Sunday, April 4, 2010

Microsoft turns 35

It was on this day in 1975 that Bill Gates and Paul Allen founded Micro-Soft to develop and sell BASIC interpreters for the MITS Altair 8800, this anniversary being especially poignant in light of the recent passing of MITS founder Ed Roberts on April 1rst, Apple, Inc.’s thirty-fourth anniversary.


Friday, March 26, 2010

Remember those Gates-Seinfeld spots?

This article explains what Microsoft was trying to do with that quirky campaign.


Tuesday, March 16, 2010

The death of text blogging?

Leave it to Microsoft to invent something that actually appears cool and convince you privacy is for weenies, and lets you live blog every damn minute of your existence. It’s called a SenseCam and takes digital still pics at short intervals, so your life becomes a digital flip book. there’s talk of using it initially for early onset Alzeheimer’s patients, which is fine, but rest assured, it will be used and abused by quite a number of the look at me generation type people.


Saturday, March 6, 2010

Where’s there’s smoke up your ass, there’s Microsoft

Microsoft will steal from just about anybody, won't they?

It's amazing the things you can do with GIMP these days

Leaked images from Microsoft skunkworks of it’s Courier project have been popping up as the date to the release of the iPad goes closer (I’m still holding out for a last minute delay beyond the April 3rd date). This looks closer to the second generation XO tablet that’s been on OLPC backburner for awhile now.


Friday, January 29, 2010

Terrific Chart O’ The Day!

Uncle Fester will love this one, but such is life.  Check it out, friends.  For the 16th straight quarter, Redmond’s Online Division posted a huge loss. Try almost half a billion. The Silicon Alley Insider makes a good point– when are they going to wise up and just flush the sucker down the drain? Blodget piles on here.


Tuesday, January 19, 2010

Zune Phone due in a couple of months?

Ars Technica has a story here about a Zune Phone (honest) due out in a couple of months.  Quote to focus on:

“Microsoft would be fulfilling the dreams of Zune fans, Windows Mobile fans, and many others who have been waiting for Microsoft to counter Apple’s iPhone with its own software and hardware combination, as opposed to just a new version of its mobile OS.”

The Zune has fans?  Where?


Wednesday, January 6, 2010

CES: Is anyone out there not making a tablet?

If so, please sign in to be formally recognized by the chair.  Gee whiz, now we find out that Uncle Fester is gonna do a CES rap tonight, and tell us that Microsoft and HP are going to double-date and create a tablet.  Here’s some spy photo or something of the alleged vaporware, from September. September!  Did we know about this?  Was there an email?  Did Mosspuppet rant about this?  There was a story about Google and HTC working on a their tablet.  Got that.  But this? Sorry, first we’ve heard of it.  So it cannot exist.  Here’s the key quote from the NY Times:

It remains tough to tell where Microsoft’s work ends and H.P.’s begins on this type of product. But all eyes will be on Mr. Ballmer this week to see if Microsoft and H.P. can out-Apple Apple before Apple Apples.

Huh? What’s that last sentence again?  Update: Here’s some new info from Kara in Vegas.


Tuesday, January 5, 2010

Apple & Google stomp on Microsoft’s glory

So Microsoft was all cranked late last year, with Windows 7, mwah mwah mwah.  Now look at them.  Do they ever get any play in the media?  I mean, outside of the OS release.  They were rolling along, and then…boom.  Door slam, and the name on the door says “Google” and “Apple.”

Google decided to release their phone the day before CES.  Coincidence?  Hardly. They’re one of the acknowledged darlings of tech media, and they shove products out the door right and left.  Doesn’t matter if it’s a hit or a miss, we’ll be there.

And then there’s Apple, the absolute master at buzz manipulation.  With Nexus out today, they took the time last night to make sure we knew they bought Quattro.  And of course, an excitable press release today detailing the billions of apps downloaded at the App Store.  There’s a difference between “want” and “need.”  And Apple knows precisely how to blur the line between the two.  You don’t need an iSlate, but when it rolls out, you’ll get that look.  And you’ll know.  You must have one.  Need it?  No. Want it?  Absolutely.

Here’s a good article from the archives, on corporate personalities.


Friday, January 1, 2010

Microsoft’s lost decade in mobile

Look at this thing.  (Reminds me of my late, great Handspring.  I’d synch it at home with some software called AvantGo, to get some news to read on BART.  Had another cradle at work for the return trip.  Nice monochrome screen and all.)  This is the HP Jornada.  It’s the centerpiece of a story called “Microsoft’s Lost Decade in Mobile.” How can you lose an entire decade?


Tuesday, December 8, 2009

Microsoft grinches the holiday season

Way to go Redmond, after trying to look like you’ll do anything short of anal lingus to keep your customer base, there you go, being the assholes we know and despise love.

Looks like someone

won’t be getting that

J.D. Powers award in their stocking at Christmas.

We all know who will ….