John Gruber offers an excellent post on why Microsoft decided to unveil it’s own tablet this week. If I could throw another log onto the fire of his argument why Microsoft has shifted it’s mission of just offering software products to now shipping (at some point) hardware too.

My argument starts back last October when Apple announced it’s “cutting the cord” on it’s handheld products and eliminating the need for a Mac or PC. How many people own iPods, iPhones and iPads and run iTunes on a Windows platform? The cord cutting and iCloud product announcement outmoded the PC… If Microsoft wants a piece of the consumer market this week’s move makes perfect business sense.

One more thing. If you consider Apple’s move in creating its own maps app and eliminating the need for Google maps, down playing Google search and the results of cutting the cord has taken with Microsoft’s Surface and the expected Google tablet its like the end of the Godfather. When Michael Corleone has all of his rivals killed. Killed might be over the top for this example but there is a certain amount of gangster cool to Apple’s moves. I don’t really know if all this was part of a three year plan Steve Jobs can take credit in designing or if it’s Tim Cook showing his leadership direction and skills but Apple seems to be taking care of all the family business by quietly eliminating the need for other products…