More good news…
Not quite ready for prime time, but far enough along to be touted at the CES, Intel has introduced its new Web Tablet. You can link to it directly from Intel's home page (an indication of importance), or just go to
intel.com
Like Sony’s set top box, this has been in the works (i.e. VxWorks) for well over a year, and will be presented at the show in Las Vegas – which is why the web page is up now!
Either the Web Tablet must be categorized as a “Consumer Internet Appliance – NES” or we need a yalp. No rush. We can wait a couple of months until it hits the market before judging the size and importance of the category. (I submitted my email address to Intel to be alerted when and where the Web Tablet can be purchased.)
Re Sony’s point about “time to market” driving their decision to use VxWorks over Aperios: It took Sony 1 ¼ years to develop the set top box. Similarly, the Web Tablet has taken at least that amount of time to complete development.
In both cases the development teams were top notch, experienced and conversant with all needed technologies and toolsets. This suggests development teams with lesser skills and more constrained budgets probably would take at least two years to complete similar developments under otherwise optimal conditions. Complicate matters by not providing adequate tools, access to drivers, protocols, middleware, etc. and the time will extend indefinitely. In short, “time to market” is no joke, and clearly is, and will always be, a major barrier to WIND’s competitors.
For the first time ever, the CES has become a major showplace for WIND-based products. From now on, I suspect that this show, and other product shows, will overshadow time-honored trade shows for WIND, like the Embedded Systems Conference.
Allen |
