Ballmer's Reality Distortion Field

Steve Ballmer, in reference to the tablet market (via CNBC & The Macalope):

I don't think anyone has done a product that I see customers wanting.

There's only two possible things happening here. Either Ballmer knows he's lying through his teeth, or he doesn't. Unfortunately both of these alternatives still make him look like, well, an idiot. If I were Ballmer and had some high-end talent heading to the free agency pool soon, I'd watch my back.

Option 1: Ballmer knows he's lying through his teeth. He's trying to play down (read: ignore) the obscene success of the iPad as irrelevant (sounds familiar) in order to make the Surface look like the better option. But this doesn't make the Surface look better, it makes Steve Ballmer look out of touch with reality. And worse, it makes Microsoft look like they have not a single clue what people want. Microsoft isn't the biggest player in the game anymore. And Ballmer needs to realize it. Perhaps more importantly he needs to know that we realize it.

Acknowledge that Microsoft hasn't had a compelling product in this space. Acknowledge that you're targeting it. Show us what you have, tell us what it costs, tell us when it will ship, and tell us why it's better.

Option 2: Ballmer doesn't know he's lying. If this is the case, then Steve Ballmer has his own Reality Distortion Field.

Bill Gates on Surface

Bill Gates (via CNET), interpreted:

I actually believe you can have the best of both worlds. You can have a rich ecosystem of manufacturers and you can have a few signature devices that show off, you know, wow, what's the difference between a tablet and a PC.

Translation: Our OEMs blew it. We can do better, but I don't want to just come out and say that. But I kind of will anyway. In related news, you can have your cake and eat it too.

You don't have to make a compromise. You can have everything you like about a tablet and everything you like about a PC all in one device. And so that should change the way people look at things.

Translation: Yes, we've been trying the same approach since 2002 and no, we do not see a problem with that. Also, we are courting Jim Balsillie and Mike Lazaridis to join Steve Ballmer as co-co-co-CEOs.

There were a few things that could have been done differently to bring it (a Microsoft tablet) to critical mass...

Translation: We should have waited to see what Apple would do from the beginning. Than added a kickstand.

I'm sure Apple is terrified.