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Microsoft Revives Its Hardware Conference

jfruh writes Microsoft's Windows Hardware Engineering Conference, or WinHEC, was an annual staple of the '90s and '00s: every year, execs from Redmond would tell OEMs what to expect when it came to Windows servers and PCs. The conference was wrapped with software into Build in 2009, but now it's being revived to deal with not just computers but also the tablets and cell phone Microsoft has found itself in the business of selling and even making. It's also being moved from the U.S. to China, as an acknowledgment of where the heart of the tech hardware business is now.

47 comments

  1. Frosty pasta! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    What the HEC is this?

    1. Re:Frosty pasta! by The+New+Guy+2.0 · · Score: 1

      Microsoft has always been a few years behind Apple in most developments that go major..

    2. Re:Frosty pasta! by peragrin · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Microsoft had tablets and smart phones years before Apple.

      Apple made both easier to use, and with astonishing features like a decent web browser and Apps designed for such interfaces as opposed to Microsoft which is still working on a tablet edition of Office and outlook.(I haven't been paying attention as to whether or not it has been released).

      What is the point of a tablet computer if you have to use a keyboard and mouse to make it work? It took Apple to answer that question for Microsoft.

      --
      i thought once I was found, but it was only a dream.
    3. Re:Frosty pasta! by geekoid · · Score: 2

      No, MS had touch tablets years ago.
      It's took Apple to tell people they wouldn't be cool if they didn't have one.
      And I'm glad they did it, I love tablet computers of all sorts.

      --
      The Kruger Dunning explains most post on /. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunning%E2%80%93Kruger_effect
    4. Re:Frosty pasta! by ArcadeMan · · Score: 2

      Microsoft had tablets before the Newton?

    5. Re:Frosty pasta! by Hadlock · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Microsoft's 2001 era tablets were also almost 2" thick and wrapped in 1990's era gray plastic you might find on an old HP desktop. 2001-era touchscreen displays were thicker than an entire iPad or android tablet is today. Not to mention pixel density in the 640x480 range, and battery life left a lot to be desired.
       
      Enter the high PPI display, Gorilla Glass, modern Li-Ion battery technology and modern CPU (ARM) designs and now you can produce a tablet that's lighter and smaller than most text books.

      --
      moox. for a new generation.
    6. Re:Frosty pasta! by aztracker1 · · Score: 2

      I actually like Metro UI (for phone/tablet) ... it's horrible as a desktop UI, and the metro apps are pretty clunky.. but for a phone/tablet UI it's decent. Not as nice imho as even the WebOS' UI that Palm had done, which is still one of my favorite UIs for mobile devices, and Android and iOS have adopted some ideas from.

      Forcing Metro on the desktop versions of windows, and even into the XBox UI was a pretty big error imho. It is passable on a touch screen laptop but still not great. To this day, I think that Windows7's UI is one of the best desktop interfaces I've seen. I like Unity, but it's still really rough in some respects, and the menu interface for it is really bad if you're actually clicking through, for super+search it's okay. OSX is okay as well, but finder has its' own warts for power users. I'm currently running Windows 8.1 for my desktop with ClassicShell over it, and that's not bad. My laptop is OSX and I run Ubuntu's Unity on a couple machines as well.

      At least MS stopped trying to shove a desktop paradigm onto mobile users, now if only they could stop shoving the mobile UI to the desktop. I think that there are some really bright people at MS, but their management style has really hindered a lot of things over the years. That's now changing (somewhat) if only because they are now trying to adapt.

      --
      Michael J. Ryan - tracker1.info
    7. Re:Frosty pasta! by DNS-and-BIND · · Score: 1

      I love how you say that the wrong color plastic makes a product suck. Really? Seriously? This is how we got to the "thinner is better, for no reason" thought which led directly to the iPhone 6 bendgate.

      --
      Shutting down free speech with violence isn't fighting fascism. It IS fascism!
    8. Re:Frosty pasta! by Hadlock · · Score: 1

      You must have been born before the advent of the original iMac. Of course the color matters. Which would you rather eat, a raw potato or a fresh apple? People aren't robots, their brains are wired in a particular manner. Marketing is a huge industry that makes a ton of money capitalizing on that fact. Technology isn't a game of min/maxing for most consumers. Do you want to claim that World of Warcraft isn't addictive to a particular type of person? Marketing research went in to developing that product too.

      --
      moox. for a new generation.
    9. Re:Frosty pasta! by jmac_the_man · · Score: 1

      Of course the color matters. Which would you rather eat, a raw potato or a fresh apple?

      Raw potatoes and "fresh apples" (which are also raw) are the same color on the inside... Also, baking a potato does not change the color of the inside.

    10. Re:Frosty pasta! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Yes. Newton was released in 1993, Windows for Pen Computing was released in 1992.

    11. Re:Frosty pasta! by arglebargle_xiv · · Score: 3, Funny

      Microsoft had tablets and smart phones years before Apple.

      Are you certain that Microsoft has smart phones? I'm pretty sure I'd have seen one being used by someone by now if this were true.

    12. Re:Frosty pasta! by mrvan · · Score: 1

      I really like the Metro UI as well, especially for desktops.

      My wife is finally migrating to linux :-)

  2. BUILD 2009? by bondsbw · · Score: 1

    The first BUILD conference was in 2011.

    --
    All my liberal friends think I'm a conservative, all my conservative friends think I'm a liberal.
    1. Re:BUILD 2009? by Barlo_Mung_42 · · Score: 1

      Both wrong. The first Build was in 2010 where they gave out the Samsung slate running the first public developer release of Win8. I still use mine every day.
      2011 they gave out Nokia 920 phones.
      2012 was Surface RT tablets.
      2013 Build was Surface Pro tablets with a crappy Acer 8" thrown in.
      2014 they gave out Xbox units (but not for dev which made it strange) and $500 credit at the MS store.

    2. Re:BUILD 2009? by bondsbw · · Score: 1

      I also attended the first BUILD, in September 2011, and have the Samsung slate right beside me.

      Samsung agrees with me.

      --
      All my liberal friends think I'm a conservative, all my conservative friends think I'm a liberal.
    3. Re:BUILD 2009? by Barlo_Mung_42 · · Score: 1

      Curse my faulty memory circuits!
      You are right.
      2012 they gave us Nokia 920s AND Surface RT units.

      I hope this doesn't mean they're not going to do Build. This has been a pretty sweet gravy train.

  3. Overseas? by TWX · · Score: 2

    It's also being moved from the U.S. to China

    I wouldn't take home any electronic swag...

    --
    Do not look into laser with remaining eye.
    1. Re:Overseas? by bloodhawk · · Score: 1

      really why not? anything china puts on it can't be anymore invasive than what the US is currently doing.

    2. Re:Overseas? by TWX · · Score: 1

      Because it's a lot easier to target specific individuals or a specific group of individuals to actually get something useful, and for it to work undetected for longer, than it is for something to be ubiquitously deployed where it actually provides specific, useful results and remains undetected.

      If there are only a few thousand materials scientists working on processor tech that will advance microprocessor development, it's easier and cheaper to drop a few thousand trojan-horse USB memory FOBs with hacked USB subsystem controllers that will get what I want than it is to attempt to infect every device being sold new. These FOBs won't be quality-checked either, while batches of new devices for retail sale probably will get at least some checking.

      --
      Do not look into laser with remaining eye.
  4. Bury the lead? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    According the summary, Microsoft is actually selling tablets and mobile phones! Who knew?!

    1. Re:Bury the lead? by WillAffleckUW · · Score: 1

      (bury the lede) is an old newspaper term, lede not lead.

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      -- Tigger warning: This post may contain tiggers! --
    2. Re:Bury the lead? by tepples · · Score: 1

      "Lead" can be spelled either way, though "lede" was popular in the days of hot metal typesetting to distinguish it from the metal whose symbol is Pb. It derives from "lead paragraph", meaning the paragraph that leads an inverted-pyramid news story.

    3. Re:Bury the lead? by kelemvor4 · · Score: 1

      According the summary, Microsoft is actually selling tablets and mobile phones! Who knew?!

      You misread. They're making tablets and mobile phones. It's mostly just Apple and Google's partners who are selling phones and tablets.

  5. Seattle to China by Mister+Liberty · · Score: 1

    Microsoft must think 'Go East, Young Man'.
    China although an 'old country' is all about vibrant young men and women doing their own as they have been for thousands of years.

    Take China and hardware -- I found myself Googling Chinese modern architecture the other day, and browsing and looking at the results spent maybe an hour in awe, gawking at immensely impressive
    --both aesthetically and from an engineering standpoint-- constructions. So much so that I couldn't suppress the thought that the West is nothing compared to what's achieved here .

    Unfortunately, human rights wise, China has a long way to go -- if it ever does go that way, anyhow (I wish the Chinese well).
    To come full circle -- I bet the latter notion is a major factor in Microsoft's move.

    1. Re:Seattle to China by geekoid · · Score: 2

      East or West, your going to end up in the same place eventually!

      --
      The Kruger Dunning explains most post on /. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunning%E2%80%93Kruger_effect
    2. Re:Seattle to China by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Take China and hardware -- I found myself Googling Chinese modern architecture the other day, and browsing and looking at the results spent maybe an hour in awe, gawking at immensely impressive --both aesthetically and from an engineering standpoint-- constructions.

      Yeah, I've seen some impressive examples of modern Chinese architecture, then I remember they were built by Chinese construction firms.

      Hey, I could be wrong, some or all of them may last 100 years, but I wouldn't be surprised if some of them start falling apart in a few short years.

      What good is modern architecture if it doesn't last?

    3. Re:Seattle to China by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      In prison???

  6. Let me guess - they bought out Tag Hauer? by WillAffleckUW · · Score: 1, Funny

    Coming soon - the Microsoft Watch.

    It has a paperclip for it's face, and asks you really stupid questions ...

    --
    -- Tigger warning: This post may contain tiggers! --
    1. Re:Let me guess - they bought out Tag Hauer? by UnknownSoldier · · Score: 1, Funny

      /Oblg. The Microsoft Watch (TM) will Blue Screen every day. At least a broken clock will be right twice a day. :-)

    2. Re:Let me guess - they bought out Tag Hauer? by ArcadeMan · · Score: 2

      At least a broken clock will be right twice a day.

      Not if you use the 24 hours format.

    3. Re:Let me guess - they bought out Tag Hauer? by SeaFox · · Score: 2

      Coming soon - the Microsoft Watch.

      It has a paperclip for it's face, and asks you really stupid questions ...

      Microsoft Watch: "Do you know what time it is?"

    4. Re:Let me guess - they bought out Tag Hauer? by ngc3242 · · Score: 1

      Microsoft did watches long before Apple.

      http://www.smartwatchnews.org/...

  7. M$ Hardware by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    They always did make a pretty good mouse and keyboard !

    1. Re:M$ Hardware by __aaclcg7560 · · Score: 1

      I loved the Microsoft Sidewinder game controller for the PC back in the day.

    2. Re:M$ Hardware by Tough+Love · · Score: 1

      I loved the Microsoft Sidewinder game controller for the PC back in the day.

      So of course they cancelled that.

      --
      When all you have is a hammer, every problem starts to look like a thumb.
  8. This was the point by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    ... when it came to Windows servers and PCs ...

    When 90% of PCs ran Windows, it made sense for Microsoft to inform everyone of the minimum needs for their software. Hardware had to be compatible to sell bundled with Windows. Does MS think people are going to demand 'Windows ready' phones and tablets? Why should MS decide what tablets and phones need as minimum hardware? MS provides the operating system for 1% of those devices.

    1. Re:This was the point by UnknownSoldier · · Score: 2

      Yup, Microsoft is trying so desperately to stay relevant in a post-PC / tablet world.

      Apple currently gives away its OS. With Microsoft fleecing customers for $100 per OEM copy of Windows isn't winning over the hearts of the geeks over. Maybe if they weren't so greedy and lowered the price down to $20 that would do more to "buy" goodwill then the total damage the past 20 years has caused.

    2. Re:This was the point by bloodhawk · · Score: 1

      MS doesn't charge any where near $100 to OEM's. last I saw it was less than half that. Apple also doesn't just give away its OS, you have to pay for upgrades to OS.X, it only gives away iOS (but it is hard to call it giving it away since the premium you pay for the hardware). MS desktop marketshare is STILL above 90% (though I do agree they are fighting to stay alive in other areas, but desktop they still have on lockdown despite vista and 8)

    3. Re:This was the point by UnknownSoldier · · Score: 1

      > MS doesn't charge any where near $100 to OEM's.

      Sorry, should of clarified OEM version of Windows.

      * http://www.newegg.com/Product/...
      * http://www.newegg.com/Product/...

    4. Re:This was the point by Richard_at_work · · Score: 1

      Try getting the equivalent Mac OSX product...

    5. Re:This was the point by jkrise · · Score: 1

      Why should MS decide what tablets and phones need as minimum hardware?

      Not only minimum, but maximum as well. MS gets to decide the biggest screen size, the highest speed CPU that can run Windows - tablet edition, on a non-desktop form factor. MS does not want vendors selling full fledged Windows on tablet form factor devices even though it is technically feasible.

      Hardware had to be compatible to sell bundled with Windows.

      MS does not want to encourage vendors who also provide open source drivers with their hardware. In this day and age, if MS made a reference standard for writing drivers hat did not require any signing, many vendors would only be too happy to innovate.

      MS's goal is not to promote innovation, but to restrict vendors from making PCs that can also run Linux flawlessly. Having lost the tablet and phone business to Linux and Android, MS wants to keep on stifling the Linux desktop for as long as they can. One way they do this is to give incentives to vendors that make only Windows compatible hardware. Also the driver signing and Windows Update gives them a lever to destroy any vendor who gets too cosy with the Linux world.

      http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-u...

      From Vista and up, the hardware can be designed to give out intentional error messages that are ignored by Windows, and thus the hardware becomes unusable in Linux.

      --
      If you keep throwing chairs, one day you'll break windows....
  9. What to expect for the OEMs? by lippydude · · Score: 1

    "every year, execs from Redmond would tell OEMs what to expect .. now it's being revived to deal with not just computers but also the tablets and cell phone Microsoft has found itself in the business of selling and even making."

    In a shrinking market, Microsoft is clawing back even more of your core business.

  10. Proven for China, not so for US. by sethstorm · · Score: 1

    China and their fellow freedom-reducing brethren operate on the idea of stealing from nations that innovate. A proven secondary use for that is for them to use it against their own citizens.

    The US and the rest of the civilized world operate on the idea of creating something new or advancing existing technology in a new way. Unlike China, there has been no solid evidence to prove use against citizens - just the allegations of a spurned traitor(who in turn gave what he had to China and Russia, of all irony).

    --
    Twitter supports and protects racists - by smearing their critics with the "Hate Speech" label.
  11. Which puts them out of touch with Western markets. by sethstorm · · Score: 1

    It's also being moved from the U.S. to China, as an acknowledgment of where the heart of the tech hardware business is now.

    It also indicates the further wish to be out of touch with Western markets and continue to decline in overall quality. Checking a few boxes and translating the manual makes for a bad execution on implementing a product in other markets - as opposed to integrating the expectations made by the target market.

    Besides, having it in Los Angeles doesn't diminish the value of Eastern contributions, but serves as a barrier to entry for the unqualified.

    --
    Twitter supports and protects racists - by smearing their critics with the "Hate Speech" label.