Windows 7 Keeping PCs and Macs in perspective
 

At times (especially when attending Microsoft press conferences, in particular), it;s quick to believe the multiplying Macs and their magical iPad cousins have taken over the transportable computing globe.Frank Shaw, Microsoft;s Corporate Vice President of Communications,Office 2007 Product Key, took the abnormal step — given the Softies; usual reticence to mention their rivals — of sharing a bunch of data on Microsoft and its competitors in various industry segments. Shaw didn;t share a memo he wrote that amplified his message,Microsoft Office 2010 Key, but All Things Digital;s Kara Swisher shared it for him.)The PC numbers (collected by a variety of third-party sources cited by Shaw in his blog post), were particularly interesting:7.1 million
Projected iPad sales for 201058 million
Projected netbook sales in 2010355 million
Projected PC sales in 2010I still believe blogger Long Zheng made this point best a couple years ago. (In fact, I liked his image so much that I ended up using it on my business card.)As telling as these numbers are, I can;t help but wonder when and if we;re going to see Microsoft create a common user interface for the coming crop of slate PCs running not Windows 7,Windows 7 Download, but Windows Embedded Compact. (If Microsoft doesn;t end up doing this, each of the coming slates running Embedded Compact will have a different look and feel,Windows 7 Serial, creating another Windows Mobile situation.)There are some nice new Windows 7 laptops and netbooks coming to market,Office 2010 Activation, but my “magical” device would be a Windows-based slate with some serious battery life and true instant on/off. I want my Winpad!