Guess who is back!
Microsoft is back. That is who.
I. They launched Bing, a search engine designed not so much to steal users as advertisers. Move against Google.
2. They declared that Office will be served in free and web based version. Move against Googles docs and proposed new OS.
3. Will open Microsoft stores ”next to Apples”
4. Plan to launch streaming music service, Spotify the Microsoft way.
People younger than me might think these are pathetic Me too moves.
But, remember Netscape once had 90 percent of the browser market when ”Me To Microsoft” launched Internet Explorer. Today Netscape is no longer and IE has maybe 80 percent market share.
They might be slow.
But they have the talent and the money.
Bill Gates kept reminding people of Ford vs. GM. You know they story, Ford dominated the world of cars with their Model T. ”You can have it in any color you like as long as you like it black”. Ford where overtaken by GM who gave consumers cars in any colors they liked…. Gates saw the same thing happen with IBM only this time closer as it was Microsoft that ate their lunch.
Gates left the building but Steve Ballmer is still around.
If ou ask me the understanding that there is always someone out there, is deep in the DNA of Microsoft.
But at the same time, they are slow. Very slow.
OMG Ballmer LOL
Disclaimer: I am at least one full year younger than the blog poster, so take my comments with a grain of salt.
Will the Microsoft store staircases be patented by Steve Ballmer, like the Apple store staircase was patented and designed by Steve Jobs?
Say what you want about Microsoft, but they are engineers at heart, while Apple is somewhere between lifestyle & design. The MS store needs to be amazing, and it still lacks the same cool products that Apple already has, outside of possibly the Xbox360, which in fairness is not going to win this generation of console wars anyway (Nintendo is clearly the winner).
The Office move is indeed interesting, but it’s not free; they will ship lightweight, free web versions alongside the oldschool licensed 2010 Office package. When they say ‘free’, it will be free to Windows Live users, but of course Windows Live is a subscription based model in itself.
The streaming music service I am not going to hold my breath for. It’s about as uncool as Nokia with their attempts, I don’t think the music industry will bite when they can work with the guys that own the music player market instead.
http://www.pcworld.com/article/169160/Microsoft_in_the_Mall_Retail_Store_Plans_Leak.html?tk=rss_news
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yIxfk3hS0uU