Apple, Android, And The Future Of The Smartphone [View article]
Nice observation, and agreed...Invest in the Arms Dealers.
I am curious about how Samsung will play its own OS against Android. Or maybe with Android?
Smartphones are disposable in a flavor of the week consumer market. Shifts can happen extremely fast. Every 2 years, the majority of consumers will replace their hardware, and many of those will jump ecosystems in addition to a new device.
Apple, Android, And The Future Of The Smartphone [View article]
MSFT is the only company that receives royalties from Android. To the sum of 2-8 billion per year (depending on who you ask.)
GOOG will never be able to charge for Android licensing, until they rewrite the product from the ground up and drop key features. Charging for the OS would price Android devices out of the game.
Windows Blue Should End Microsoft Bull Run [View article]
My opinion is that the current MSFT bull run is due to the massive innovation effort, that is showing moderate to impressive results.
Windows 8 doubt seemed to fade as the 8-10 million new users per month (not licenses, actual users) sustained for 6 months in a row. And WP8 gaining marketshare 115% YoY. Again, not sales, actual marketshare in a booming market.
Not to take away from the other giants that are doing great things, but MSFT is holding it's own in a rapidly changing market. That is where the bull mentality comes from, in my opinion.
Office 365 Could Boost Microsoft's Market Share In Shift To Cloud [View article]
Thank you for the article, very nice.
One thing was omitted in the long term comparison: The 5 licenses of Office 365 vs. The 1 license for Office 2013. If those extra licenses are required, Office 365 is cheaper in the long term also.
A business user could require multiple licenses, at least 2. My company provides a work PC, home PC and a tablet, which costs 3 licenses. Although we can buy in bulk CALs, it will still cost more than Office 365 subscription.
Apple: The iPad Faces Unprecedented Competition [View article]
This is a good observation. My impression is that Ashraf isn't predicting the future, instead he is pointing out a weakness in AAPL product offering.
AAPL products are not revolutionary, they are well built, and deliver a familiar design at the perfect time when people are ready for that design (when hardware had caught up with the touch need.) MSFT has been first in the smartphone, tablet and smartwatch markets...yet AAPL delivered quality at the *perfect* time.
Now AAPL has 3 of 4 products are in the disposable consumer device space and is at risk, as consumer loyalty changes frequently with electronics. AAPL has momentum, as people blindly purchase the glowing apple symbol for the time being.
After buying a Windows RT tablet, I wonder why I would every buy an iPad. My $350 Acer has certain advantages: 1. Pre-loaded MS Office, 3. Remote desktop to my PCs/Servers, and no-configuration integration to my contacts, emails, calendar, Word/XL documents, phone photos/videos (via Skydrive.)
My RT device also auto-synced up with my Win 8 PC and auto-configured my tablet. All of my settings came over, preferences, apps I had installed, music/video/tv show purchases.
All I had to do was enter my email address & password. I did not need to install one app.
Microsoft To Get A Major Revenue Growth Boost From Cloud Computing [View article]
Agreed, the community needs to recognize MSFT's diversification a bit more, and how resilient the product offering is to a fickle consumer market. The cloud (SaaS) is a great counterweight to boxed software products.
I am long MSFT and also a fan, but am not affiliated. But being in software development, it is easy to see and measure the cost savings by buying/using MSFT business and development products.
The freeware software equivalent (server OS, dev tools, office productivity, etc.) costs multitudes more in lost productivity hours and lost opportunity costs. My 2 IT guys support 150 Windows Servers, whereas the Linux/SAP equivalent would require double the HR resources.
In addition, I went long MSFT after seeing the willingness to change with the times and foresight by switching to a "service company" years before the PC market began to decline.
Why Nokia Should Stick With Microsoft [View article]
Agreed. Smartphones are consumer devices, and consumers get bored very quickly. Each 2 year contract guarantees a device switch, with a probable ecosystem switch.
It is rediculous to think that by 2018, 95% will be android. The next "flavor of the week" will kill that estimate overnight.
The smartphone market is nearly saturated. The magic number is 2 billion active devices. PCs peaked at 1.8 billion years ago...just not enough humans on the planet with enough money to buy more.
Gartner (shiver) estimates 1.2 billion Smartphones will sell in 2013. Goodbye smartphone growth, hello saturation.
Stephen Elop had to hear from disgruntled investors unhappy with his ongoing commitment to Windows Phone at Nokia's (NOK +2.4%) shareholder meeting. "The road to hell is paved with good intentions. Please switch to another road," said one of them. The criticism is aired as Walmart begins selling the Lumia 521 (runs on T-Mobile USA's network) for an unsubsidized $130. Both Walmart's site and many stores are out of stock, but limited supply (an issue with the Lumia 920 and 920T launches) could be a factor. [View news story]
Well said all.
NOK chose a path, for better or for worse. It seems to be for the better. NOK may not be a kingpin overnight, but they are in the black.
Microsoft Announces 100 Million Windows 8 Licenses Sold - Behind The Numbers [View article]
Current Windows 8 active daily users estimate, on a paid license base of 1.2 billion stands at about 65 million users. Other estimates are that there are a total of 1.8 billion PCs out there, which would put active daily users at about 80 million Win 8 users.
Makes sense that MSFT would sell more licenses than daily users, but still 65+ million users isn't bad.
I dont know if this helps or not: Windows 8 sells 100 million copies. That is about 15 million per month (5-7 million more than my estimation from above.)
Microsoft: Where Will The Growth Come From? [View article]
Windows 8 sells 100 million copies. And based on Net usage, there are 65 million active daily users. I see growth in financial revenue brought in by new products, like Windows 8.
Intel And Microsoft Speed Up Windows RT's Death [View article]
Heya @Ashraf. Sorry, something is messing up comments, I am not seeing replies right away.
1. For security, see my reply to @Fidgewinkle. In short, it is impossible for an RT app to infect anything but itself. Not true in Desktop, iOS and Android...apps can infect the system. See this article, apps can infect iOS on a system level: http://bit.ly/13mzv8Z
2. Win Desktop, iOS apps, Android apps have to manually code in trans-app communication. Win RT has this by default.
The best example is a contact list: A. My app tells Win RT that I have contacts. B. My app uses Microsoft .NET objects to view my contacts from my app's database. C. *Any* other app (i.e. Faceboox, RT email app, etc.) that uses the .NET objects for contacts, will display a Windows drop down in the upper left...and using contacts from my app will be an user option.
I.e. The Facebook app can send emails to people in my app's database. It unifies all of a users contacts, regardless of what app they entered that contact in.
In other OSes and Desktop, developers have to manually code all of that functionality that is built in by default to RT.
3. In RT, only 1 or 2 (in snapped view) apps can run at the same time. All other apps are 100% asleep. Versus Desktop and Android that just minimize apps. A minimized app can still gobble up 100% CPU time...therefore battery life.)
4. True, the Metro side comes with Pro. But remember, Metro is RT and RT is Metro. Killing RT means losing the benefits of #1, 2 and 3 arguments.
On: ""Pro can run on Arm" what are you talking about? Do you realize that every application would need to be ported?"
I don't believe you would have to convert apps. Microsoft has a Hardware Access Layer HAL that separates the OS from the hardware. So Microsoft needs to rewrite the HAL layer for Pro, not the OS nor the apps. Yes, I am over simplifying, there is a lot of binary bit swapping going on in this scenario...but it is possible and the app would not notice a difference.
Conclusion: You have the right perception from an outside point of view. The consumer views RT as a gimped version of windows, I agree 100%. Perception is reality.
I am approaching this from a 2015 point of view: MSFT is on the right track and needs to find how to satisfy you and the typical consumer. 1. Provide the desktop experience in the RT/Metro architecture. 2. And essentially kill the desktop architecture (without killing the desktop UI familiarity.)
Intel And Microsoft Speed Up Windows RT's Death [View article]
@Fidgewinkle Sorry, I thought I hit reply yesterday but guess not (the HTML layout of the reply button changed recently)
My point is that the OS architecture of RT is nothing like iOS, Android nor Windows Desktop. This is security by OS design, not through band-aid apps like Anti-Virus.
An RT App can not introduce anything to the system. The App has it's own memory space and filesystem...and is 100% locked down. Each app basically has it's own copy of the OS and is not aware of anything but itself.
If malware is introduced, it will have to be through methods never before seen. Virus writers will have to basically hijack update.microsoft.com or something to push an OS-level attack.
Because it is currently impossible for an RT app to infect anything besides itself.
RT is truly revolutionary. It looks "gimped", but reality is that RT is the future of all OSes.
Intel And Microsoft Speed Up Windows RT's Death [View article]
That is my point, nothing app-related can run in the background. An app can not install anything. Apps can not run unless maximized or snapped to the side. Apps have no rights outside of running it's essential functions.
The only way to install a virus on Windows 8 is through the desktop...which isn't an option in RT.
Intel And Microsoft Speed Up Windows RT's Death [View article]
1. RT is 100% secure from viruses, malware, spyware. A virus can't be installed, even with no antivirus running. Its secure by design, RT doesn't need AV. 2. RT introduces an app to app ecosystem, not just a store & an OS like iOS & Android. 3. RT consumes very little battery because apps can't run in the background. If you see an app, its running. If you don't, the app is 100% suspended. 4. RT was a great experiment in how to display multiple apps without all of these hard to swipe stacking windows. Snap view.
As a techie, RT is at least a generation ahead of iOS, Android and Windows desktop.
I concur with your points, but disagree that RT should die. I think it should absorb the desktop for hard core multitasking. What should die is legacy windows apps. And they will...eventually.
PS. RT has nothing to do with the ARM processor. Pro can run on arm, MSFT just hasn't ported it yet.
Apple, Android, And The Future Of The Smartphone [View article]
I am curious about how Samsung will play its own OS against Android. Or maybe with Android?
Smartphones are disposable in a flavor of the week consumer market. Shifts can happen extremely fast. Every 2 years, the majority of consumers will replace their hardware, and many of those will jump ecosystems in addition to a new device.
Apple, Android, And The Future Of The Smartphone [View article]
GOOG will never be able to charge for Android licensing, until they rewrite the product from the ground up and drop key features. Charging for the OS would price Android devices out of the game.
Windows Blue Should End Microsoft Bull Run [View article]
Windows 8 doubt seemed to fade as the 8-10 million new users per month (not licenses, actual users) sustained for 6 months in a row. And WP8 gaining marketshare 115% YoY. Again, not sales, actual marketshare in a booming market.
Not to take away from the other giants that are doing great things, but MSFT is holding it's own in a rapidly changing market. That is where the bull mentality comes from, in my opinion.
Office 365 Could Boost Microsoft's Market Share In Shift To Cloud [View article]
One thing was omitted in the long term comparison: The 5 licenses of Office 365 vs. The 1 license for Office 2013. If those extra licenses are required, Office 365 is cheaper in the long term also.
A business user could require multiple licenses, at least 2. My company provides a work PC, home PC and a tablet, which costs 3 licenses. Although we can buy in bulk CALs, it will still cost more than Office 365 subscription.
Apple: The iPad Faces Unprecedented Competition [View article]
AAPL products are not revolutionary, they are well built, and deliver a familiar design at the perfect time when people are ready for that design (when hardware had caught up with the touch need.) MSFT has been first in the smartphone, tablet and smartwatch markets...yet AAPL delivered quality at the *perfect* time.
Now AAPL has 3 of 4 products are in the disposable consumer device space and is at risk, as consumer loyalty changes frequently with electronics. AAPL has momentum, as people blindly purchase the glowing apple symbol for the time being.
After buying a Windows RT tablet, I wonder why I would every buy an iPad. My $350 Acer has certain advantages: 1. Pre-loaded MS Office, 3. Remote desktop to my PCs/Servers, and no-configuration integration to my contacts, emails, calendar, Word/XL documents, phone photos/videos (via Skydrive.)
My RT device also auto-synced up with my Win 8 PC and auto-configured my tablet. All of my settings came over, preferences, apps I had installed, music/video/tv show purchases.
All I had to do was enter my email address & password. I did not need to install one app.
Microsoft To Get A Major Revenue Growth Boost From Cloud Computing [View article]
I am long MSFT and also a fan, but am not affiliated. But being in software development, it is easy to see and measure the cost savings by buying/using MSFT business and development products.
The freeware software equivalent (server OS, dev tools, office productivity, etc.) costs multitudes more in lost productivity hours and lost opportunity costs. My 2 IT guys support 150 Windows Servers, whereas the Linux/SAP equivalent would require double the HR resources.
In addition, I went long MSFT after seeing the willingness to change with the times and foresight by switching to a "service company" years before the PC market began to decline.
Why Nokia Should Stick With Microsoft [View article]
It is rediculous to think that by 2018, 95% will be android. The next "flavor of the week" will kill that estimate overnight.
The smartphone market is nearly saturated. The magic number is 2 billion active devices. PCs peaked at 1.8 billion years ago...just not enough humans on the planet with enough money to buy more.
Gartner (shiver) estimates 1.2 billion Smartphones will sell in 2013. Goodbye smartphone growth, hello saturation.
Stephen Elop had to hear from disgruntled investors unhappy with his ongoing commitment to Windows Phone at Nokia's (NOK +2.4%) shareholder meeting. "The road to hell is paved with good intentions. Please switch to another road," said one of them. The criticism is aired as Walmart begins selling the Lumia 521 (runs on T-Mobile USA's network) for an unsubsidized $130. Both Walmart's site and many stores are out of stock, but limited supply (an issue with the Lumia 920 and 920T launches) could be a factor. [View news story]
NOK chose a path, for better or for worse. It seems to be for the better. NOK may not be a kingpin overnight, but they are in the black.
Good words...stay the course.
Microsoft Announces 100 Million Windows 8 Licenses Sold - Behind The Numbers [View article]
Makes sense that MSFT would sell more licenses than daily users, but still 65+ million users isn't bad.
Where Are The Missing PCs? [View article]
http://bit.ly/Ys6WpP
Microsoft: Where Will The Growth Come From? [View article]
Enjoy!
http://bit.ly/Ys6WpP
Intel And Microsoft Speed Up Windows RT's Death [View article]
1. For security, see my reply to @Fidgewinkle. In short, it is impossible for an RT app to infect anything but itself. Not true in Desktop, iOS and Android...apps can infect the system.
See this article, apps can infect iOS on a system level: http://bit.ly/13mzv8Z
2. Win Desktop, iOS apps, Android apps have to manually code in trans-app communication. Win RT has this by default.
The best example is a contact list:
A. My app tells Win RT that I have contacts.
B. My app uses Microsoft .NET objects to view my contacts from my app's database.
C. *Any* other app (i.e. Faceboox, RT email app, etc.) that uses the .NET objects for contacts, will display a Windows drop down in the upper left...and using contacts from my app will be an user option.
I.e. The Facebook app can send emails to people in my app's database. It unifies all of a users contacts, regardless of what app they entered that contact in.
In other OSes and Desktop, developers have to manually code all of that functionality that is built in by default to RT.
3. In RT, only 1 or 2 (in snapped view) apps can run at the same time. All other apps are 100% asleep. Versus Desktop and Android that just minimize apps. A minimized app can still gobble up 100% CPU time...therefore battery life.)
4. True, the Metro side comes with Pro. But remember, Metro is RT and RT is Metro. Killing RT means losing the benefits of #1, 2 and 3 arguments.
On: ""Pro can run on Arm" what are you talking about? Do you realize that every application would need to be ported?"
I don't believe you would have to convert apps. Microsoft has a Hardware Access Layer HAL that separates the OS from the hardware. So Microsoft needs to rewrite the HAL layer for Pro, not the OS nor the apps. Yes, I am over simplifying, there is a lot of binary bit swapping going on in this scenario...but it is possible and the app would not notice a difference.
Conclusion: You have the right perception from an outside point of view. The consumer views RT as a gimped version of windows, I agree 100%. Perception is reality.
I am approaching this from a 2015 point of view: MSFT is on the right track and needs to find how to satisfy you and the typical consumer. 1. Provide the desktop experience in the RT/Metro architecture. 2. And essentially kill the desktop architecture (without killing the desktop UI familiarity.)
Intel And Microsoft Speed Up Windows RT's Death [View article]
My point is that the OS architecture of RT is nothing like iOS, Android nor Windows Desktop. This is security by OS design, not through band-aid apps like Anti-Virus.
An RT App can not introduce anything to the system. The App has it's own memory space and filesystem...and is 100% locked down. Each app basically has it's own copy of the OS and is not aware of anything but itself.
If malware is introduced, it will have to be through methods never before seen. Virus writers will have to basically hijack update.microsoft.com or something to push an OS-level attack.
Because it is currently impossible for an RT app to infect anything besides itself.
RT is truly revolutionary. It looks "gimped", but reality is that RT is the future of all OSes.
Intel And Microsoft Speed Up Windows RT's Death [View article]
The only way to install a virus on Windows 8 is through the desktop...which isn't an option in RT.
http://bit.ly/18ovYtX
Intel And Microsoft Speed Up Windows RT's Death [View article]
2. RT introduces an app to app ecosystem, not just a store & an OS like iOS & Android.
3. RT consumes very little battery because apps can't run in the background. If you see an app, its running. If you don't, the app is 100% suspended.
4. RT was a great experiment in how to display multiple apps without all of these hard to swipe stacking windows. Snap view.
As a techie, RT is at least a generation ahead of iOS, Android and Windows desktop.
I concur with your points, but disagree that RT should die. I think it should absorb the desktop for hard core multitasking. What should die is legacy windows apps. And they will...eventually.
PS. RT has nothing to do with the ARM processor. Pro can run on arm, MSFT just hasn't ported it yet.