切均采用Zune软件

当时微转用Zune取代PlaysForSure时,就应该做得更彻底一点,直接以Zune软件替代Windows Media Player。假如Windows电脑用户在过去几年中都已经养成了使用Zune的习惯,就好像苹果用户不能没有iTunes一样,那么可以想象iTunes这款令人难以忍受的软件不可能还能有今天的地位。另外,Zune软件以及Zune Marketplace其实是平板电脑理想的媒体及应用管理平台,Zune Pass提供的无限制音乐流这一服务,已经比iTunes更超前,甚至在苹果推出自己的音乐社交网站之前,它就已经创建了自己的社交网络。如果微软还能在其中添加音乐和视频的云储存功能,Zune平板电脑的发展潜力就更不容小觑了。

绑定Xbox和Xbox Live功能

苹果iPad用户可能会认为自己拥有最完美的游戏平台,但Zune平板电脑如果绑定了Xbox功能,就有可能推翻前者的结论了。想象一下这种情况——你在Xbox平台开始游戏进程,然后又转战平板电脑,将其作为一个媒体控制器,可以根据自己的需求来决定在哪个平台作战最合适。

充分利用WP7手机应用的优势

虽然我们都不是软件开发者,但iPhone应用可以移植到iPad,所以WP7、Xbox Live的应用程序在Zune平板电脑上运行也应该不是什么问题。再加上微软强大的办公网页应用,这样上班族就会马上发现这款产品的价值。虽然有不少iPhone用户都很自豪地宣称,“我们有35万款应用的丰富选择”,但游戏邦认为大多数人都心知肚明,这35款产品中的非活跃应用占据了相当的比例。更何况,许多应用都会沦为一次性试用品,用户每日必须访问的应用并不多。

售价应与iPad不相上下

Zune平板电脑若想成为iPad的强势竞争对手,在价格上就得和iPad看齐,如果定价偏高就容易出局,定价偏低又会自贬身价。总之,只要Zune平板电脑的运行性能和规范与iPad在同一个范畴,那么微软就很有可能拉动产品销量。

尺寸规格要与iPad相同

设备制造商之前为什么不能推出与iPad相同规格的平板电脑?有人称这是因为在iPad问世之前,大家都觉得制造平板电脑很困难。但现在还有谁不能制造与iPad同等大小的平板电脑?用户喜欢苹果产品的一个重要原因在于,市场上随处可找到适用于苹果设备的配件。所以微软应该充分利用iPad的这一有利条件,让Zune平板电脑用户也能享受到同样的便利。虽然微软不能向用户公开表态,“你可以将iPad的防保罩用于Zune平板电脑”,但相信用户自己就会想到这一点。

采用标准端口而非专用连接口

iPad的30-pin专用端口可花了苹果不少钱,但却鲜有用户表示,“这个专用端口真让人满意!”所以微软应该以此为诫,不可依赖Zune的专用连接口,得采用microSD、Micro-HDMI和Micro-USB这三个端口。将端口祼露在设备表面很影响视觉美感,但微软可以效仿三星Series 9笔记本电脑的做法,将端口隐在不显眼的地方。可以将插卡槽设置在两个端口之间,使它们彼此隔开一定的距离,以防止端口连线缠绕在一起。

无线升级和同步功能

尽管上文才刚提到端口的问题,但游戏邦还是觉得Zune平板电脑不能没有无线升级,以及Zune软件无线同步功能。这也正是iPad所欠缺的地方,微软如果在这一点上做足了文章,定将更具竞争优势。除此之外,还得再增加NFC(近距离无线通讯技术)服务。

支持Adobe Flash技术

几乎每个Android粉丝排斥iPad的理由就是,苹果不支持Flash。在这一点上,我们认为Zune平板电脑应该提供Flash技术,但前提是要支持用户方便地开启或关闭这项功能。

如果做到了以上这几点,相信Zune平板电脑在苹果和Android等大量的竞争对手面前一定会掌握更多胜算。(本文为游戏邦/gamerboom.com编译,转载请注明来源:游戏邦)

How a Zune tablet could beat Apple and Android

Back on March 14, Microsoft confirmed plans to discontinue making its Zune player, a device that arrived a little too late to be a successful challenger to Apple’s iPod, but nonetheless had plenty of fans. At least enough that Microsoft still sees value in the brand and platform.

According to a statement issued to CNET by a Microsoft representative, it’s “absolutely committed to providing the best movies, music, and TV show experiences through Zune on Xbox, the PC, Windows Phone 7, and Zune devices.”

It was that last part about Zune devices that got me. While on the surface it could be read as “Microsoft is not going to leave Zune player owners out in the cold,” it also left me wondering if a Zune tablet might be in the works. And I’m not talking about tablets from other manufacturers running a Windows OS. I mean a Zune tablet.

But, like the Zune player, is it too late for Microsoft to get in and become a leader in the category instead of a footnote? I don’t think so, but it’ll have to act fast. Here’s what it would take to make a solid entry in the category.

No Windows 7

Windows 7 might be a good computer OS and Windows Phone 7 might be a good mobile platform, but a successful Microsoft tablet will need to be separated from the Windows OS, even if it’s just in name. Any tablet running a version of anything with the words “Microsoft Windows” will be thought of as just another Windows PC. Microsoft needs its own iOS, its own Android OS. It needs to drop “Windows” for its tablet operating system and create a Zune OS. A Zune tablet should not be a full PC, so let’s keep this OS clean and simple, OK?

Microsoft needs to be the only hardware manufacturer

Just like it did with the Zune player, a Zune tablet needs to strictly come from Microsoft. It makes developing apps easier, rolling out new features simpler, device support better, and kills any fragmentation arguments. The Zune HD is a nice-looking device, so there’s proof Microsoft can design attractive hardware. And actually, there’s no reason it can’t just be a 10-inch Zune HD with an updated OS. After all, didn’t everyone call the iPad a supersize iPod Touch?

Zune software for everything

When Microsoft softly killed PlaysForSure with the Zune, it should’ve made a clean sweep and replaced Windows Media Player with the Zune software. If people buying Windows computers over the past several years had gotten used to using Zune for everything like they do iTunes, there’s a good chance Apple wouldn’t own the space with its insufferable software. Regardless, the Zune software with

the Zune Marketplace is the perfect gateway for media and app purchases and device management for a tablet. Zune Pass’ unlimited music streaming already offers something iTunes doesn’t and it had a social network built into it before Apple invented social networking. If Microsoft can add in cloud storage for music and video, it would be hard to overlook a Zune tablet.

Full Xbox and Xbox Live integration

Apple iPad users might think they’ve got the perfect gaming platform, but a Zune tablet with Xbox integration would take it out of the running. Just let your mind run through all the possibilities–starting a game on your Xbox and continuing it on the tablet to using it as a media controller to turning it into a customizable HUD.

Take advantage of Windows Phone 7 apps

I’m not a software developer, but it seems like it wasn’t too difficult for iPhone app developers to tweak what they already had to run on the iPad. All the key apps that most people would want to start off with on a tablet are available for Windows Phone 7 and Xbox Live, so a Zune tablet would have no problem out of the gate. Add in easy access to Office Web apps, so Microsoft Office users can see immediate value, and you’re set. And before the iPhone users get all “we have 350,000 apps to choose from” on me, everyone knows most of them are crap. And really, think about how many apps you use regularly; I’m sure you can get by with only a couple thousand apps being available at launch.

Needs to be the same price as the iPad

A Zune tablet needs to be seen as a legitimate competitor to the iPad, so selling it for more is out of the question and selling it for less cheapens the product. As long as its performance and specs are on par with the iPad, Microsoft should have no problem moving units.

Needs the same dimensions as the iPad

Is there any reason–legal or otherwise–manufacturers can’t make a tablet with the same dimensions as an iPad? I understand that before the iPad came out it would have been difficult to make one, but what’s stopping manufacturers from making something the same size now? One of the reasons people like Apple’s products are the available accessories, and if you can take advantage of Made for iPad stuff, why wouldn’t you? Microsoft couldn’t come out and say, “hey, you can use our Zune tablet with iPad cases,” but I’m pretty sure people would figure it out on their own.

Standard ports instead of a proprietary connector

That 30-pin proprietary port makes Apple a lot of money, but I’ve never read or heard anyone say, “I’m so happy it has a proprietary port!” So instead of relying on the Zune’s proprietary connector, Microsoft should use three ports: microSD, Micro-HDMI, and Micro-USB. Ports do ugly up devices, so for aesthetics maybe it could have them in a small flip-down bay like that on the Samsung Series 9 laptop. Using all micro versions would allow it to be a fairly small bay and putting the card slot between the two ports would space them far enough apart for cables.

Over-the-air updates and syncing

I know I just made an argument for having ports, but I see no reason why a Zune tablet shouldn’t have OTA updates and the ability to do wireless syncing with the Zune software. It’s something that’s sorely needed in the iPad and would give Microsoft an edge. While I’m at it, add NFC to the list.

Adobe Flash support

This is kind of a no-brainer since its part of every Android fans first salvo against the iPad. However, I agree with a lot of comments that I’ve read suggesting it should just be something that can be conveniently turned on and off. So, Microsoft, give us Flash, but let us take it away.

That seems like everything that would be pretty crucial to making a good run at Apple and the majority of Android tablets. If I missed something or you think I’m completely insane for thinking Microsoft has a chance, well, that’s what comments are for.(source:cnet)


上一篇:

下一篇: