Not sure what others are seen but I am see way more productivity in many different departments there is just not a need to hire as many people this is not just the downturn since I saw no downtime for me in the last 10 years. Had some downtime as a paramedic back in the 90′s but after moving to tech I have not seen down time (not to say I have not been busting my ass upgrading my skills every chance I get).

Efficiency is the name of the game so though the past has been about central control the future is to me going to be much different.

Don’t’ get me wrong there are some major issues still to be ironed out but they will. For example IBM issue with iPhone could simply have been avoided if Apple came out and had stated that Siri is encrypted at all turns and no data can be had.

Good article on Siri encryptions and circumventing. http://www.fonearena.com/blog/43747/siri-encryption-broken-down-android-port-still-not-likely.html

But what I do see is the following, cloud computing of all types are coming and staying. There is no going back though I do believe it will take another decade of die off of the old guard for this to become not only the norm in many companies.

Information will not be unsecured as you where saying actually they are very secure once you implement good VPN/Cloud computing. Most information theft is done by inside personnel and thru social engineering.

On phones and tablets this is not an issue because of the almost always online ability lets IT wipe clean quickly and securely(need refinement but possible). On laptops once they start putting some kind of cell tech on them it will also take off.

This is not to say company IT Dept. will not still force their bloatware dells and other sub par equipment on the users, but those with higher levels than the lowest tier could see a freedom not normally seen before. The world is changing less jobs will be the norm, what I did 10 year ago was part of a team of 4 people now I can do it with just ME in 5 years who knows but in 10 or 20 forget everything you see around you, its going to be completely obsolete just like low pay wages and workers.

I still don’t see Apple getting serious either on the Corporate side which they should but I doubt they will. But as stated before MS is in a perfect situation to do well in this regard.
This is not going to be for everyone but there will be a percentage of companies that will find users using their equipment beneficial vs buying equipment that is in no way needed or liked and forcing a new age of highly trained individual to bow to IT demands do to laziness, and yes laziness is the world. I can vouch for the laziness of IT when it comes to innovation or change.

Can you imagine complete interoperability between a computer and a tablet. Microsoft actually has a chance at that right now… remember that scene from avatar where a program is running on a computer and they place a tablet next to the monitor and swipe the program from the computer to the tablet? That level of integration would be a fundamental change in how we use our devices… creating a seamless computing experience rather than a sit down experience and a separate mobile experience.

I’m not saying that surface will be avatar in real life… but I do think that just as in the Lotus/Office competition, Microsoft has a chance to provide a new level of integration that would be a meaningful change in how we use our devices… the wireless life might become much more robust. I’d be willing to pay for that.

I think the success or failure of the device depends on the ability to integrate and on the initial cost. I’m not willing to pay for 2 computers to get a computer and a tablet. There’s an expectation that a tablet cost significantly less.

Instead of making business-focused devices, they will have people push companies to allow their devices. Bring your own device. This is basically why Apple products are beginning to have a huge impact in businesses. Because people are bringing their own device.

I do believe “BYOD” will eventually fail, because it fills a consumer standpoint NOT a business standpoint. Because a verity of questions pop up. Should you (personally) have to pay for a “work” phone? What happens if your laptop/computer breaks? Who is responsible if you lost your own personal machine with all the “classified” information..? These are just few of the “hundreds” of questions that come up. But if you used a device GIVEN from your company, these questions (literally) go away.

Last week you were proclaiming the Microsoft Surface was DOA because Microsoft wasn’t going to ensure that it did (a bunch) of things (that not even Apple has ever done…).

Now this week you’re saying Microsoft won’t let it fail?

Did you think that maybe your terrible journalism masked by your over-abundant praise of Apple products (in every column you post) might actually make you a very unlikely candidate to get a review unit? And now you want to praise them instead in hopes you’ll get one?

Chris, you’re a terrible journalist. It’s enough for me to not even continue reading this site anymore.

So I actually believe the rumored price estimate is likely true unless MS sells this at cost or at a small loss to help kick it off. Since even Android tablets switch to much cheaper casing material to get below $400.

Business users are also usually more willing to pay such premiums and it’s likely they are the intended target consumers for these Surface tablets.