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To Ballmer, Grabbing iPad's Market Is 'Job One Urgency'
Barence writes "Microsoft's Steve Ballmer has vented his frustration at the success of the iPad and said developing a Windows alternative is 'job one urgency.' 'Apple has done an interesting job of putting together a synthesis and putting a product out, and in which they've... they sold certainly more than I'd like them to sell, let me just be clear about that,' Ballmer told analysts. The Microsoft boss said the company plans to deliver a range of tablet formats in the next year, some based on Intel's next-gen Oak Trail processor. 'It is job one urgency around here. Nobody is sleeping at the switch. And so we are working with those partners, not just to deliver something, but to deliver products that people really want to go buy.'" In Microsoft's vision, slates will run a derivative of Windows 7.
they tried to before.... MS has a lot of shares in Apple as i recall
they used to have a LOT more but were made to sell them
also as i recall when apple were in deep financial shit they got a govt bailout to keep up the competition
can't be arsed looking for the links but i am sure you can find with a quick blast in google
"I really doubt you can find them because that's all complete bullshit. MS bought a small (150M, I think) as part of a settlement deal, to prevent Apple cleaning their clock in court - MS had been caught ripping off Apple's code and selling it as their own."
You couldn't be more wrong if you tried. Where were you in 1997? This was huge news.
MS BITES INTO APPLE
"During a year of corporate reshuffling and job cuts, Apple's stock has fallen more than 50 percent... For right now, though, a $150 million investment really does keep Apple going...$150 million gets Apple a little new lease on life."
Microsoft's gorilla knocks on Apple's door
"Apple's stock had been falling steadily over the years. Despite occasional surges, the stock kept sliding down. Apple was losing the confidence of investors..... So Steve Jobs turned to Bill Gates, the $36 billion man....Jobs asked Gates to pledge $150 million in purchases of Apple stock. Gates agreed, but only after getting the deal on sharing trade secrets and the agreement that Apple would promote the Microsoft Web browser.... The $150 million in pledges....gave Apple stock a sudden boost, from a low of $13.68 a share in early July to a high of $26.31 a share (in August)"
Here let me break it down for you:
Jobs: Oh mighty Gates! A poor beggar I be! My company is failing, please won't thou shine ye mighty billions down onto my brow!
Gates: I hear you poor beggar Jobs. I shall grant you $150 million if you agree that all your base are belong to us.
Jobs: Oh bless you all powerful and mighty Gates! Bless you!!
This happened in 1997, a year before the announcement of the iMac, so it's safe to say without Microsoft there would be no iMac, iPod, iPhone or iPad
my karma will be here long after I'm gone
Wouldn't that be a brilliant example of what patents are meant for? When someone like Apple invents a successful computing paradigm (e.g. the desktop interface, or tablet computers), they can patent it and prevent Microsoft from ripping off their paradigm, profits, and market share?
Those are direct quotes from the article, I'm a troll for quoting the news?
my karma will be here long after I'm gone
"You're a really bad troll. Try harder."
Those are direct quotes from the article, I'm a troll for quoting the news?
my karma will be here long after I'm gone
"do you really think that 150 million made a difference to a company that had billions in the bank?"
They didn't have "billions" in the bank at the time, and according to the news $150 million kept Apple from going out of business or being bought out.
How come I'm the one quoting news articles with all this proof and I'm the Troll and you state your opinion and you're marked as Interesting?
my karma will be here long after I'm gone