Microsoft

Apple could have had Microsoft's Kinect controller?

By Georgia, Saturday, Nov 6, 2010 a 8:40 am

Cult of Mac says PrimeSense, the company whose technology is behind Microsoft's new Xbox Kinect, originally tried to sell it to Apple. What went wrong and why didn't Apple get it? Yup, secrecy and control!

Apple has a history of interface innovation, of course, and had recently introduced the iPhone with its paradigm-shifting multitouch UI. PrimeSense’s system went one step further: It was multitouch that you didn’t even have to touch. Apple seemed like a natural fit.

Apple posts higher revenue than Microsoft

By Rene Ritchie, Thursday, Oct 28, 2010 a 11:08 pm

Apple earned more revenue this quarter than their ancient frenemy, Microsoft. Roughly $20 billion to $16 billion, or $4 billion more. Not too long ago they passed Microsoft in market cap as well, another impressive sounding, if not terribly meaningful measure. Microsoft still leads in revenue due to their software-centric business being much higher margin than Apple's hardware-heavy mix. But that too could and just might change as well.

Apple, thanks to the Apple II, got off to an impressive lead in the early days of command line personal computing. But things changed. Apple squandered the Mac's first mover advantage and Microsoft and Windows ended up ruling the graphical user interface world. Now things are changing again. And that's where it gets interesting.

No iPods, iPhones, or iPads cross the Bill Gates threshold

By Rene Ritchie, Monday, Oct 25, 2010 a 10:58 am

Melinda Gates has once again re-affirmed that no Apple product, no iPod, iPhone, or iPad, is welcome in her and husband Bill Gates' house. Last time she said she wouldn't mind an iPhone, of cthis time she stuck to sterner stuff:

Do you own an iPod, which is made by Apple?

No, I have a Zune.

What if one of your children says, “Mom, I have to have an iPod?”

I have gotten that argument — “You may have a Zune.”

Do you have an iPad?

Of course not.

Is it true that Bill works on an Apple laptop?

Angry Birds for Windows Phone 7? Microsoft Says Yes, Rovio Says No

By Allyson Kazmucha, Monday, Oct 11, 2010 a 8:51 am

You're Microsoft and today you're launching the brand new Windows Phone 7 platform and what better game to showcase that launch but iOS hit Angry Birds... unless of course the developer, Rovio, isn't making Angry Birds for Windows Phone 7 and didn't give Microsoft permission to use it. Whoops.

Whether or not Angry Birds will make it to Windows Phone 7 down the road is debatable, but a lot of developers have been contacted and asked to make apps for the Windows Phone 7 marketplace. In some cases, they've even been offered cash incentives. Hit the jump to see the letter some developers have been receiving from Microsoft asking them to develop for Windows phone 7.

And for complete Windows Phone 7 launch coverage, check out our newly renamed sibling site, WPCentral.

[WMExperts, via 9to5mac]

Microsoft and Adobe holding secret anti-Apple meetings?

By Rene Ritchie, Thursday, Oct 7, 2010 a 9:23 pm

Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer snuck into Adobe to talk with their CEO, Shantanu Narayen, about how they could team up, cartoon villain-style, to take on the growing mobile power of Apple and one Steven P. Jobs. the NYT Bits blog says:

The meeting, which lasted more than an hour, covered a number of topics, but one of the main thrusts of the discussion was Apple and its control of the mobile phone market and how the two companies could team up in the battle against Apple. A possible acquisition of Adobe by Microsoft were among the options.

Apple stealing ad revenue from Google and Microsoft

By admin#IM, Monday, Sep 27, 2010 a 11:18 am

With the Launch of iAd by Apple many companies are choosing to advertise with them instead of Google or Microsoft. Businessweek.com reported that Apple may control as much as 21% of the market by the end of the year. Google will drop to 21% from last year’s holding of 27% and Microsoft, who was only just getting into ads, will drop to just 7% from last year’s 10%.

Microsoft working on iPad apps?

By Rene Ritchie, Wednesday, Sep 15, 2010 a 1:00 pm

According to noted Windows pundit, Paul Thurrott, Microsoft is indeed prepping some iPad apps:

Shhh.... It's true: Microsoft is working on iPad apps.

Whether that's Sea Dragon or Bing or or Office is unknown, of course.

Windows Phone 7 team hold mock funeral for iPhone

By Rene Ritchie, Friday, Sep 10, 2010 a 8:23 pm

Microsoft held a mock funeral today for the iPhone as part of their Windows Phone 7 release to master (RTM) celebration. Followed -- we $#!t you not -- by a Thriller dance.

It would have been more accurate had they been carrying a Kin.

[Trioculus via WMExperts, Engadget]

Microsoft thinks Apple is selling too many iPads

By Rene Ritchie, Friday, Jul 30, 2010 a 10:56 am

Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer, under whose watch Office, Windows, and Server profits have soared while mobile has stumbled and faltered, was bombastically candid when addressing Apple's 3.3 million strong iPad install base:

"they've sold certainly more than I'd like them to have sold."

In response, Microsoft is hard at work on a Windows-based alternative (which is curious given Bill Gates' almost singular drive to popularize Tablet PC over much of the last decade):

Letterman, Top Gear, Microsoft poke fun at iPhone 4 antenna issue

By Rene Ritchie, Wednesday, Jul 14, 2010 a 2:33 pm

So on one hand the hype surrounding iPhone 4 antenna issues has risen to the level of a David Letterman top 10 list and Top Gear joke (see videos after the break), and on the other it's got Microsoft COO Kevin Turner calling it Apple's Vista (which is a bizarre slam on Microsoft's own product):

It's beyond the looking glass. What is Apple going to do? What should they do?

[CrunchGear x2, Computerworld]