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.