Posted on 04/17/2013 8:30:32 AM PDT by SeekAndFind
Don't blame Windows 8 for plummeting PC sales, a retail analyst said today.
"It wasn't about Windows 8, it was much more about the price challenges facing OEMs," said Stephen Baker of the NPD Group, citing U.S. retail sales data the firm collected in the first quarter. "People want cheap touch devices, and that's where Windows 8 devices can't compete right now."
While IDC and Gartner last week said U.S. PC shipments dropped 13% and 10% in the first quarter compared to the same three-month span in 2012, Baker said retail sales were essentially flat.
And rather than blame Windows 8, as IDC did last week, for the poor numbers, Baker said the slow sales stemmed from a lack of touch hardware at prices consumers would swallow.
Windows 8, launched last October, is Microsoft's radical attempt to revitalize its OS by stressing touch over mouse and keyboard.
Touch-ready PC notebooks have been selling at relatively high price points: Baker said such systems averaged $750 during the quarter, with 75% of those above $500. Most buyers balked at those prices, passing on Windows 8 not because they dislike the operating system but because they wouldn't pay the going rate for hardware that exploited it.
Only about 10% of the Windows 8-equipped notebooks sold in the three-month period were touch-enabled.
Until prices come down, Baker said Windows 8 machines will continue to struggle. Those prices don't have to be cut-rate, but they do have to be lower than they are now.
"The operative thing is that they don't all have to be in the $400 to $500 range," Baker said of touch PCs. Consumers see the value in touch, and are willing to pay more. Just not as much as current price tags.
"They have to come down $100, $150," said Baker.
(Excerpt) Read more at computerworld.com ...
Place your mouse pointer over the old start button area and right click.
Thank you. I’ll give that a try.
Well also the study puts tablets in another category. So tablet devices with win8 makes it look worse for desktop/laptops even though they are selling win8/RT.
How do you do that? What do you click?
So I wonder what is slowing sales?
I know it can’t be our slowing economy, of course!
</sarcasm>
Totally agree. I bought a new laptop almost 2 months ago and haven’t used it much because Win8 has a learning curve attached to it. Bad enough I have to learn it but my wife wants me to teach her as well.
I’ve almost tossed it out the window numerous times.
A couple keyboard shortcuts that might help. From any screen, typing windowskey-D together puts you on the desktop from any "Metro App" screen.
Also, at the initial "Metro" screen, if you drag the desktop tile to the upper left position using your mouse, you can get to the desktop by simply pressing the enter key.
ITs very intuitive! (NOT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)
you move your mouse all the way to a corner and various windows appear (including somethign call a ‘charms’ window)
The lower left corner has a Startup window that appears, and on that startup window i found a descktop button (lower left area)
When you are on the startup window you can hit escaep 9sometimes) and it takes you to the desktop
the START button is gone along with all the old menu option, but you can download free shareware that can provide the same functionality- I am trying one right now and will report back whichever once works best.
>>>>>Windows 8 is faster and more efficient than Windows 7. Problem is Microsoft put that terrible interface on top of it. There are simple ways to make the interface like Windows 7, but most people don’t want to bother.<<<<<
+1
I am in the market right now for a relatively inexpensive laptop.
I will NOT buy anything with Windows 8 on it, though.
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