BEST OF THE WEB: Welcome to the post-post PC era

Last week Microsoft showed off its new and highly-anticipated Windows 8 operating system, attempting to show that it can remain relevant as it competes with Google and Apple in the desktop and mobile space.

But as this piece on Boy Genius Report points out, completely redesigning the Windows interface to be more in line with the Windows Phone software creates a new start for the company, which is often criticised for lacking innovation.

While Apple has attempted to introduce the post-PC era, BGR’s Zach Epstein claims Microsoft has countered that by introducing the “post-post PC era”. This is where Microsoft admits loss in the tablet space to Apple, and instead markets their tablet devices as PCs in a different format.

“Apple paved the way but Microsoft will get there first with Windows 8. A tablet that can be as fluid and user-friendly as the iPad but as capable as a Windows laptop. A tablet that can boot in under 10 seconds and fire up a full-scale version of Adobe Dreamweaver a few moments later.”

“A tablet that can be slipped into a dock instantly to become a fully capable touch-enabled laptop computer. This is Microsoft’s vision with Windows 8, and this is what it will deliver.”

The amount of buzz for Windows 8 is growing, especially as developers start to experiment. And as this piece points out, Microsoft is attempting to make a tablet that behaves like a tablet, with all the power of the PC – and it might just work.

“Apple would love a post-PC era, of course, since personal computers no longer represent the bulk of the company’s revenue, but Microsoft is showing us that there is a better way. And that better way, as it turns out, is a PC.”

Explaining the Netflix decision

There has been a lot said this week about Netflix and why it was such an awful move for the company to split itself in two. But there’s another explanation – that this may actually give the business some flexibility.

Benchmark Capital partner Bill Gurley has written a blog post about the decision and how this move could actually grant Netflix some room to move with Hollywood studios who don’t necessarily like the way their films are being distributed.

“For DVDs, Netflix’s rights are unlimited and its costs are constrained. For digital, its rights are constrained and its costs are unlimited. In the absence of the first-sale doctrine, Netflix must negotiate each and every title, and the price of the right to stream that digital title is up to the whim of the content owner.”

“For many titles, you cannot even obtain digital rights, because they can’t find all the people they need to release the rights to do so.”

Gurley argues that Netflix may have been forced to separate in order to make things more economical.

“At age 14, the digital world is forcing Netflix to execute a pivot. And the world they are entering is radically different from the world they are leaving.”

Can Bing ever make money?

Microsoft has been called a lot of things, but a search engine giant has never been one of them. Yet, it continues to pump more money into Bing, the “decision engine” that was overhauled a few years ago in order to take on Google.

The goings have been tough, with the company spending hundreds of millions of dollars on the venture that many believe won’t even get close to challenging Google. But this piece from CNN suggests the software giant has a plan.

“Even if Microsoft can steal market share from Google, it faces a long journey toward profitability. Market share is key in search: With it, advertisers flock to you, and you can charge high rates for ads. But without it, search is a very expensive business,” writes David Goldman.

“To capture the attention of a critical mass of advertisers – enough to turn a profit – multiple analysts have said that Bing will need at least 25% to 30% of the market. That’s double its current share.”

It’ll be a hard slog to the top, if it even makes it there at all. And it will be many years before Bing becomes profitable, but the company is adamant it will eventually get there.

“Our challenge is that no one wakes up in the morning and says, ‘I really wish there was a better search engine,'” says Bing director Stefan Weitz. “That’s why, for us, it’s always been about figuring out how to accomplish more than we thought was possible with a search engine. Eventually, people will expect to do more with search, and if they can’t, they’ll be disappointed.”

Google won’t be your wallet

This week the tech world was in a buzz over the release of Google Wallet, the new payment system designed for NFC-capable phones that will allow users to make payments on contactless terminals.

But while the system has received a lot of praise this week, and early users have said they’ll continue to favour the service over cash and debit cards, there are a few who are less willing to predict the demise of paper money just yet.

Rebecca Greenfield over at The Atlantic has written a piece on why Google Wallet won’t be taking over any time soon, no matter how good it is. Among her reasons include the fact not enough credit card companies are on board, and that not all retailers have the infrastructure to support the software just yet.

“It might be easier or faster or provide cool coupon deals, as we’ve reported, but people don’t like to change habits. “Every time I use Google Wallet, the person on the other side of the register looks at me like I’m Marty McFly and I’ve just stepped out of the DeLorean, hoverboard in hand.”

The piece is a good reminder that while the tech world can get caught up in new and exciting things, it’ll be a long time before this becomes commonplace.