Microsoft and Hanvon join forces, aim tablets at business users

Microsoft and Hanvon join forces, aim tablets at business users



News today has surfaced that Microsoft and tablet manufacturer Hanvon are poised to make sweet music together, creating new tablet designs for business users. This is the first signs that Microsoft are re-thinking their tablet strategy in a bid to take on Apple and Google for a piece of the tablet market.

Today's announcement basically describes an alliance of sorts between one of China's most mature x86 tablet manufacturers and the world's leading x86 software developer. Zhang Xuejun, president of Hanvon, has indicated that for them, the tablet is very much a business tool as opposed to an entertainment or content consumption device. He goes on to mention how business users will demand a Windows OS on their tablets and hopes that this alliance will bring plentiful dividends in the future.

This news has not so far hit the media mills of the West, but the story will no doubt become standard fare as Microsoft attempts to create a high value perception for Windows 7 on business class tablet devices. x86 tablets will struggle to gain momentum in the mainstream consumer space for variety of reasons including cost, weight, touch-screen usability and battery life. Business users who are content with a Windows style experience and can afford a caddy to lump their tablet around for them may just bite. Then again they may not.

Check out the interview we did with a Hanvon rep during computex 2010.

The Hanvon F10

Not all tablets cater to the world of ARM and Android of course. The Hanvon F10 is a 10.1” screen-sized tablet running a 1.6GHz Intel Atom Z530 processor and Windows 7 OS. While Windows 7 does support touch I’m not convinced that the OS is best suited for tablets since it was still designed with desktop and notebook markets primarily in mind.

The F10 has reasonable raw performance specs in all areas and Brad Linder over at Liliputing says he thinks it will sell for between USD 500~600.

Key Device Specs:

CPU Intel®Atom Z530（1.6GHz)
Operation System Windows® 7 Home Premium（32bits）
Memory 1GB (SODIMM card Maximum to 2G)
Chipset Intel® US15
Graphics processor Intel® GMA500
Screen 10.1"（1024*600,LED Backlight，Electromagnetic screen)
Communication/Network WIFI 802.11 b/g
BluetoothV2.1+EDR
Spec&Weight about243mm x 183mm x 14mm（LxWxH）
About600～800g.

微软与汉王携手开拓中国平板电脑市场 Microsoft to open up China to join hands with the Kingship Tablet PC Market

July 21, 2010, Beijing - Microsoft (China) Co., Ltd. and Hanwang Technology Co., Ltd. today announced they will begin in the Tablet PC launch in-depth cooperation in the field, the co-development of China's new business tablet PC market.

有关调查数据显示，全球超过90%以 上的个人电脑运行着微软公司提供的Windows操作系统，超过80万个Windows系统的应用软件遍及人们工作、学 习和娱乐等各个方面。 The survey data show that more than 90% of the world's personal computers running Microsoft's Windows operating system available, more than 800,000 applications over the Windows system that people work, study and recreation fields. 强大的Windows系 统以及丰富多彩的应用软件，让平板电脑不仅成为新一代的娱乐设备，更是随身的办公和学习装备。 Powerful Windows systems and a variety of application software for Tablet PC is not only a new generation of entertainment devices is portable office and learning equipment.

微软（中国）有限公司OEM事 业部大中华区总经理李翔表示，中国平板电脑产业具有巨大市场潜力，我们希望通过与汉王科技的合作，推动中国平板电脑产业的发展，为中国用户带去融办公、学 习、娱乐于一体的平板电脑。 Microsoft (China) Co., Ltd OEM Division Manager for Greater China, said Li Xiang, China's flat-panel computer industry has great market potential, we hope to cooperate with the Hanwang technology to promote the development of China's Tablet PC industry, brought the Chinese users financial office, learning and entertainment in one of the Tablet PC.

李翔表示，微软公司高度重视中国平板电脑市场，此次与汉王科技的战略合作，将不仅仅局限于平板电脑操作系统领域，双方还将开发更适合 新商务用户的交互界面，以及整合优势资源联合开展市场推广，打造符合中国用户需要的平板电脑，推进平板电脑在中国的发展。 Xiang Li said that China attaches great importance to Microsoft's Tablet PC market, the strategic cooperation with Hanwang Technology, Tablet PC operating system will not be limited to the field, the two sides will also develop more suitable for the new business user interface, and integration advantages joint marketing resources to build in line with China's Tablet PC users need to promote the Tablet PC in China.

“平板电脑在 美国是娱乐市场，中国却是商务市场。 ”汉王科技总裁张学军说， “由于中国人对平板电脑的需求不同，从而导致它在美国的市场和中国有很大的区别。中国有着不同的国情，商务的需 求是大于娱乐的需求的。在工作、娱乐、学习已经相互融合的今天，只有采用Windows系统的平板 电脑，才能满足商务人群对移动办公、学习交流和娱乐休闲三位一体的全新需求，平板电脑的市场容量才能得以快速增长。 ” "Tablet PCs in the U.S. entertainment market, China is the business market." Hanwang Technology president, said Zhang Xuejun, "As Chinese demand for Tablet PCs Different, leading the market in the U.S. and China are very different. China have different national conditions, the demand is greater than the entertainment business needs. at work, entertainment, learning has converged with each other today, Zhi You use Windows-powered tablet PCs, Caineng meet Shangwurenqun on the mobile office, to learn communication and entertainment leisure Trinity new demand, Tablet PC market capacity can be rapid growth. "

此前，微软与汉王科技在TouchPad平板电脑的设计与研发方面已经展开了 深入的合作。 Previously, Microsoft and Hanwang TouchPad Tablet PC technology in the design and R & D has been carried out in-depth cooperation. 双方对此次战略合作的前景非常看好。 Both sides are very optimistic about the prospects for strategic cooperation