In Japan, Sony is notorious for breaking right after the warranty ends. My friends there called it the "Sony timer".
There is lots wrong with Sony...Lots but quality of their hardware is not one of them. In fact very little hardware I own breaks even the dirt cheap stuff. Its all naturally obsolete, and filling my drawers.
Maybe my memory of history is a little thin but the reason for the inclusion of Linux was like the PS2 before it http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linux_for_PlayStation_2 clasifying the PS2 as a computer to achieve tax exempt status from certain EU taxes that apply to game consoles and not computers.
The reality is though I cannot help but think that Sony as an OEM missed a massive opportunity, to release a gaming [for educational reason of course] computer, to compete with Microsoft. The irony is Sonys "Mobile Products and Communications" section is suffering due to poor PC sales [somewhat alleviated by Android phones]. Now we see Microsoft trying to take their business away with Surface.
The world has moved to mobile again, but its saturated, Their is an opportunity to *reinvent* the Desktop, as everyone else deserts my main electronic gadget. for smartphones. Sony used to know how to get all that early adopter money, its sad seeing the follow Apple with similar products failing without the Apple distortion field.
Microsoft has had a number of blunders over the last several years. In no particular order: Early Xbox red ring of doom Zune (and come on, who picked poo brown for one of the color choices?) Vista Delays with OS Delays in phone OS Netbooks flopped (not the fault of MS, but didn't help their reputation) UI of Windows 8 (too big a change I feel)
I'm sure Ballmer needs to be replaced, but from your list the irony is for the Xbox & Vista, part of their problem was they were launched too soon...In the same instance as blaming him for delaying software, and it can be argued for both of these cases respectively that it was good for Microsoft even though the products were poor.
Netbooks were intentionally crippled by Microsoft [and intel], because they made less money from them, in retrospect the hardware manufactures should have [kept] invested in Linux [or BSD etc], but Microsoft stopped that.
As for Windows 8 Its kind of the point of the article. A hybrid OS for a hybrid device. I think its poor as an OS, but as a strategy to catch in the tablet market. It maybe better.
If you look closely at the choices you have listed as failures on Ballmers behalf, behind each of them you can see a profitable choice has been made. You could argue that Ballmer should have put product quality before profits, but then Linux failed to get a foothold against Windows on the desktop, and the Xbox effectively well against the PS3.
Baller has a problem...its [New] Apple and Google.
Apple DESTROYS the rest of the industry in terms of margins, and easily dominates the PROFIT share of the industry, and Apple's sales continue to increase, just not as fast as the market.
Apple USED to make a good deal of loose change with its massive *mark-ups*, and made vast profits [there is no such thing as profit share;)], but new markets offer opportunities for companies that take advantage, and Apple has done it more than once, but this isn't that market any more. The smartphone is mature, people aren't willing to pay a premium for device with arguably worse hardware and software...and this is reflected by Android outselling Apple 5:1. Its looking to be happening even quicker with tablets:)
Apple is down to 14.9% and loosing relevance as Android grabs all the developers; customers. Pretending that Apple is relevant because its poor value to its customers is irrelevant, as will Apple be if it doesn't handle the change in markets successfully. Apple has shown to be ineffective in a mature market. In the context of this Article...Microsoft using the same techniques [even with its old monopoly advantage] as Apple will fail, for the same reason. Microsoft needed to beat Google, and their software and hardware is not up to the task.
correction: hardware manufacturers' vision of a tablet was a big, heavy, clunky devices with 3 hours of battery life.Now Microsoft is creating their own tablet, and HW manufacturers are complaining that MS is competing with them.
Correction. OEM Hardware manufactures had...and still don't have any control over Microsoft software. So when you look at the parts you missed from original post "Windows and Windows applications it needed an expensive Intel processor, RAM, storage, fans, and so on", you corrected nothing. Lets face it windows wasn't designed for ARM with a large capacitive touch screen. That is Microsoft fault...nobody else.
Now it is the fault of the hardware manufactures for being so under Microsoft's thumb. They couldn't create their own competing software, but then Microsoft is teaching them the error of their ways;)
Umm... did you see that Apple's stock price is back up after their announcement with China Telecom?
No I have seen Apples market share drop from a high of 700 to 550 in less than two months. Ironically in the context of this Article Apple have been forced out of China smartphone top 5 Yulong.
Oh come on there are plenty. Dozens of perfectly practical choices in the Linux market and OS X. So that statement is entirely false.
People have felt locked into Microsoft products, and Apple products. You have to look at the years of arguments going on why Linux is failing to gain massive market-share. The answer was always the same...Microsoft. We have seen Linux succeed in the Mobile market place because Microsoft don't have a grip in that market.
Calling Apple a viable Alternative is false. It was never in the game, and always danced to a different [and profitable] tune, but viable for the majority never.
4 million Windows 8 "upgrades" in just the first weekend - doesn't count any of the OEM or retail sales, just the online upgrade portal.
Is that a lot!?...seems like a tiny number to me considering the Desktop maketplace is 1.6Billion last time I looked. Android activates 1.3million users daily, and that's a phone OS. I don't see large queues of people like I do for say the iPhone...or like there used to be for say Windows95.
I sure there are a whole host of reasons why Ballmer should go, but they are not covered in this irrelevant Apple vs Microsoft pissing contest. Here is the thing Google is winning mobile, yet is mentioned nowhere in the article. Apple are losing there grip on mobile as we speak...the numbers quoted in the article sound impressive, but there market share is shrinking 23.1% to 14.9% for smartphones...and the iPad only occupies 50.4% of the tablet market. Its in trouble, and in context of this article its share price is dropping because of its poor results, ironically the same results quoted in the article. Microsoft do need a compelling mobile offering, but nothing in the article says anything about what is happening in the current Mobile market place.
No its just good for your agenda, although the heavy involvement of Apple without the support of a tit-for-tat license is going to major offputting for many developers. The irony of FreeBSD switching to Clang/LLVM is not lost on me. Personally the thought of a two-level development of a browser quite disturbing.
The reality is GCC still moves forward, and Clang/LLVM has a long way to catch up, perhaps if develops stopped developing Clang/LLVM for that everyone would again getter a btter browser, and everyone would be on an equal playing field.;)
but like I say I prefer a world where some do not get a better browser than others:(
Nothing has stunted the computer/software industries more than the introduction of the 8086 and the GPL.
Having lived with the the safe Duopoly of Microsoft/Apple [Years of IE6 was only part of the problem] dominate everything absolutely for so long. Other than providing a viable competitor, where commercial companies have failed to compete, and are swallowed up by these larger companies as the bundle all the profitable software I fail to see their relevance. The only effective competitor seems to have been GPL for obvious reason [its almost immune...although buying off key people and handing out free hardware doesn't hurt;)], some may argue BSD...which is a nobler licence, but its kind of ironic in this thread, having seen how Apple's adoption of BSD as a one way suck has affected the BSD distributions. In reality New Apple has admittedly been worse taking advantage of the Patent system [the new threat to computing], and its closed garden, dirty back-room deals with content suppliers...And Ballmer is creating A New Microsoft in its image whatever you thing of that. I won't mention Google...which is leading computing which has a whole lot of issues associated with it [or Facebook, Amazon etc etc]
Lets face it GPL only is...was!? a threat to the safe Duopoly; the thing that has stunted the industry as they always do, but the reality is it wasn't enough of one.
Apple has had iPhone sale growth of 58% YoY and 56% revenue growth YoY. Yeah people are totally bored of iOS. LOL.
I don't believe people are bored with iOS. It is a weak argument because Windows Phone is has few advantages and many disadvantages over iOS.
but your figures are almost worthless, revenue does not mean what you think it means. This year Google have has a massive revenue increase...they bought Motorola, but they actually lost $500Million just in that division because of Motorola . As for sales growth, Apple have actually seen a market share drop from 23% down to 14.9% in a couple of quarters apple are simply growing at a slower rate than the market, even though they are doing great financially longer term that is going to be a big problem. Finally any YOY comparisons of Apple sales figures are completely useless, as Apple has a good post-launch quarters and awful pre-launch quarters seasonal variations have less effect on the iPhone
Last I checked, sales at Apple are still increasing, year-to-year.
I generally associate a company that is increasing its revenues with "success". Perhaps your standards differ.
Absolutely they differ. Lets start Apple is losing share in the smartphone market [23% to 14.9%] and the tablet market [50.4%]. Apple is growing but slower than the opposition, and more importantly less than the market. That is a worrying trend.
As for your measure of company being large revenues as a measure of success. Apple is incredibly successful but large revenues is only part of the reason why.
Apple have a real problem, but you don't understand the issues.
No they don't. New markets replace old markets, and in this instance Smartphones replace Dumbphones. In reality iOS and Android are mature popular products pretending otherwise is understating the task Microsoft has.
Not yet and Unless Elop to really really...but he has to really try Nokia has 3 valuable assets just not a mobile phone business anymore Patents; Nokia Siemens Networks and Navteq. Now what these are worth we will probably find out when someone does buy Nokias burning corpse...its interesting to see who it is, but it will be for Billions.
The problem is not the hardware although its specifications are average at best. Its the operating system, nobody wants a Windows Phone. Windows phones market share is 2%, Androids market share is 75%
Nokia no longer sell phones with their own OS. Why do they need to continue supporting developer programs for software they no longer support?
...because they need options, because right now, windows is the burning platform. Unfortunately the goal seems to be to continue throwing good money after bad.
The bet on WP8 is far from having failed...To count Microsoft out is foolish, they have a lot of money and a lot of strategic connections in the phone world
It is true WP8 has not failed, but then as yet it unproven technology, going against Android which has captured 75% of the market and Apple 14.9%. In fact all I am seeing is the same arguments from the same fans...and yes I do mean you, that I heard with WP7...and 7.5, and where are they now 2%. The sad part is the main reason for its failure is Microsoft not only doesn't have connections in the Phone world, it upset most of Nokia's.
Its true Microsoft has lots of money, but lets face it so do Google and Apple and they also have market share, an established product, and a devoted following.
if you include iOS as an operating system, the ratio has dropped to about 2:1.
No not even close the number of Desktop PC's in the world is about 1.6Billion http://www.c-i-a.com/pr02012012.htm to pit that figure into some kind of perspective Apple only sold 26.9Million iPhones last quarter https://www.idc.com/getdoc.jsp?containerId=prUS23771812. Even Android which sells 5 times as many phones as the iphone is only expected to overtake PC's in 2016.
"MS is starting to make their own products because quite frankly, the products made by others have been mediocre at best."
What bullshit. The Lumia range had the looks, but where limited by Microsofts control over hardware...yes you read that right. It was a recipe for disaster. Single core in 2012 for WTF, but it wasn't the hardware that stopped users buying the range as the success of the N9 shows, or that hybrid symbian Chinese device shows, people just didn't want windows. I would have bought one at its heavily discounted price if it cane with stock Android.
Seriously what is Microsoft going to bring to the Mix.
Slashdot Mirror
In Japan, Sony is notorious for breaking right after the warranty ends. My friends there called it the "Sony timer".
There is lots wrong with Sony...Lots but quality of their hardware is not one of them. In fact very little hardware I own breaks even the dirt cheap stuff. Its all naturally obsolete, and filling my drawers.
Maybe my memory of history is a little thin but the reason for the inclusion of Linux was like the PS2 before it http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linux_for_PlayStation_2 clasifying the PS2 as a computer to achieve tax exempt status from certain EU taxes that apply to game consoles and not computers.
The reality is though I cannot help but think that Sony as an OEM missed a massive opportunity, to release a gaming [for educational reason of course] computer, to compete with Microsoft. The irony is Sonys "Mobile Products and Communications" section is suffering due to poor PC sales [somewhat alleviated by Android phones]. Now we see Microsoft trying to take their business away with Surface.
The world has moved to mobile again, but its saturated, Their is an opportunity to *reinvent* the Desktop, as everyone else deserts my main electronic gadget. for smartphones. Sony used to know how to get all that early adopter money, its sad seeing the follow Apple with similar products failing without the Apple distortion field.
Microsoft has had a number of blunders over the last several years. In no particular order:
Early Xbox red ring of doom
Zune (and come on, who picked poo brown for one of the color choices?)
Vista
Delays with OS
Delays in phone OS
Netbooks flopped (not the fault of MS, but didn't help their reputation)
UI of Windows 8 (too big a change I feel)
I'm sure Ballmer needs to be replaced, but from your list the irony is for the Xbox & Vista, part of their problem was they were launched too soon...In the same instance as blaming him for delaying software, and it can be argued for both of these cases respectively that it was good for Microsoft even though the products were poor.
Netbooks were intentionally crippled by Microsoft [and intel], because they made less money from them, in retrospect the hardware manufactures should have [kept] invested in Linux [or BSD etc], but Microsoft stopped that.
As for Windows 8 Its kind of the point of the article. A hybrid OS for a hybrid device. I think its poor as an OS, but as a strategy to catch in the tablet market. It maybe better.
If you look closely at the choices you have listed as failures on Ballmers behalf, behind each of them you can see a profitable choice has been made. You could argue that Ballmer should have put product quality before profits, but then Linux failed to get a foothold against Windows on the desktop, and the Xbox effectively well against the PS3.
Baller has a problem...its [New] Apple and Google.
Apple DESTROYS the rest of the industry in terms of margins, and easily dominates the PROFIT share of the industry, and Apple's sales continue to increase, just not as fast as the market.
Apple USED to make a good deal of loose change with its massive *mark-ups*, and made vast profits [there is no such thing as profit share ;)], but new markets offer opportunities for companies that take advantage, and Apple has done it more than once, but this isn't that market any more. The smartphone is mature, people aren't willing to pay a premium for device with arguably worse hardware and software...and this is reflected by Android outselling Apple 5:1. Its looking to be happening even quicker with tablets :)
Apple is down to 14.9% and loosing relevance as Android grabs all the developers; customers. Pretending that Apple is relevant because its poor value to its customers is irrelevant, as will Apple be if it doesn't handle the change in markets successfully. Apple has shown to be ineffective in a mature market. In the context of this Article...Microsoft using the same techniques [even with its old monopoly advantage] as Apple will fail, for the same reason. Microsoft needed to beat Google, and their software and hardware is not up to the task.
correction: hardware manufacturers' vision of a tablet was a big, heavy, clunky devices with 3 hours of battery life.Now Microsoft is creating their own tablet, and HW manufacturers are complaining that MS is competing with them.
Correction. OEM Hardware manufactures had...and still don't have any control over Microsoft software. So when you look at the parts you missed from original post "Windows and Windows applications it needed an expensive Intel processor, RAM, storage, fans, and so on", you corrected nothing. Lets face it windows wasn't designed for ARM with a large capacitive touch screen. That is Microsoft fault...nobody else.
Now it is the fault of the hardware manufactures for being so under Microsoft's thumb. They couldn't create their own competing software, but then Microsoft is teaching them the error of their ways ;)
I recently built a Windows PC because I knew I'd have to do it eventually for gaming
I don't think you noticed their is a revolution in gaming, and Microsoft is not part of it. Cross Platform games is where the money is.
Umm... did you see that Apple's stock price is back up after their announcement with China Telecom?
No I have seen Apples market share drop from a high of 700 to 550 in less than two months. Ironically in the context of this Article Apple have been forced out of China smartphone top 5 Yulong.
Think about it Yulong.
And most people I know are itching to ditch their iPads for a Surface device.
No they are not. People are pretty happy with their android tablets. The surface is an expensive netbook replacement.
Oh come on there are plenty. Dozens of perfectly practical choices in the Linux market and OS X. So that statement is entirely false.
People have felt locked into Microsoft products, and Apple products. You have to look at the years of arguments going on why Linux is failing to gain massive market-share. The answer was always the same...Microsoft. We have seen Linux succeed in the Mobile market place because Microsoft don't have a grip in that market.
Calling Apple a viable Alternative is false. It was never in the game, and always danced to a different [and profitable] tune, but viable for the majority never.
4 million Windows 8 "upgrades" in just the first weekend - doesn't count any of the OEM or retail sales, just the online upgrade portal.
Is that a lot!? ...seems like a tiny number to me considering the Desktop maketplace is 1.6Billion last time I looked. Android activates 1.3million users daily, and that's a phone OS. I don't see large queues of people like I do for say the iPhone...or like there used to be for say Windows95.
Lets be honest 4million isn't all that many.
I sure there are a whole host of reasons why Ballmer should go, but they are not covered in this irrelevant Apple vs Microsoft pissing contest. Here is the thing Google is winning mobile, yet is mentioned nowhere in the article. Apple are losing there grip on mobile as we speak...the numbers quoted in the article sound impressive, but there market share is shrinking 23.1% to 14.9% for smartphones...and the iPad only occupies 50.4% of the tablet market. Its in trouble, and in context of this article its share price is dropping because of its poor results, ironically the same results quoted in the article. Microsoft do need a compelling mobile offering, but nothing in the article says anything about what is happening in the current Mobile market place.
No its just good for your agenda, although the heavy involvement of Apple without the support of a tit-for-tat license is going to major offputting for many developers. The irony of FreeBSD switching to Clang/LLVM is not lost on me. Personally the thought of a two-level development of a browser quite disturbing.
The reality is GCC still moves forward, and Clang/LLVM has a long way to catch up, perhaps if develops stopped developing Clang/LLVM for that everyone would again getter a btter browser, and everyone would be on an equal playing field. ;)
but like I say I prefer a world where some do not get a better browser than others :(
Fuck you GCC! I now can ay it freely and fuck GPL for that matter!
Steve Jobs it that you ?
Nothing has stunted the computer/software industries more than the introduction of the 8086 and the GPL.
Having lived with the the safe Duopoly of Microsoft/Apple [Years of IE6 was only part of the problem] dominate everything absolutely for so long. Other than providing a viable competitor, where commercial companies have failed to compete, and are swallowed up by these larger companies as the bundle all the profitable software I fail to see their relevance. The only effective competitor seems to have been GPL for obvious reason [its almost immune...although buying off key people and handing out free hardware doesn't hurt ;)], some may argue BSD...which is a nobler licence, but its kind of ironic in this thread, having seen how Apple's adoption of BSD as a one way suck has affected the BSD distributions. In reality New Apple has admittedly been worse taking advantage of the Patent system [the new threat to computing], and its closed garden, dirty back-room deals with content suppliers...And Ballmer is creating A New Microsoft in its image whatever you thing of that. I won't mention Google...which is leading computing which has a whole lot of issues associated with it [or Facebook, Amazon etc etc]
Lets face it GPL only is...was!? a threat to the safe Duopoly; the thing that has stunted the industry as they always do, but the reality is it wasn't enough of one.
Apple has had iPhone sale growth of 58% YoY and 56% revenue growth YoY. Yeah people are totally bored of iOS. LOL.
I don't believe people are bored with iOS. It is a weak argument because Windows Phone is has few advantages and many disadvantages over iOS.
but your figures are almost worthless, revenue does not mean what you think it means. This year Google have has a massive revenue increase...they bought Motorola, but they actually lost $500Million just in that division because of Motorola . As for sales growth, Apple have actually seen a market share drop from 23% down to 14.9% in a couple of quarters apple are simply growing at a slower rate than the market, even though they are doing great financially longer term that is going to be a big problem. Finally any YOY comparisons of Apple sales figures are completely useless, as Apple has a good post-launch quarters and awful pre-launch quarters seasonal variations have less effect on the iPhone
Last I checked, sales at Apple are still increasing, year-to-year.
I generally associate a company that is increasing its revenues with "success". Perhaps your standards differ.
Absolutely they differ. Lets start Apple is losing share in the smartphone market [23% to 14.9%] and the tablet market [50.4%]. Apple is growing but slower than the opposition, and more importantly less than the market. That is a worrying trend.
As for your measure of company being large revenues as a measure of success. Apple is incredibly successful but large revenues is only part of the reason why.
Apple have a real problem, but you don't understand the issues.
The mobile space changes rapidly
No they don't. New markets replace old markets, and in this instance Smartphones replace Dumbphones. In reality iOS and Android are mature popular products pretending otherwise is understating the task Microsoft has.
Fanboi site macrumors is nowadays providing more unbiased coverage of Apple
Can I buy Nokia's burning corpse already?
Not yet and Unless Elop to really really...but he has to really try Nokia has 3 valuable assets just not a mobile phone business anymore Patents; Nokia Siemens Networks and Navteq. Now what these are worth we will probably find out when someone does buy Nokias burning corpse...its interesting to see who it is, but it will be for Billions.
It comes down to Windows Phone and iPhone. All else are amateurs
...and yet Android managed to capture 75% market share compared to Apples 14.9% [and dropping] and Windows Phone [still behind RIM and Symbian] as 2%.
I wont address all the other things wrong with your post. I just wanted to point out how far away your post is from reality.
The Nokia Lumia 920 is a very interesting phone.
The problem is not the hardware although its specifications are average at best. Its the operating system, nobody wants a Windows Phone. Windows phones market share is 2%, Androids market share is 75%
Nokia no longer sell phones with their own OS. Why do they need to continue supporting developer programs for software they no longer support?
...because they need options, because right now, windows is the burning platform. Unfortunately the goal seems to be to continue throwing good money after bad.
The bet on WP8 is far from having failed...To count Microsoft out is foolish, they have a lot of money and a lot of strategic connections in the phone world
It is true WP8 has not failed, but then as yet it unproven technology, going against Android which has captured 75% of the market and Apple 14.9%. In fact all I am seeing is the same arguments from the same fans...and yes I do mean you, that I heard with WP7...and 7.5, and where are they now 2%. The sad part is the main reason for its failure is Microsoft not only doesn't have connections in the Phone world, it upset most of Nokia's.
Its true Microsoft has lots of money, but lets face it so do Google and Apple and they also have market share, an established product, and a devoted following.
if you include iOS as an operating system, the ratio has dropped to about 2:1.
No not even close the number of Desktop PC's in the world is about 1.6Billion http://www.c-i-a.com/pr02012012.htm to pit that figure into some kind of perspective Apple only sold 26.9Million iPhones last quarter https://www.idc.com/getdoc.jsp?containerId=prUS23771812. Even Android which sells 5 times as many phones as the iphone is only expected to overtake PC's in 2016.
"MS is starting to make their own products because quite frankly, the products made by others have been mediocre at best."
What bullshit. The Lumia range had the looks, but where limited by Microsofts control over hardware...yes you read that right. It was a recipe for disaster. Single core in 2012 for WTF, but it wasn't the hardware that stopped users buying the range as the success of the N9 shows, or that hybrid symbian Chinese device shows, people just didn't want windows. I would have bought one at its heavily discounted price if it cane with stock Android.
Seriously what is Microsoft going to bring to the Mix.