Microsoft’s Ballmer Admits Misteps With Windows Mobile

Slow Windows Mobile development is causing all kinds of problems forMicrosoft (NSDQ:MSFT), but CEO Steve Ballmer says the company has learned from its mistakes and is poised to carry out its mobile strategy more effectively.

On Thursday at Microsoft’s Venture Capital Summit event in Mountain View, Calif., Ballmer told an audience of about 200 that Microsoft is well aware that it dropped the ball by allowing Windows Mobile development to slow to a crawl.

Ballmer’s comments come at the close of a busy week for the Windows Mobile rumor mill. The emergence of photos of prototype devices purportedly from Microsoft’s top secret Pink smartphone project, as well images of a possible Microsoft tablet device called Courier, have rekindled speculation that Microsoft is dead set on raising its profile in the mobile device market.

The consumer mobile device market has been a tough nut to crack for Microsoft, and the software giant has watched as a parade of shiny new smartphones from Apple, Palm, and Research In Motion have relegated it to the shadows of the mobile industry.

Ballmer’s comments show contrition on Microsoft’s part, but now Microsoft will have to get new devices on the market quickly to show that it has, in fact, righted the Windows Mobile ship. Industry experts have been sounding the death knell for Windows Mobile in light of a large wave of devices with Google’s Android Mobile OS and the iPhone’s continued momentum. Microsoft will need to get the Windows Mobile 7 operating system not only launched, but ensure that it leapfrogs the competition in terms of innovation and consumer features.

Help me choose? Netbook or Notebook

Last holiday season, the computer industry saw an explosion in the sales of the “netbook category”. These ultra-portable notebooks (<11″ screen)  sold at previously-unseen price points ($299-399) and were somewhat underpowered with inadequate memory, storage and power-sipping Intel Atom processors.

Now, a year later, people are asking us to help them choose: Should I purchase a netbook or a notebook?

To answer this question – let’s look at different scenarios where we’d recommend one over another!

Purchase a NOTEBOOK  if:

- You need a larger screen (greater than 14″) either due to eyesight problems or the need to see small detail in your applications. Notebooks will tend to have better resolutions and the larger screen makes it easier on the eyes
-  You rely on your computer for entertainment. Watching movies and playing 3D gaming are processor, graphics and memory intensive tasks. Higher end netbooks might be able to handle some movies, but better off purchasing a full fledged notebook featuring a dual core processor. Also, netbooks won’t include a DVD player – even most slim and light notebooks will still included an integrated DVD player / burner.
- Your computer will be your primary business system. Applications such as Microsoft Office (powerpoint, excel, etc…) are resource intensive. If your livelihood depends on your computer, no reason to leave your earning potential in the hands of an underpowered system. Better to spend one or two hundred dollars and get many years out of a great computer.

Purchase a NETBOOK if:

- You only want to surf the internet or light applications. Every netbook should have a Wi-Fi adapter allowing you to connect to wireless network. Its small size and limited capabilities mean they are priced right when you only need to do simple tasks such as web browsing, playing back MP3′s and
- You need a second or third computer for children. Features which are considered weaknesses of the netbook, turn into strengths when provided to children. The smaller keyboards and smaller screens are kid-sized. In addition, most netbooks can handle the abuse kids give them and if accidentally dropped, their lower price make it less of a hit than a traditional notebook.
- Size is paramount. For the time being, these are the smallest computers and should provide strong battery life (greater than 3 hours).  Netbooks now range in screen size from 10″ to 12″ and a netbooks are very light and space saving for folks who need to travel light.