Lately we’ve heard a lot of news on the upcoming Apple iPad. Thus far, much of it has been positive. Now we are seeing reports that Microsoft believes the idea of the iPad is “humorous.” Recently, the Technologizer posted a report in which they say that Microsoft feels their offerings are more “open” than Apple’s. Microsoft argues the case that end-users with Microsoft products are able to choose their own hardware.

What does this mean to you?

I actually think Microsoft has a point here. They are more open in providing hardware options in the tablet space than Apple is to a large degree. But the sad fact of the matter is that today no one cares about this anymore. Perhaps this is why people were buying DRM-loaded Amazon Kindles? The Kindle did something cool/useful that the end-user wanted. But the killer function that suddenly makes all of this DRM easier to stomach was the availability of application choices from a single, easy to navigate virtual store. This is the lesson Apple first learned with iTunes, then later carried it over to other markets.