I saw a photo linking to this article on Imgur the other day via the NYT and I felt it was worth commenting on.
Stated via the Imgur link, the Times predicted this way ahead of the curve (February 25, 2010!) – but, honestly to me…comparing a PC to a mobile device (currently) is much like comparing a SUV with a compact car. Yes, they both can get you places, but one can do a whole lot more than the other (I’ll leave which one is more useful to you!) – clearly they are different tools for different tasks.
There is also the issue of getting everyone else on board, software vendors, etc. in order to conform to the new interface that would be consistent across all platforms, which would have to operate at the lowest common denominator: the touchscreen. While this might be a good idea in theory, working in an EMR app on a 6:10 widescreen is MUCH different than working on a small 4.3″ or even 10″ touchscreen.
What I found most telling was the following:
…And in Microsoft’s case, what if the company scrapped the front end of Windows 7 and the troubled Vista OS and moved to the new, elegant interface it is using for its Windows Phone 7 Series mobile phones? Would users really be upset?
From a technology perspective, the transition wouldn’t be as simple as copying the OS from the phone and pasting it onto a computer system, but it would give these companies the opportunity to simplify their computers and create commonality between the phone and desktop interfaces. And it would allow them to capitalize on the predicted mass migration of users from PCs to mobile devices.
via: [New York Times]