Forget everything you think you know about table PCs.  They’re done.  Over.  Kaput.  Call it the dumbing down of productivity tools, the appification of the internet or whatever.  The fact is that consumers and business have spoken, and the only thing they want is the Internet and Apps.  Even Microsoft has realized this, pushing the closed platform Kin mobile devices alongside an outrageously cool Facebook-integrated Office application and Docs.com.  Go back to the design room with a (dare I say it) clean slate and an iPad, figure out who your target market is, and deliver something with killer features and an open development platform.

Stay with Windows.  Windows Phone.  Not being privy to any insider information, my hope is that HP and Microsoft realized that the best (only) bullet they have left in their mobile device pistols is the forthcoming Windows Phone OS.  Now, 6 months ago I would have laughed at the very notion, but by all accounts version 7 rocks and could be the open platform winner in terms of developer acceptance and broad consumer adoption.  So why limit it to phones?  Apple, Nokia and Google are placing big bets on the next generation OS being a mobile one and rightly so.  In fact, I’m betting we’ll see a tablet-style device from HTC in the next 6 months, running the Android OS.  So why not scare the pants off of HTC and purchase SPB Software?  They make some pretty sweet Windows Mobile skins and applications; put on a deserted island with the Palm team for 3 months should be enough time to roll out a mobile device family that makes everyone sit up and take you seriously in this market.

That’s it, a very simple plan for HP to redeem themselves.  Do you think it has a chance of being considered?

HP, you have been in this market since 2002, with the release of the TC1000.  The design was unexpectedly fantastic, and demonstrated the potential these devices had in changing how consumers and businesses used computers.  But not only did you cripple it with a sub-par CPU, you borked practicality by having the only Tablet PC on the market with a non-digitized screen so a regular digitizer pen wasn’t usable – if you lost the pen you were out of luck until you bought a replacement from HP.  Since then, every other device you’ve released in this category has been with with a collective yawn.  So my question is this: what are you doing differently and when will we see it?

Say what you will, but Apple has once again put every other PC manufacturer in catch-up mode, and that’s unfortunate.  Why?  Because this market was yours for the taking, and you basically have squandered the opportunity.  And while the Slate looks really cool and interesting, why in the world should it take you any longer to bring it to market than Apple?  Again, you’ve had 8+ years to get it right.  You could argue that the iPad isn’t the same type of device as a Tablet PC, and you’re right.  But no one cares.  You should be owning this entire segment, and you aren’t.  And I guarantee that there is a good percentage of the 300,000 iPad owners out there that would have loved to have had an HP-branded device to purchase instead.  Here’s my advice:

Don’t you dare retail if for more than $500.  It doesn’t matter what you think it should sell for, because again, you’re not the lead dog any longer.  And, you’re not Apple.  There are almost a billion people out there that have grown accustomed to purchasing pretty sweet desktop and laptop computers from you for $350-$500.  No way you’ll justify to Corporate America, John Doe or Jane Doe that you’re little “in-between” device should be priced higher.  Make it $399 running Windows 7 Basic behind a sleek, user-friendly interface and I’ll be the first in line to buy 2 or 3 of them.  Sell it under the Compaq brand, I don’t care.  But if it’s a penny over $500 for a decently performing device, it has very little hope of ever seeing black ink on the P&L.

Do something interesting with the hardware.  Just for grins, throw in a camera.  Personally, I don’t miss it on the iPad and wouldn’t be caught dead holding it up take a picture.  But do it just because you know it will stir the Apple fanboys pot, ok?  And while you’re at it, use an SSD card for storage and make it user replaceable.  This is how you keep the geeks and hobbyist salivating and proclaiming HP “gets it”.  And, let me use a stylus if I want to, just for grins.

Find a happy place between the Windows interface and “Microsoft Bob”.  Where the iPad makes sense is that it dumbs down the interface to the apps that matter.  You have to do this, but go one better by making it easy for the knowledgeable consumer, technologist or corporate developer to expose the Windows 7 operating system if they want to.  Pundits can say what they want, but Microsoft Bob is starting to look like it was just before its time.  But that’s a discussion for another time and blog…

Give them away.  I still remember the product placements on shows like “24″, and thought it was so cool.  You have to do that again, but go even further this time.  Why not bundle it with every new desktop purchase for a limited time?  Make a deal with AT&T for free wifi and 3G connectivity for 3 months?  Or, a deep discount for everyone attending college?  Bottom line, you will have to get on the offensive marketing-wise and demonstrate with your pocketbook that you’re in this to win.

Yeah, this is a rant.  But it’s because I was there for you, evangelizing your devices to every company and consumer I would meet, in person and on tv.  As much as I’ve enjoying the iPad experience, it leaves a gaping hole for you to do it better,to do it right for all of those businesses and consumers that want something that respects the want for a more open and compatible platform.  I know you can do it.

P.S.: if Gateway, Acer, Toshiba or Fujitsu are reading this, feel free to do a search & replace to substitute your name.  Right now, none of you should be smiling.

Namaste

In the broadcast, I mentioned a few sites that have writeups of the ‘must have’ iPad apps.  I’ve linked to them below the embedded video.

Mashable – http://mashable.com/2010/04/02/10-great-ipad-apps/

TechCrunch – http://techcrunch.com/2010/04/02/best-ipad-apps-launch/