We’ve been talking about Windows 8 nearly non–stop for the last week, and with good reason. As the operating system is set to be a big damn deal when it comes out, it’s important to discuss and share its features and elements as we learn of them; the conversation itself is critical.
But there is a new sort of rumor that is cropping up that we are frankly going to avoid: the whisper that a specific OEM is set to build a Windows 8 tablet of one variety or the next. Friendly competitor of TNW Microsoft, Tom Warren of WinRumors joked about that type of story thusly: “Rumor: xxx is making a windows 8 tablet according to random twitter account. Please report everyone.” I’ve been feeling that way all day.
And since people are starting to print (ha) stories that are absolutely, well, worthless, let’s make a blanket statement: OEMs are going to make tablets that run Windows 8. Most of them, in fact, will do so. Why? Because the market is going to be simply huge (even if Windows 8 flops, it’s simple math) for such devices.
Even more: Some companies that are not associated with currently making traditional PCs, but perhaps are involved with Microsoft in a mobile way, will build Windows 8 tablets and not regular form-factor PCs. This is blatantly obvious. So let’s not succumb to the need to report that a certain OEM is set to build a tablet. We already know that. We don’t need to remind ourselves every day.
There is an obvious rejoinder to this, in that we will cover specific tablets, and their individual specifications, but that is a different scenario. Why? Because that matters. But the story that an OEM that we all know is going to make a Windows 8 tablet is rumored to be building a Windows 8 tablet is not news. It’s not even throat clearing. It’s simply a time waster. Like this post. Get it? Irony.
Now, back to your regularly scheduled programming.
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