HP exec derides Microsoft Surface as "slow" and "kludgey"

[Rick]

In an interview with IDG, HP PC Business chief Todd Bradley dismissed Microsoft's first foray into the tablet market. Surface, he said, is "slow" and "kludgey". Bradley added that he hardly considers Surface competition for HP, although it's worth pointing out that HP doesn't actually have a consumer tablet offering anyway -- not yet, at least.

Bradley should know a thing or two about portable devices; after all, he was the CEO of PalmOne before he joined HP in 2005. But HP, a company who shared with the world its own tablet-shaped failure, doesn't seem like a company who's in a position to talk poorly about Surface.

Since last year's HP TouchPad disaster, the company has continued to avoid the consumer tablet market like a cat does a bathtub. According to Bradley, HP will continue to do so until possibly next year. "We're not entering the consumer tablet fray any time soon. We'll be doing something next year, but you won't see a consumer tablet from HP before Christmas." he assured IDG.

HP though, does offer its own enterprise tablet: the ElitePad 900. Although the ElitePad entertains a different market segment than Surface, it would seem that Surface is more likely to encroach on HP's territory than vice-versa. Perhaps this thought nudged Bradley into his outspoken negativity regarding Surface.

Surface itself was greeted with mixed reviews. Most looks at the tablet I've seen praise its solid construction, innovative keyboard cover and inclusion of Office RT, but pull out the red pen for overall value, app selection and quirky behavior. 

HP hasn't been the only company to speak negatively about Surface though. A few months ago, Acer's CEO said Surface would have a negative impact on the industry. Acer's global operations president Campbell Kan even suggested, "It is not something you are good at so please think twice", warning Microsoft about selling its own tablet..

Ballmer recently stated that Surface sales were modest, attributing the number to limited supply and sales channels.

Permalink to story.

https://www.techspot.com/news/50825-hp-exec-derides-microsoft-surface-as-slow-and-kludgey.html

 

[Guest]

HP should know "Slow & Kludgey." Wasn't that the tag line for the ill-fated HP TouchPad?

 

[Ranger12]

Idk what Kludgey even means. Sure the surface isn't the best tablet out there but I think it's a pretty good start given that the tablet market is already heavily saturated with companies that have a good head start. Looking forward to what Microsoft can do in a few years.

 

[Lionvibez]

Lol agreed guest and I own a touchpad its great once you tweak it.

Slow and kludgey describes their horrible retail computers.

Only their business systems are worth anything.

HP is the last company that should be talking they couldn't even hire a proper ceo!

Worry about your own house before talking about others.

 

[psycros]

HP should know "Slow & Kludgey." Wasn't that the tag line for the ill-fated HP TouchPad?

Great interface and blazing fast with a couple easy tweaks. They had a good thing and blew it.

 

[captainawesome]

Haha love the picture

 

[captaincranky]

Idk what Kludgey even means.

kludge or kluge (kl

j)
n. Slang
1. A system, especially a computer system, that is constituted of poorly matched elements or of elements originally intended for other applications.
2. A clumsy or inelegant solution to a problem.
[From ironic use of earlier kluge, smart, clever, from spelling pronunciation of German kluge, from Middle High German kluc, from Middle Low German kl

k.]
kludge v.
kludg

y adj.

The word and concept of "kluge", got quite a workout on the TV series "Andromeda" http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0213327/
There, a genetically enhanced race of humans,

Nietzschean. A species of genetically engineered humans who follow the works of Friedrich Nietzsche, Social Darwinism and genetic competitiveness. They claim to be physically perfect and are distinguished from ordinary humans by bone blades protruding from their forearms. The race's Latin trinomial designation is Homo sapiens invictus, which means "undefeated thinking man" in English.

OK, here I'd argue that a translation from the Latin with a better ring would be, "invincible wise man ".
The Nieztscheans" looked down on normal, non enhanced humans as "kluges". Since of course, they were the "uberman".

In any event, the series ran from 2000 to 2005. So, I have no idea if the computer adapted terminology came first, or the sci-fi TV series.

In either case, both Nietzsche, and the German etymology of the word "kluge", predates both.

Too much information?

 

[Zoltan Head]

In the UK there is a word "cludgey", referring to a primitive lavatory, recently popularised by James May of "Top Gear" fame - perhaps the implication is that MS Surface is full of (expletive withheld)?

 

[captaincranky]

In the UK there is a word "cludgey", referring to a primitive lavatory, recently popularised by James May of "Top Gear" fame - perhaps the implication is that MS Surface is full of (expletive withheld)?

So you're saying this is a Zen thing? As in, "the toilet, the Surface tablet, and the turd are all one"!

 

[Ranger12]

The word and concept of "kluge", got quite a workout on the TV series "Andromeda" http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0213327/
There, a genetically enhanced race of humans,
OK, here I'd argue that a translation from the Latin with a better ring would be, "invincible wise man ".
The Nieztscheans" looked down on normal, non enhanced humans as "kluges". Since of course, they were the "uberman".

In any event, the series ran from 2000 to 2005. So, I have no idea if the computer adapted terminology came first, or the sci-fi TV series.

In either case, both Nietzsche, and the German etymology of the word "kluge", predates both.

Too much information?

Perhaps, but I found it interesting. Therefore I bestow a "like" upon your response.

 

[Guest]

Why does this CEO have an opinion...? Specially when He doesn't have a product... his opinion only matters on his products. Sine he doesn't have a competing product, sounds like he is just complaining.

Poor kid...

 

[captaincranky]

Why does this CEO have an opinion...?

Because most CEOs only have two moving parts, their mouth, and their a*****e. These two moving parts are interchangeable. How else could you justify or explain Steve Ballmer? Their "software" is their opinion. It is usually an accepted redundancy, that they can access their "opinion", from either end....

 

[Pan Wah]

Why does this CEO have an opinion...? Specially when He doesn't have a product... his opinion only matters on his products. Sine he doesn't have a competing product, sounds like he is just complaining.
Poor kid...

Why does this Guest have an opinion? Specially when etc. etc. you get my drift....

 

[captaincranky]

This should serve as fair warning to under performing executives with big mouths and bad ideas:
HP CEO Apotheker fired, replaced by Meg Whitman
Mr. Apotheker's loose lips almost sank the "SS Hewlett Packard"...

And the full story link: http://money.cnn.com/2011/09/22/technology/hp_ceo_fired/index.htm

But you know what, this mutt still got 25 million in severance pay!