Acer: Surface tablet will hurt the industry, we may look for new partners

Steve ballmer really pisses me off for some reason.
This really is all about the money, I realize now.

I understand the frustration with Acer seeing as M$ doesnt have to pay for a license to win8, but its common knowledge that OEM's (while at least being below crApple) have been making tons of money off of price fixing. HDD's, DRAM, the list goes on. Now I will say that Acer has been relatively good at being affordable, but its still, with the exception of their new ultrabook, not really worth competing as the hardware is usually significantly less quality. Eventually we may end up with apple, microsoft, and goodle being the only pc makers left..

Why is it Microsoft's fault that it can produce a better product than all these sucky hardware makers. Acer, just make a better product.

I would love to see Acer produce a Chromebook or Linux Laptop. I wonder if they'll be happy with the sales results. Acer would be looking for a new CEO.

Acer, YOU hurt the industry!

Acer and everyone else needs to realise that change always happens, and this is an inevitable direction change for Microsoft that you cannot stop. Apple has shown that it is not only possible to do both hardware and software, but also that by doing so they create a better package/environment/bundle and a rapidly expanding business. Why would Microsoft not do the same? Microsoft's software is so ingrained in so many places that people will stick with them, in the same way others stick to Apple. And yes, that does mean OEMs should start looking for other partners, because if they don't, and Microsoft take a model more similar to Apple nobody will buy from an OEM. They will go direct to Microsoft. It makes better sense for OEMs to pour resources into Open Source alternatives, so that they can compete in the future. If you make Open Source alternatives better so they are on the same level as the current standards OEMs have an option to whether the storm and potentially surpass the two giants. If not OEMs will only be able to create a product that is second tier.

Screw Acer! Ms may not have the great os this time around, but they surely grew balls for the game. It is time.

I still can't see Microsoft committing to their product. I'm sure Surface will be great but somehow I don't think they will make as much money on it as they hope and then it will die just like the Zune.

I agree with Acer that the emergence of Microsoft PC hardware will disrupt and even confuse the PC market. However, it's no surprise that MS has taken this route. PC makers have failed over and over throughout the past several years to create truly compelling hardware.

As much as the PC manufacturers have been dependent on MS to create solid OSes, MS has been dependent on the manufacturers to create solid machines that market well and sell well. MS has been holding up its end of the bargain, but not as much the other way around.

I think MS will be committed, but truly, they don't have to be committed to the Surface. MS just has to remain committed to Win8. It's really not a problem for MS if they only sell one generation of Surface tablets.

Not that I would be buying Acer in the first place but Microsoft is upsetting a lot of businesses. Microsoft seems to want to cut out various partners (hardware, software, etc.) so that Microsoft can take in even more money. It seems they want to kill the ecosystem so they can take all the money, like Apple. Of course it is there right to do so, however it’s also the right of these partners to move in other directions.

Microsoft is taking some bold steps.

Pathetic crying from Acer over the fact Microsoft are making a premium piece of hardware that makes their offerings look bad.

On a sidenote, ikesmasher, your comment is bizarre, unrelated to his article and most likely misinformed. Microsoft's interests have always been about making money, it's a PLC, it's they're legal and moral obligation to shareholders. Apple - or any other company - is no different.

@ikesmasher, I know you've been busy occupying Wall Street so you may have been out of the loop for a little while. Well, I've got a bit a bad news for you...none of these tech companies are producing products for altruistic reasons. It's all about the money for Dell, Apple, Microsoft, Acer, etc. But why does that piss you off? I for one think that having a bunch of companies competing for my dollars means that we will all end up with better products to choose from.

Gotta be honest, I don't see what the big deal with Surface tablets is. This is not a groundbreaking maneuver, and Acer should probably look at Google's Nexus series before crying foul and taking their ball home in a huff. Google has built and released phones and tablets into the market, yet their OEMs and partners still keep trekking along and making money. How? Because Google (like Microsoft will be doing) release their own branded hardware that is a reference design for how the company thinks a system should be. It's basically a big "here's how you should do it" to the industry. It becomes just another model / brand, in a very large diluted pool of possibilities. It also serves to bolster and advertise the platform in general.

But hey, if Acer wants to jump ship and make a big push for other alternatives (like Linux), and other big manufacturers follow suit, maybe with Surface we're witnessing the small crack in the dam that eventually leads to a flood. Or (more likely) it'll prove itself to be a non-issue, with a lot of hot air and herp derp flying around, eventually amounting to nothing.

You realize that now? The goal of every business everywhere is always to make money. There's a famous book business college professors make their students read called "The Goal" (google it). The goal is to make money.

Look at any action any company takes and ask 'Why'. When you realize the answer, ask 'Why?' again. (Just like a 4 year old actually) and when you run out of answers you'll realize the end of the line is to make money.

I've always found MS's hardware to be solid, but rather bland, and often rather expensive.

It never had those cooler factors that made me usually buy a competitor's product.

I totally agree. With the exception of the Sidewinder joystick - I got quite a lot of miles out of that one, after breaking several competitors' sticks. Their general hardware though, is pretty meh.