[DaSorcerer7]

Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer says his company plans to turn up the heat on Apple by competing in all areas of technological innovation.

The executive told CRN: "We are trying to make absolutely clear we are not going to leave any space uncovered to Apple.
"We have our advantages in productivity. We have our advantages in terms of enterprise management, manageability. We have got our advantages in terms of when you plug into server infrastructure in the enterprise.

"But we are not going to let any piece of this [go uncontested to Apple]. Not the consumer cloud. Not hardware software innovation. We are not leaving any of that to Apple by itself. Not going to happen. Not on our watch."

Ballmer also wouldn't rule out the possibility of launching a new smartphone to compete with iPhone, although he said the company's hardware focus was currently on its Surface tablet.

"Look, we'll see what happens. We have good partners with Nokia, HTC in the phone space. I love what we've got going on with the Surface. We are going to focus on Surface and our other Windows 8 Tablet partners and see if we can go make something happen."

While it's not yet clear how, Xbox executive Don Mattrick revealed this week that that Halo 4 will work with Microsoft's Surface Tablet in some form.

link

[wiggleb0t]

How's Zune doing? Is it keeping up a fight with ipods?

[Orin GA]

Wrong forum?

[GarthVaderUK]

This might be more suited to Off Topic.

The last sentence was covered here: http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=481964

and is likely this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0JnradaFNBo

[Woffls]

Can I have a 160GB Zune please, Microsoft?

[glaurung]

What stones?

This sounds like they intend to dig into someone's past and find out whether Wozniak got a handjob from a Nepalese hooker or something.

Oh Microsoft, you so angry.

[Prophet Steve]

It doesn't help that they turn those stones years too late.

[Alvarius]

Microsoft for the past decade:

[entrement]

It's funny how MS barely mentioned Apple in their glory years and Balmer also laughed at the iPhone. How times have changed

[REMEMBER CITADEL]

It's funny how MS barely mentioned Apple in their glory years and Balmer also laughed at the iPhone. How times have changed

Well, they did do this. It is funny, though.

[Conor 419]

Good luck with that MS.

[qwerty2k]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oLUSn...eature=related :D

[Gamecocks625]

Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer says his company plans to turn up the heat on Apple by competing in all areas of technological innovation. "Look, we'll see what happens. We have good partners with Nokia, HTC in the phone space. I love what we've got going on with the Surface. We are going to focus on Surface and our other Windows 8 Tablet partners and see if we can go make something happen."

this sure does sound awfully familiar to his response to the iPhone.

[spiderman123]

I think MS is doing a pretty good job so far. Kinect, Xbox, Smartglass, Win7 phone, Surface and hopefully Win8 will be good.

[xbhaskarx]

How's Zune doing? Is it keeping up a fight with ipods?

My Zune is doing just fine and I still use it far more than my iPod, thanks for asking.

[everthustodeadbeats]

Gave up on Microsoft innovating anywhere when their innovation to the first generation Zune was just increasing the storage.

Cowon was a better place to go than Zune.

Besides, they shouldn't be trying to follow Apple in a sloppy seconds race, they should be making their own products and creating their own markets. Frankly, they need to fire Ballmer. This is a meaningless call to arms and what exactly has he been doing all this time to prove that he can manage innovation anyway?

[Half and half]

Sounds good. But if the Surface's interface design doesn't match up to the iPad's, then it's DOA.

[Ardenyal]

Kin makes a come back.

[Dynamite Shikoku]

He should laugh more at apple products

[MrHicks]

funny how MS is now the underdog and apple the evil all consuming empire

[glaurung]

Kin makes a come back.

Courier makes a comeback.

[tino]

I compare this to the RIMM CEO's "Turn off the camera. This interview is over" moment.

[entrement]

funny how MS is now the underdog and apple the evil all consuming empire

Not even close.

Underdog? LOL.

They want to make inroads in CE and mobile computing, but they are dominant in the PC space.

[MrHicks]

Not even close. Underdog? LOL. They want to make inroads in CE and mobile computing, but they are dominant in the PC space.

underdog as in apple is the bigger company now
market cap + profits and all that shit

for once MS can't simply "out money" its competitor

[Gonky]

I compare this to the RIMM CEO's "Turn off the camera. This interview is over" moment.

Please elaborate.

[nubbe]

MS is an underdog on all new and emerging markets

They have enterprise and home PC

[StoppedInTracks]

Kin, Zune, Courier...

I guess if you have infinite pockets like MS has you can fund huge bombs one after another.

MS can keep trying again and again and waiting for that jackpot.

[glaurung]

Please elaborate.

Watch this: http://youtu.be/Q6iGe7vuGeQ

[wwm0nkey]

Zune was an amazing device but Microsoft didn't even bother to market the damn thing. The Zune HD is still one of the best purchases I have ever made.

[GaimeGuy]

It's funny how MS barely mentioned Apple in their glory years and Balmer also laughed at the iPhone. How times have changed

Everyone laughed at the iPod, and the iPhone and iPad succeeded off the strength of the iPod/Apple brand, initially, at least.

[godelsmetric]

Kin, Zune, Courier... I guess if you have infinite pockets like MS has you can fund huge bombs one after another. MS can keep trying again and again and waiting for that jackpot.

Just like Sony, right?

[shinobi602]

Good luck with that MS.

If there's anyone that can do it, it's Microsoft.

[Greyface]

Where's the 7" Windows RT/8 Tablet then? Typical Microsoft; always skating to where the puck was

[teruterubozu]

Everyone laughed at the iPod, and the iPhone and iPad succeeded off the strength of the iPod/Apple brand, initially, at least.

Perhaps Microsoft meant no "stoners" unturned.

[Bay Maximus]

I love to see this type of competition because in the end, the consumer usually wins. Nothing like multiple corporations fighting for your dollar.

How's Zune doing? Is it keeping up a fight with ipods?

Cold blooded.

[Sir Fragula]

Zune was an amazing device but Microsoft didn't even bother to market the damn thing. The Zune HD is still one of the best purchases I have ever made.

Years after it's discontinuation I think you'd be hard pressed to find a music device better than the Zune HD.

[StoppedInTracks]

Just like Sony, right?

Honestly? I think Sony just doesn't give a fuck. I can't even name their last successful phone. Xperia something I guess. Sony agreed with Apple being the King. MS can't stand it.

[grimshawish]

You have to be careful. Companies getting obsessed with a competitive can be a very bad thing. Stops them looking for new markets elsewhere or just bettering themselves.

Honestly? I think Sony just doesn't give a fuck. I can't even name their last successful phone. Xperia something I guess. Sony agreed with Apple being the King. MS can't stand it.

What a ridiculous statement [pretty sure Apple aren't top anyway with phones] - so Sony don't care? God, that billions in debt company needs to start paying attention!

[everthustodeadbeats]

Years after it's discontinuation I think you'd be hard pressed to find a music device better than the Zune HD.

Almost anything that can play Spotify is a better music device.

Times change. New features are required. Microsoft never keeps up.

[JaggedSac]

Almost anything that can play Spotify is a better music device.

Zune Pass + ZuneHD is music heaven.

[Cheebo]

If there's anyone that can do it, it's Microsoft.

You mean Google right? Microsoft is a dinosaur. A joke compared to the far more nimble and ahead of the curve companies like Apple and Google. And Amazon too really.

Microsoft needs to fire Steve Ballmer to stand a chance. MS is expected next week to announce their first quarterly loss in the company's history next week, there might be some pressure after that.

[Secret Fawful]

The Zune is a sleek sexy suave little beast. This reminds me that I really should break mine out and start adding to it again.

[Steelrain]

Good for consumers! Maybe it will get Apple to stop selling people the same thing every year.

[JaggedSac]

Microsoft needs to fire Steve Ballmer to stand a chance. MS is expected next week to announce their first quarterly loss in the company's history next week, there might be some pressure after that.

MS has made some stupid purchases, this is one biting them in the ass.

[Mecha_Infantry]

Good for consumers! Maybe it will get Apple to stop selling people the same thing every year.

It's comments like these that make me think that threads relating to Apple bring out the biggest idiotic comments

[tino]

Where's the 7" Windows RT/8 Tablet then? Typical Microsoft; always skating to where the puck was

Really good question. MS finally relexed the draconian wp hardware restriction but they still want to "communist committee" any third party RT tablet. i have yet hear any explanation from MS why all windows tablets need to be 10 inch.

And 16X9, which is a worse hardware decision than 10".

[tokkun]

How's Zune doing? Is it keeping up a fight with ipods?

Dedicated PMPs is not an "area of innovation" anymore. Look at the last iPod Touch, it was identical to the previous generation. The innovation in that area is going on in mobile phones, which is - not coincidentally - where the Zune interface ended up.

[JaggedSac]

Really good question. MS finally relexed the draconian wp hardware restriction but they still want to "communist committee" any third party RT tablet. i have yet hear any explanation from MS why all windows tablets need to be 10 inch. And 16X9, which is a worse hardware decision than 10".

I don't think 10" is a requirement of Windows RT hardware. Only a resolution requirement as far as I know.

[injurai]

Microsoft Stone confirmed.

[slit]

Wow, what a difference a decade makes.