I just finished writing why Microsoft and Intel are having problems with tablets and kinda threw mobile into my thoughts.  I now want to go one step further and that is to ramble a little bit on what Microsoft and Google need to do in the phone marketplace.  Microsoft has been competing in the phone marketplace for a while.  They have had success in getting manufacturers to use Windows inside of their hardware.  Google is following the same gameplan.  This is a gameplan of failure. The problem with it is that manufacturers are going to create the easiest product for them to manufacture.  For all the love the Google gets in the press, have you seen the new Droid from Verizon? It almost strained my arm when I tried to pick it up. its heavy.  Really heavy.  When I looked at the product, I felt it was a major embarassment.  I has okie dockey touch on the outside and keyboard input when it is flipped up.  Seriously? Two input types? Are you kidding me? A much better choice would be to have 1 input type and two devices.  RIM sales are up.  iPhone device usage in the US recently passed WinMo sales.  There is limited space in the marketplace for another phone device. 

Microsoft needs to make a brave choice to save WinMo.  Google needs to make a direction change in their product or they'll be a limited third place product.  The interesting thing is that the choice is the same for both.  Microsoft and Google, you both need to sit down, design, and build a branded device.  Why?  You can build a product that customers want.  Manufacturers are going to build a product that is easy for them to manufacturer, but only Microsoft and Google can take the time and effort to build a product that customers want.  It might seem that this would mean that they are going around their parterners, but they won't be.  Why?  These will be higher end products.  Since they are higher end, they'll be higher priced.  Manufacturers are going after the lowest priced marketplace.  The competition you are going after is not the low end.