Currently, the race to the bottom hasn't done well for PCs, creating shovelware minefields and overall bad user experiences.
Enough with the race to the bottom. That is called capitalism, and on the whole it worked. I have a cheap great PC, and I use Linux. Lets be honest even Apple computers are awfully similar. To be fair very little goes wrong with computers, apart from the OS. Even dirt cheap OEM machines just work.
Microsoft takes all the profit, but without them taking chances they deserve everything they get.
Sitting alongside all those Microsoft shills who have been forced to endure years of, having Apple and Android dominate the news with compelling interesting devices. Iproclame like mr First Poster this is the greatest news ever!!! Finally Microsoft have finally stepped up to take on the opposition, by promptly stabbing its OEM [and other] partners in the front...AGAIN:)
I'm astonishing after the launch of surface plans of "Super Ninja" devices using new input methods, or reinventing old ones, or hell putting Linux/Meego/Other on it and offering real support. Anything other than being Microsoft Bitch [and the world knowing it]. They need to show Microsoft that Hardware and differentiating themselves from the opposition is what is important. Steve Jobs proved that at least.
Now they didn't wake up from the launch of Microsoft's Surface...so Steve Baby is going to give it to those OEM partners a little harder!!! Colour Me surprised. They have to break soon...you can only watch Microsoft [with Steves sweaty face] take your slither of hardware margin, while they roll around on a bed of money from new Crazy OS prices, and high margin immature market money.
Anyone remember those old MS keyboards and joysticks? They were and are always quality hardware, so I'm happy with these news. Another great hardware manufacturer is Nokia, who are partnering too.
Anyone else think that that there is a massive difference between a keyboard and fully functioning computer device! I think the Xbox 360 is any measure of quality thinks are going to go badly!
Interestingly Nokia used to be a great Manufacturer in Finland[even had a meme], is now outsourcing everything to China....at least Microsoft and Nokia got to create third party patent troll!
One point it brings up, which I mentioned before on slashdot is how ridiculous the 16:9 ratio is and how tall it makes the surface, which is quite impractical as a tablet in both landscape and portraits mode.
What is widely interesting about this comment, is my Phone;Tablet;TV; Monitor are all 16:9 and regardless of whether I use them in portrait or landscape [or both]. Its a better ratio than my legacy 4:3 technology they replaced...my last Phone; Tablet; TV; Monitor. In fact modern media is designed for that aspect ratio....oh you have an iPad...sorry.
everybody knows that the ruling was politically motivated bullshit. Squeeze the american company for a few billion pesos.
You are aware that the economy of the European Union generates a GDP of over €12.629 trillion (US$17.578 trillion in 2011)...and they were guilty as sin.
What is the logic from their perspective? Why even bother with this fight anymore. What do they get out of it?
I as an individual do not get to break the rules and flaunt the punishment. Yet you are saying Microsoft should. Even though Microsoft crippled competition and the Internet for years!
All that todays more vibrant choices of browsers has shown. Is the need to protect competition and with it innovation against abuse monopolies.
lets see!!! Things it can't do! 1) Play Flash on unapproved sites 2) Run Current Windows Programs 3) Run Programs not Installed from the Windows Store 4) Choose Apps from large selection 5) Run Microsoft Programs like Outlook!! 6) Run None Microsoft Apps in Desktop Mode
...but not like Android, and that is kind of the point. Apple can get away with its closed nature, because it has first mover advantage, a fanatical fanbase, locked down customers and a perceived premium product. Android its main competitor competes on price; standards and openness. Where does a late entry with a closed OS fit into the equation!!
Microsoft don't bother too much in losing this round with windows 8 in the tablets market, they know that is an uphill battle. They are betting in the windows 9
You must be confusing today's Microsoft from 90's. Microsoft is terrified of not being part of Mobile, and has crippled its desktop experience to push its tablet one [whatever you think of that]. Microsoft has always been able to outlast;pay off;bribe its competitors by having Gazillions in cash. You may not have noticed who its competitors are in the tablet market Apple and Google who make Gazillions themselves, and they are incredibly successful!
Like you though I have already given up on this version of Windows being a success on the tablet.
The event is freaking TOMORROW. What's the point in posting an article today that speculates what the price of the iPad Mini might be? We'll actually know tomorrow - no speculation involved!
Because its really interesting, The IPad Mini price point is interesting because this quarter is incredibly exciting, with Apple forced to bring out a Tweener tablet that will cannibalise its both high margin iPad and iPod touch, at the same time trying to stave of competition from Androids successful 7" ranges from Amazon and Google. That is ignoring the other side of the equation where a successful launch of Nexus 10 or Surface or both could put a real dent in Apple High end High Margin profit.
We know that Surface will be priced at the full size iPad, and we know that the Nexus will be offering more storage for the same price. The only other unknown is the Nexus 10 price if it exists at all.
. More likely it will be the same price as the iPad 3 (starting at $499)
Why would you think that they wouldn't price the device cheaper than the iPad. I can only imagine the Google pricing for a market share grab. Its what they did for the NEXUS 7 why would they change strategies from a successful one to an unsuccessful one.
VAT does not work like you think it does. Businesses do not Pay VAT.
Sorry pal, but that's not how VAT works.
There is input VAT and output VAT.
Businesses do pay VAT, except for later they "cancel" it thanks to the input/output VAT compensation.
But that's only if input VAT and output VAT are at the same percentage. If you are paid 3% VAT by Amazon but you have to pay 20% VAT to IRS, then you are in trouble. That's exactly what publishers are complaining about.
I'm not your PAL. Your absolutely right that that there is "output vat" and "input vat", the business gives the *difference* to the government. The Final Customer Pays ALL the VAT!!! The other businesses just collect chunks of it along the way:) hence the *Added* bit. VAT does not work like you think it does.
The Publishers are complaining they are getting a smaller piece of the pie after discounts have been negotiated, as they are worked out on 120% of the net price not 103% of the net price. Try the maths yourself. Again neither the publishers nor Amazon pay a bean in VAT. Its about dividing the net cost!!
Isn't it fraud to charge somebody for a tax then not pay the money to the government? This is true whether they really owe 20% and pay 3% or owe 3% and lie to customers they need to collect 20%.
...but that is not what is happening. Its also not what this article is about. Its incredibly confusing its about the starting price for discount negotiations, neither Amazon or the Publishers pay VAT.
Small companies are generally not VAT-registered, and therefore have to pay the tax.
But in general you are correct; businesses on the whole avoid paying VAT even when they provide no discernable "value addition" to the product or service. Perhaps if each intermediate business had to pay 1% VAT we'd see a reduction on the number of middlemen and shell companies.
No Small companies are almost always VAT registered, you have to have a turnover of less than £77,000 which excludes all but sole-traders, and even then they have a tendency to be vat registered if they do work for businesses.
Your assertion that phones are merely jewelry could only be true if people use their phones for no purpose other than decoration.
I never said that a phone is just for decoration, My Nike trainers still protect my feel from harm, My Lee Jeans protect my modesty, my Superdry T-shirt keeps me warm. I am still a brand whore!
This is not only a problem for publishers (which pay 20% instead of 3%) but also for the equivalents of the IRS. Amazon is paying a lot less taxes than it should in other countries by leveraging that extra 17% in two ways: benefits, and gaming the input/output VAT.
No that is not what is happening the Publishers pay Nothing; Zero; Zilch; Nada; Nothing. Amazon also pay Nothing; Zero; Zilch; Nada; Nothing. The *Final* customer pays the standard rate which is 20% in the UK and the Government gets it ALL.
VAT does not work like you think it does. Businesses do not Pay VAT.
Thankfully, it is axiomatic that Stallman Is An Extremist,
DRM is bad http://www.defectivebydesign.org/ "Digital Restrictions Management is technology that controls what you can do with the digital media and devices you own. When a program doesn't let you share a song, read an ebook on another device, or play a game without an internet connection, you are being restricted by DRM." most users would argue wanting to do those things isn't extreme.
This is purely about dodgy maths. Amazon make deals on percentage of Gross Price with the publishers the UK full retail price of the book [net price+20%vat], not on the net price + [Vat in Luxenbourg] 3%. where publishers would get a slightly larger piece of pie . Neither Amazon or the Publishers pay a penny in tax so I fail to see why this is an issue. A better argument would be to standardise of Amazon taking a percentage of the net price as opposed to gross price, but all this should not matter, its really whatever they have negotiated between themselves.
This is a ridiculous Anti-Amazon article, I suspect to distract from the disgusting behaviour that Apple and 5 Publishers are involved in
in a written response reiterated the government's position "Under EU law, VAT on electronic books must be charged at the standard rate. A reduced rate cannot be applied to digital or electronic supplies, or supplies of text via the internet, as they are classed as supplies of services rather than physical goods. There is therefore no scope in the principal VAT directive to apply a reduced rate on e-books."
Star Trek? I get that. It's campy, but you can have fun with that.
The Misfits... pffft... What I want to know is, what planet are Nickleback fans from? Go to the Nickleback Facebook page and see which of your "friends" actually clicked on the Like button - it is very highly correlated with the douche-bags on your Friends list.
The irony of your comment its the same elitist crap as is make out in the article...and you fell for it. Seriously in today's world Nickleback come across as talented musicians. Why would ANYONE hate them unless they were told to. I don't own or like their music, but I recognise that I am repeatedly told that I should dislike them. The sad fact is I see more people with posts like yours than "I saw this really great band you should check them out" and there is outside the charts an awful lot of talent.
Can we agree that anybody who experiences "public shame and humiliation" about their cell phone should be reassigned to some ghastly corner of nowhere where they can feel 'public shame and humiliation' over how many goats they own? And, of course, anybody inflicting public shame and humiliation over cellphones should be reassigned to be one of the goats in said ghastly corner of the world?
Or we could say. Not every problem should not be compared to poor survival rates of infants in the third world, or the lack of clean water. In fact I'm a little tired of this tasteless pop comment appearing everywhere.
Slashdot Mirror
Currently, the race to the bottom hasn't done well for PCs, creating shovelware minefields and overall bad user experiences.
Enough with the race to the bottom. That is called capitalism, and on the whole it worked. I have a cheap great PC, and I use Linux. Lets be honest even Apple computers are awfully similar. To be fair very little goes wrong with computers, apart from the OS. Even dirt cheap OEM machines just work.
Microsoft takes all the profit, but without them taking chances they deserve everything they get.
Sitting alongside all those Microsoft shills who have been forced to endure years of, having Apple and Android dominate the news with compelling interesting devices. Iproclame like mr First Poster this is the greatest news ever!!! Finally Microsoft have finally stepped up to take on the opposition, by promptly stabbing its OEM [and other] partners in the front...AGAIN :)
I'm astonishing after the launch of surface plans of "Super Ninja" devices using new input methods, or reinventing old ones, or hell putting Linux/Meego/Other on it and offering real support. Anything other than being Microsoft Bitch [and the world knowing it]. They need to show Microsoft that Hardware and differentiating themselves from the opposition is what is important. Steve Jobs proved that at least.
Now they didn't wake up from the launch of Microsoft's Surface ...so Steve Baby is going to give it to those OEM partners a little harder!!! Colour Me surprised. They have to break soon...you can only watch Microsoft [with Steves sweaty face] take your slither of hardware margin, while they roll around on a bed of money from new Crazy OS prices, and high margin immature market money.
God Bless Computing.
Anyone remember those old MS keyboards and joysticks? They were and are always quality hardware, so I'm happy with these news. Another great hardware manufacturer is Nokia, who are partnering too.
Anyone else think that that there is a massive difference between a keyboard and fully functioning computer device! I think the Xbox 360 is any measure of quality thinks are going to go badly!
Interestingly Nokia used to be a great Manufacturer in Finland[even had a meme], is now outsourcing everything to China. ...at least Microsoft and Nokia got to create third party patent troll!
One point it brings up, which I mentioned before on slashdot is how ridiculous the 16:9 ratio is and how tall it makes the surface, which is quite impractical as a tablet in both landscape and portraits mode.
What is widely interesting about this comment, is my Phone;Tablet;TV; Monitor are all 16:9 and regardless of whether I use them in portrait or landscape [or both]. Its a better ratio than my legacy 4:3 technology they replaced...my last Phone; Tablet; TV; Monitor. In fact modern media is designed for that aspect ratio. ...oh you have an iPad...sorry.
everybody knows that the ruling was politically motivated bullshit. Squeeze the american company for a few billion pesos.
You are aware that the economy of the European Union generates a GDP of over €12.629 trillion (US$17.578 trillion in 2011) ...and they were guilty as sin.
What is the logic from their perspective? Why even bother with this fight anymore. What do they get out of it?
I as an individual do not get to break the rules and flaunt the punishment. Yet you are saying Microsoft should. Even though Microsoft crippled competition and the Internet for years!
All that todays more vibrant choices of browsers has shown. Is the need to protect competition and with it innovation against abuse monopolies.
there isn't much it can't do out of the box.
lets see!!! Things it can't do!
1) Play Flash on unapproved sites
2) Run Current Windows Programs
3) Run Programs not Installed from the Windows Store
4) Choose Apps from large selection
5) Run Microsoft Programs like Outlook!!
6) Run None Microsoft Apps in Desktop Mode
Oh and 7) Replace the OS
I have yet to see anyone install a decent OS on an Android.
I'm not sure what you mean.
This!
http://techie-buzz.com/mobile-news/meego-unofficial-rom.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ubuntu_for_Android
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Firefox_OS
So firefoxOS; Ubuntu and Meego, and obviously other variations of itself.
but that is not really what my post meant!
What is such a pity about this is that it really doesn't matter how good this is, how bad the iPad is, how boring the Android is
There is nothing there that is true!
Just like on the iPad
...but not like Android, and that is kind of the point. Apple can get away with its closed nature, because it has first mover advantage, a fanatical fanbase, locked down customers and a perceived premium product. Android its main competitor competes on price; standards and openness. Where does a late entry with a closed OS fit into the equation!!
Microsoft don't bother too much in losing this round with windows 8 in the tablets market, they know that is an uphill battle.
They are betting in the windows 9
You must be confusing today's Microsoft from 90's. Microsoft is terrified of not being part of Mobile, and has crippled its desktop experience to push its tablet one [whatever you think of that]. Microsoft has always been able to outlast;pay off;bribe its competitors by having Gazillions in cash. You may not have noticed who its competitors are in the tablet market Apple and Google who make Gazillions themselves, and they are incredibly successful!
Like you though I have already given up on this version of Windows being a success on the tablet.
Windows RT comes with MS office. It is already included.
No it comes with a crippled Office experience. http://blogs.office.com/b/office-news/archive/2012/10/23/office-for-windows-rt.aspx "Student 2013 RT provides a complete Office experience and includes Word, Excel, PowerPoint and OneNote."
The event is freaking TOMORROW. What's the point in posting an article today that speculates what the price of the iPad Mini might be? We'll actually know tomorrow - no speculation involved!
Because its really interesting, The IPad Mini price point is interesting because this quarter is incredibly exciting, with Apple forced to bring out a Tweener tablet that will cannibalise its both high margin iPad and iPod touch, at the same time trying to stave of competition from Androids successful 7" ranges from Amazon and Google. That is ignoring the other side of the equation where a successful launch of Nexus 10 or Surface or both could put a real dent in Apple High end High Margin profit.
We know that Surface will be priced at the full size iPad, and we know that the Nexus will be offering more storage for the same price. The only other unknown is the Nexus 10 price if it exists at all.
. More likely it will be the same price as the iPad 3 (starting at $499)
Why would you think that they wouldn't price the device cheaper than the iPad. I can only imagine the Google pricing for a market share grab. Its what they did for the NEXUS 7 why would they change strategies from a successful one to an unsuccessful one.
VAT does not work like you think it does. Businesses do not Pay VAT.
Sorry pal, but that's not how VAT works.
There is input VAT and output VAT.
Businesses do pay VAT, except for later they "cancel" it thanks to the input/output VAT compensation.
But that's only if input VAT and output VAT are at the same percentage. If you are paid 3% VAT by Amazon but you have to pay 20% VAT to IRS, then you are in trouble. That's exactly what publishers are complaining about.
I'm not your PAL. Your absolutely right that that there is "output vat" and "input vat", the business gives the *difference* to the government. The Final Customer Pays ALL the VAT!!! The other businesses just collect chunks of it along the way :) hence the *Added* bit. VAT does not work like you think it does.
The Publishers are complaining they are getting a smaller piece of the pie after discounts have been negotiated, as they are worked out on 120% of the net price not 103% of the net price. Try the maths yourself. Again neither the publishers nor Amazon pay a bean in VAT. Its about dividing the net cost!!
Isn't it fraud to charge somebody for a tax then not pay the money to the government? This is true whether they really owe 20% and pay 3% or owe 3% and lie to customers they need to collect 20%.
...but that is not what is happening. Its also not what this article is about. Its incredibly confusing its about the starting price for discount negotiations, neither Amazon or the Publishers pay VAT.
Small companies are generally not VAT-registered, and therefore have to pay the tax.
But in general you are correct; businesses on the whole avoid paying VAT even when they provide no discernable "value addition" to the product or service. Perhaps if each intermediate business had to pay 1% VAT we'd see a reduction on the number of middlemen and shell companies.
No Small companies are almost always VAT registered, you have to have a turnover of less than £77,000 which excludes all but sole-traders, and even then they have a tendency to be vat registered if they do work for businesses.
http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/vat/start/register/when-to-register.htm
Your assertion that phones are merely jewelry could only be true if people use their phones for no purpose other than decoration.
I never said that a phone is just for decoration, My Nike trainers still protect my feel from harm, My Lee Jeans protect my modesty, my Superdry T-shirt keeps me warm. I am still a brand whore!
This is not only a problem for publishers (which pay 20% instead of 3%) but also for the equivalents of the IRS. Amazon is paying a lot less taxes than it should in other countries by leveraging that extra 17% in two ways: benefits, and gaming the input/output VAT.
No that is not what is happening the Publishers pay Nothing; Zero; Zilch; Nada; Nothing. Amazon also pay Nothing; Zero; Zilch; Nada; Nothing. The *Final* customer pays the standard rate which is 20% in the UK and the Government gets it ALL.
VAT does not work like you think it does. Businesses do not Pay VAT.
Thankfully, it is axiomatic that Stallman Is An Extremist,
DRM is bad http://www.defectivebydesign.org/ "Digital Restrictions Management is technology that controls what you can do with the digital media and devices you own. When a program doesn't let you share a song, read an ebook on another device, or play a game without an internet connection, you are being restricted by DRM." most users would argue wanting to do those things isn't extreme.
Having been totally baffled by the summery. Which is incredibly confusing. Nothing has changed, VAT works like it always does the final customer pays it ALL thats the books buyer paying 20% http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/help/customer/display.html?nodeId=502578.
This is purely about dodgy maths. Amazon make deals on percentage of Gross Price with the publishers the UK full retail price of the book [net price+20%vat], not on the net price + [Vat in Luxenbourg] 3%. where publishers would get a slightly larger piece of pie . Neither Amazon or the Publishers pay a penny in tax so I fail to see why this is an issue. A better argument would be to standardise of Amazon taking a percentage of the net price as opposed to gross price, but all this should not matter, its really whatever they have negotiated between themselves.
This is a ridiculous Anti-Amazon article, I suspect to distract from the disgusting behaviour that Apple and 5 Publishers are involved in
The better question is why are ebooks subjected to VAT in the first place when printed books are not.
http://www.thebookseller.com/news/uk-government-holds-firm-e-book-vat.html
in a written response reiterated the government's position "Under EU law, VAT on electronic books must be charged at the standard rate. A reduced rate cannot be applied to digital or electronic supplies, or supplies of text via the internet, as they are classed as supplies of services rather than physical goods. There is therefore no scope in the principal VAT directive to apply a reduced rate on e-books."
Star Trek? I get that. It's campy, but you can have fun with that.
The Misfits... pffft... What I want to know is, what planet are Nickleback fans from? Go to the Nickleback Facebook page and see which of your "friends" actually clicked on the Like button - it is very highly correlated with the douche-bags on your Friends list.
The irony of your comment its the same elitist crap as is make out in the article...and you fell for it. Seriously in today's world Nickleback come across as talented musicians. Why would ANYONE hate them unless they were told to. I don't own or like their music, but I recognise that I am repeatedly told that I should dislike them. The sad fact is I see more people with posts like yours than "I saw this really great band you should check them out" and there is outside the charts an awful lot of talent.
Microsoft's position happens to include a pretty strong desktop PC business, I'm pretty sure their position is better then RIM's right now.
You do know this Article is about about Phones...and Coolness. I think your post is more off-topic than I have ever seen one.
Can we agree that anybody who experiences "public shame and humiliation" about their cell phone should be reassigned to some ghastly corner of nowhere where they can feel 'public shame and humiliation' over how many goats they own? And, of course, anybody inflicting public shame and humiliation over cellphones should be reassigned to be one of the goats in said ghastly corner of the world?
Or we could say. Not every problem should not be compared to poor survival rates of infants in the third world, or the lack of clean water. In fact I'm a little tired of this tasteless pop comment appearing everywhere.