Cheat Sheet

Microsoft's Ballmer: Chrome and Safari Are Rounding Errors

"We have one and a half operating systems, Windows and Windows Mobile. Windows Mobile is kind of a half because it’s not entirely the same as Windows. And everyday, I say I’d love to get those two things to share more." - Steve Ballmer

Steve Ballmer is the CEO and he can only say he'd "love to get those two things to share more"?!? Both has been around for 15+ years (9 of the years with him as CEO) and it's only a wishful thought in his mind?

What Are Those Bars on My iPhone?

Very good. AT&T owe their customers improvements with the high cost of service they're charging for iPhones. I hope these new improvements are also laying down foundations for 4G.

Microsoft: Whistling in the Dark

On Aug 14 10:21 AM WhoisJohnGalt wrote:

> In MSFT's mind yes, should have stamped out Apple when they have
> had the chance.

As a matter of fact, Microsoft did not have a chance to stamp out Apple. Google "San Francisco Canyon Company". There's this little something about Microsoft using Apple's source code from QuickTime without permission in Video For Windows which gave Apple all the leverage it needed to neuter Microsoft's "stamp out" ability.


On Aug 14 12:36 PM BRICLayer wrote:

> … and probably trying to buy Dubai and/or Apple just to cover his flank. Don't see that.

I don't see that either. Have you seen how much cash Microsoft has vs Apple's Market Cap? They'll need at least another $118 billion to cover Market Cap of $148 billion today. Kinda hard to believe Apple's Market Cap is over 70% of Microsoft's own Market Cap. 2 years ago it was roughly 50%.

Microsoft Needs Some New Ideas

I think they'll just rename Search again and present it as something totally new. Unless Ballmer steps down, I'd expect this.

Toshiba Is Going into Flash Overdrive: Is Apple Ramping Up?

You make it sound like that tablet thing from Star Trek TNG.

Zune HD: Trying to Compete with Yesterday's iPod Touch

Radio was a main "iPod-Killer" feature. I guess HD Radio is the 2.0 version of that strategy.

Three Strikes from Apple and Palm May Be Out

$150 million investment in Apple was a small percentage to their cash at the time. The $150 million was part of a settlement for using QuickTime source code in Windows Media. An "accident" caused by Microsoft's and Intel's 3rd party contracting company working on Windows Media who worked on QuickTime earlier. This suit was going badly for Microsoft but they had an ace in the form of Office for Mac. Rather than choosing lose-lose, both companies settled.

Apple got $150 million by selling AAPL at market value to Microsoft, Office for Mac for at least 5 years and cross licensing with Microsoft for also 5 years.

Microsoft got the suit dropped, IE as default browser on Macs, and cross licensing with Apple for 5 years.

This was their win-win. Microsoft sold the last of this AAPL in 2004. Even at that time, the gains were in multiples. The $150 million investment was not so much infusion of capital as it was infusion of confidence to a "beleaguered" Apple. Office 98 for Macs, continued IE development on Macs and the 5 year cross licensing agreement also served that role.

The rest of rebuilding Apple was up to Apple. And yes, iPod was a great success for the company. It was their effort in a market that did not take off on its own. And certainly, it was an effort not foreseen and executed by anyone else. But it was not just the device. The integration with iTunes was the key to its success. Much like HW is limited without good SW, the new model is HW driven by SW supported by service. No one were able to integrate it like Apple. They've all tried in the late 90s and early 2000s but failed miserably. This new HW, SW, service model continues with iPhones. When 3.0 is released it will extend this model to include HW extensions.

Here's an interesting pattern. Many people states that what Apple brings has already been done. This is true elementally speaking. MP3 players, Music stores, Smart phones, 3rd party mobile apps and some 3rd party hw extensibility for mobile devices did exist before Apple's entry into the market. But ultimately, they are not reaching the wider market because of poor integration and usability. I think history shows that Apple has often integrated all of it and made it into platforms that work. That's just not because of a single device like the iPod. Many of Apple's competitors often fail by executing elementally like this.


On May 21 10:15 AM Anthony C wrote:

> How soon we forget that mighty Apple would have disappeared about
> a decade ago if it wasn't for an infusion of funds from none other
> than Microsoft! And what saved them after that desperate measure?
> A single product: the iPod. If the iPod hadn't become a hit I think
> that Apple would have become just another PC clone maker. Palm has
> the opportunity to make a big recovery and looks like the Pre is
> a device to do it for them. Palm is not dead, they are just Apple
> 12 years ago.

Speculating on the Emergence of an iConsole

Extend the AppleTV and you have a game console. Make it play iPhone games and hook up to AppStore and you have a game machine with a large library. Only missing piece of hardware are controllers. At average $30-40 per unit, it represents another revenue stream. If touch controls are needed, this is a perfect opportunity to introduce touch based remote control that can act as remote for AppleTV too - iPod Touch without the iPod or flash memory but contains all the input functions. Or just allow iPod Touch and iPhone to control the thing. Makes developers for AppStore happy too.

Later on, add AppleTV specific games on AppStore to introduce more sophisticated games. Or introduce new AppleTV hardware in this regard. They'd be leveraging their foundation of distributing digital assets to the console market. It might work.

Also, there's opportunity to extend MobileMe to support console online functions like X-Box Live. There's a lot to leverage on their foundation technologies and provide service which can generate new revenue streams.

There's no reason other non game apps would not work either. May increase sale of wireless kb and mouse. Also create netbook effect of the cheap desktop for home use. AppleTV is $299. Kinda a full circle thing since Apple II used to use standard TV as display.

Apple Product Pricing Holds Steady: iPods, iPhone Sales Healthy

I'd rather hear the numbers at the quarterly reports. Hope they reflect this survey.

Microsoft vs. Apple: Monopolist vs. Innovator

It is awesome. Boot into Windows XP or use Wine on an Intel Mac and you're playing Windows games. It's only software.

On Mar 31 02:33 PM Chris Tom wrote:

> Yeah, gaming on a Mac is awesome. You can play any game you want,
> so long as it is World of Warcraft. You also can have any video
> card you want, so long as it is two years old, and costs 3 times
> as much as the PC equivalent. RIP Power Computing, the only good
> Mac that ever existed.

New Microsoft Ad Targets High Cost of Macs

What does that mean in terms of the user's computing experience? There is quite a spectrum of people in either offices of homes using Windows or Macs. Their computing know-how is likely just as varied. I think your generalization isn't applicable to just Mac users.

On Mar 27 05:47 PM Giamatti wrote:

> Yes, most Windows users are in business environments.

New Microsoft Ad Targets High Cost of Macs

On Mar 27 01:59 PM Giamatti wrote:

> I find that most Mac users are single computer type of people. They
> use only one, or maybe two Macs but they don’t often connect them
> to other computers or servers and don’t know how much more there
> is to computing than sitting at your one little console surfing the
> web, using iLife or Photoshop.

Are you suggesting most Windows users are not like that?

New Microsoft Ad Targets High Cost of Macs

Made a mistake on second point


On Mar 27 01:04 PM Industrial Hemp wrote:

> The Mac also does not allow for hitting the "end" key to
> go to end of sentence, etc.

Press command-down arrow to go to end of paragraph. Command-up arrow to go to beginning of paragraph. Up and down arrow does go to end of sentence or word if it is alone on 1 line of text.

As a bonus, Shift-command-up arrow, selects all text above cursor. Shift-command-down arrow selects all text below cursor.

New Microsoft Ad Targets High Cost of Macs

See if this helps.

On Mar 27 01:04 PM Industrial Hemp wrote:

> Filling out web forms are better on
> a PC than Mac. You can tab to all fields. The Mac still can not figure
> out how to tab to a drop-down menu (e.g., choose your state from
> a list).

You can tab to pulldown menu items using the tab key. When you see the dropdown menu highlighted, press the enter/return key. When menu opens, use up/down arrow for selection. Press enter/return key to select target again.

> The Mac also does not allow for hitting the "end" key to
> go to end of sentence, etc.

Try the down arrow key. Up arrow key goes to the beginning of paragraph.

Dell's Perplexing Strategy

I think Microsoft made more net profit than IBM in 2008.

On Mar 19 07:44 PM gmaster wrote:

> I agree, they are a distration to the bigger picture and bigger bucks.
> Being No 1 in PC's and notebooks is great. Being No1 in Servers,
> Storage and services is where you want to be - just ask IBM how they
> became the most profatible Tech company on the planet