(Name of Author)
1. Google versus Microsoft
Google and Microsoft combine to control the largest share of consumer electronics market. A battle of supremacy in the industry ensues between the companies’ products with both employing talented and creative technologists to generate new ideas that will outdo each other. Looking at the history and current market trends, Microsoft seems to have lost to Google both in the products and innovation categories in most fields of the industry. This is the general idea shared by most people across the board although some people argue that Microsoft currently has the upper hand in the innovations department.
The major advantage that Google products have over Microsoft products is their services are web-based in that the only software required to access their products is a web-browser and free to the user. This is in contrast to Microsoft that charges a licensing fee for the use of their products. These free services have lured most users to Google holding 75% of the search engine advertisement industry with most of their products being the most popular. The other factor that makes Google stand out is their unique innovation approach. The company gives 20% time to its employees to pursue personal projects. This policy resulted in some of Google’s biggest products like AdSense, Google Talk and Gmail and made it the top innovator in the electronic industry.
Microsoft recently has changed its business model operations in a bid to remain relevant in the current and future customer trends. The company made all Windows versions free for devices of nine inches or less to manufacturers. This means that it will now be cheaper to produce Windows phones and tablets since the manufacturers will not pay patent fees that Android pays to Microsoft for some of their technologies. Microsoft also made it easier to develop applications across all its devices, a move that has been greatly applauded by developers.
2. Future of Personal Computers
The future of personal computers is being threatened by advances in smartphone technology and more consumers opting for the phones rather than a computer. This was seen from in 2011 when the sales of smart phones surpassed computer sales in the UK.
The above statement is true, and nobody has objected the idea. According to a recent survey, an average person carries three devices with a phone being one of them, but not everybody owns a computer. This also has to do with the cost of smartphones which in most cases is always cheaper than that of computers.
Computer sales have been decreasing in the past few years and smartphones popularity increases. With the increased power, improved battery life and better networking speeds allowing one to perform almost all task apart from a few, tablets are replacing notebooks and large screened phones replacing tablets. In the next few years, technological advancements will allow smart phones to carry out virtually all tasks formerly reserved for computers. Microsoft is way ahead in this concept and already developing a feature called continuum for Windows 10 that allows it to adapt to either the tablet, phone or computer mode being used. The feature will allow plugging of smartphones into television screens or monitors and hooked up with Bluetooth mouse and keyboard allowing it to be used as a personal computer. This is possible thanks to the single code base used for Windows 10 that enables it to run across all Microsoft devices. For the concept to be a reality, continuum will require smartphones with the capacity to power dual screens that is not yet available in Windows phone but is already being developed.
3. Computers or Motor Cars
Computers and cars are vital equipment necessary in everyday life but their usefulness varies from one society to the other. This makes different people have different opinions regarding which of the two is more important. My opinion on the matter is that computers are more important to the society than cars.
Computers are used for many purposes and have no alternatives, unlike cars that are used only for transport and have various substitutes like trains and animal transportation. Another advantage that computers possess over motor vehicles is that they cannot cause accidents and deaths.
Computers are used to perform a multitude of tasks in different disciplines be it at home, school or work and are sometimes described as man’s greatest invention as they make life more convenient. Its uses include design in engineering, record keeping in business and government fields, recreational activities at home, communication through the internet and many more other applications.
However, computers also have disadvantages associated with them. One of them is that proper training is required for an individual to use the machine and access its full benefits. The other is that the use of computer especially accessing the internet has promoted vices such as hacking and viewing of pornography among underage teenagers. These are a small price to pay considering the vast advantages computers offer and these vices can be prevented using appropriate measures.
Bibliography
Gilbert, D., 2015. Microsoft wants to replace your PC with your smartphone. International Business Times.
Skillicorn, N., 2014. Microsoft out-innovates Apple & Google. Innovation Excellence.
Strickland, J. & Crawford, S., 2015. Will Google Destroy Microsoft. Tech.
