Wow. Did not expect this, but I'm not surprised. I think their main problem was that all the ad showed the cheap, stubby KIN with the tiny screen. People didn't realize that there was a bigger, more useful version.
"Almost everything you do is uploaded..." How does this appeal to anyone? The ad makes it sound like all your personal information is just uploaded to the internet for fun.
I'm glad there will be no more stupid ads for shows from ?uestlove. Who the f&%k is ?uestlove? The guy doesn't even have a web site, just a Myspace and Twitter account! Notice how Apple gets real artists for their ads, and that just about every song from an iPod commercial was reasonably popular, especially after the ad played.
I hate U2, but come on, at least Apple got somebody that people have heard of.
I mean when that ad was on, I was just like "no, I don't want to use this stupid stubby phone because I would rather not see an impromptu show by ?uestlove because there will be so many stupid hipsters with their stupid phones there."
150+ million Windows 7 licenses, god knows how many copies of Office and revenue and profits way ahead of Apple.
Things are certainly changing perhaps, but with Microsoft rolling in money with Windows + Office sales and not really making a killing in any other markets one could make an argument that things haven't changed that much yet.
What has changed is the image of Microsoft as a company. Microsoft used to bridge the gap as a consumer friendly, yet business savvy company. Now, MS is only pretty much thought of as a enterprise company. Windows 7 is great on desktops and servers, but is no match for OS X on a laptop. From the trackpad to expose to window resizing to spaces, os x simply offers a better experience on a portable device.
Comparing the very refined ios to the unreleased, still in it's infancy, windows 7 mobile isn't even possible.
No matter how much money MS makes on enterprise software, and no matter how good that enterprise software is, MS' future is dim as they don't appeal to consumers anymore. Business update there OSonce a decade, consers do it every other year.
Plus eventually, our kids will be running businesses, and unlike us who remember ms from the glory years, they won't, but they'll sure as hell know and trust google. Hmm, I wonder who is netter setup for enterprise in the cloud? The company that is synonymous with the Internet, orvthe one that everyone remembers losing cloud data?
It's not over for MS, not by a long shot. But other than the 360, MS isn't prepared for future growth.
Typical Microsoft fashion. Take (buy) a potentially good company and run it into the ground. I think Microsoft spends more time and money coming up with a spin of marketing speak to make it sound like they were not in fact bumbling idiots running around with their head cut off.
If M$ keeps this up, they will be the ones that will truly be doomed...
They aren't a good PR company either. They didn't do much marketing until Vista came around.
Quote:
Originally Posted by applestockholder
MS makes money despite Steve Balmer and he is a cofounder, both of which makes it difficult to unseat him as CEO.
Any decent company (actually the Board) would recognize the failures in SB's type leadership and act accordingly. Without changing course, MS will do very poorly.
At some point in the not so distant future, MSFT will probably be a good investment; as a short sale.
Balmer wasn't a cofounder, though he seems to be a close buddy of Gates.
Quote:
Originally Posted by bigdaddyguido
No matter how much money MS makes on enterprise software, and no matter how good that enterprise software is, MS' future is dim as they don't appeal to consumers anymore. Business update there OSonce a decade, consers do it every other year.
Some consumers upgrade their computers every other year (some even every year), but last I saw the average, it was roughly every four years. However, your point may still be valid. When you own the market, it instills a certain level of complacency, and don't have much room for growth unless you branch out, and Microsoft's efforts at branching out has been a lot more misses than hits. XBox 360 seems to be the one thing outside of the Windows/Office standby that has legs on it.
Interesting that Verizon is cited as contributing to the demise of the Kins with their data and voice service prices. Either Microsoft is a lousy negotiator these days, or Verizon might not be the savior from AT&T everyone seems to think...
500 phones?! Thats unbelievably bad. I'd love to verify that number. One of the girls in the Kin tv ads was really cute. But 500 phones total, over 48 days?? You would think they'd be able to pull off better numbers just based on grandparents buying random junk for their grand kids they don't really want. "i want and iphone and got a kin " type stuff. 500?!?!
Agreed -- it would be great to see some verification on that number because if true, it would be extraordinarily bad. People still make fun of Apple over the Cube, but I bet Apple sold more than 500 of them! And I also agree that this is clear evidence that Balmer should be fired.
By the way, I love the totally non sequitur comment about the cute girl in the ad...
Any other new mobile product would have to stand on its own legs in the eyes of the investors, but Microsoft is the epitome of 'more money than they know what to do with'. Literally.
I hope at some point the rest of the world recognizes this and backs MS into their Windows/Office corner. You don't see IBM producing phones, or Oracle, or any other number of software giants (Google excepted, but their long-term future isn't assured, despite Android's immediate appeal to pent-up nerd demand). But for some reason Microsoft thinks they can be a jack of all trades, and their 'Windows Everywhere' mantra is the only prism they can see out of.
(People always bring up the Xbox as some sort of counter-example. One could argue that any product can ultimately be rationalized as 'successful' if you are willing to throw enough money at it. See above.)
Things like this make me really appreciate Steve Jobs' genius.
Huge, rich companies often fail trying to glom on to some passing fad by snatching up some little company and trying to bolt it onto their giant corporation. M$ fails at this time and again, and Google is beginning to follow in their footsteps.
Steve's guidance of Apple is much more reasoned and logical, so the acquisitions make sense now (PA Semi), or often they pay off in the long run (what's up with Lala?)
When you own the market, it instills a certain level of complacency, and don't have much room for growth unless you branch out, and Microsoft's efforts at branching out has been a lot more misses than hits. XBox 360 seems to be the one thing outside of the Windows/Office standby that has legs on it.
I think you underestimate the Windows 7 groundswell. In many ways it matches and even in some areas exceeds OS X in its appeal. The last part doesn't apply to the committed Mac user naturally, but that segment is tiny compared to the great 'unwashed'.
Windows 7 is most definitely their best performing OS and it's early days yet. 150 million copies since the October launch is pretty spectacular. And much of that is consumer level uptake. If anything, the corporate IT world has been cautious given Vista's lackluster approval rate.
Assuming (admittedly an assumption) that the consumer sector continues at this pace for a while and that the enterprise increases it uptake (highly likely), their growth doesn't seem that unrealistic.
Probably where the greatest growth will come though, will be their entry into the third world arena where subsets of their OS will be provided at peppercorn prices to power super-cheap PCs for those who have no chance of aspiring to an Apple class computer. That's an enormous untapped market and Intel is already looking there.
Microsoft may be bloodied, but I don't think you can count them out yet.
They aren't a good PR company either. They didn't do much marketing until Vista came around.
I agree with you but remember the Windows 95 marketing blitz, XP release, Seinfeld ads? The Windows 95 marketing campaign was nothing short of overwhelming. They seem to push it in spurts but it never really gains traction.
I have always believed they would be better off having a few undercover brother projects going. One of them should be a unix/linux based OS built to give them a leap into the future. A time to leave everything behind and start a new without the hassle of legacy products to bring them down.
I am not saying they should stop development of Windows but why not try a new OS, give a choice, and then start the transition if successful. Windows in the current form may be good today but what will it be in 20 years? I don't know myself...
Comments
Bring back Gates!!!
In fairness to MS, Win 7 seems pretty good.
But gosh that Office 'ribbon' menu interface drives me nuts.
Anyone know how the well the new 'web' office works, especially on the iPad?
Speaking of which, how is Microsoft Retail doing these days??
"Almost everything you do is uploaded..." How does this appeal to anyone? The ad makes it sound like all your personal information is just uploaded to the internet for fun.
I'm glad there will be no more stupid ads for shows from ?uestlove. Who the f&%k is ?uestlove? The guy doesn't even have a web site, just a Myspace and Twitter account!
I hate U2, but come on, at least Apple got somebody that people have heard of.
I mean when that ad was on, I was just like "no, I don't want to use this stupid stubby phone because I would rather not see an impromptu show by ?uestlove because there will be so many stupid hipsters with their stupid phones there."
150+ million Windows 7 licenses, god knows how many copies of Office and revenue and profits way ahead of Apple.
Things are certainly changing perhaps, but with Microsoft rolling in money with Windows + Office sales and not really making a killing in any other markets one could make an argument that things haven't changed that much yet.
What has changed is the image of Microsoft as a company. Microsoft used to bridge the gap as a consumer friendly, yet business savvy company. Now, MS is only pretty much thought of as a enterprise company. Windows 7 is great on desktops and servers, but is no match for OS X on a laptop. From the trackpad to expose to window resizing to spaces, os x simply offers a better experience on a portable device.
Comparing the very refined ios to the unreleased, still in it's infancy, windows 7 mobile isn't even possible.
No matter how much money MS makes on enterprise software, and no matter how good that enterprise software is, MS' future is dim as they don't appeal to consumers anymore. Business update there OSonce a decade, consers do it every other year.
Plus eventually, our kids will be running businesses, and unlike us who remember ms from the glory years, they won't, but they'll sure as hell know and trust google. Hmm, I wonder who is netter setup for enterprise in the cloud? The company that is synonymous with the Internet, orvthe one that everyone remembers losing cloud data?
It's not over for MS, not by a long shot. But other than the 360, MS isn't prepared for future growth.
As Kin gets sent to the land of the MiSFiT toys.
Shouldn't that be MSFT toys ?
Hey, "Night at the Redmondbury!"
Companies don't just put products out there and see what happens, they should know with some confidence how many units are going to sell.
What on Earth happened here?
C.
Typical Microsoft fashion. Take (buy) a potentially good company and run it into the ground. I think Microsoft spends more time and money coming up with a spin of marketing speak to make it sound like they were not in fact bumbling idiots running around with their head cut off.
If M$ keeps this up, they will be the ones that will truly be doomed...
They aren't a good PR company either. They didn't do much marketing until Vista came around.
MS makes money despite Steve Balmer and he is a cofounder, both of which makes it difficult to unseat him as CEO.
Any decent company (actually the Board) would recognize the failures in SB's type leadership and act accordingly. Without changing course, MS will do very poorly.
At some point in the not so distant future, MSFT will probably be a good investment; as a short sale.
Balmer wasn't a cofounder, though he seems to be a close buddy of Gates.
No matter how much money MS makes on enterprise software, and no matter how good that enterprise software is, MS' future is dim as they don't appeal to consumers anymore. Business update there OSonce a decade, consers do it every other year.
Some consumers upgrade their computers every other year (some even every year), but last I saw the average, it was roughly every four years. However, your point may still be valid. When you own the market, it instills a certain level of complacency, and don't have much room for growth unless you branch out, and Microsoft's efforts at branching out has been a lot more misses than hits. XBox 360 seems to be the one thing outside of the Windows/Office standby that has legs on it.
Ah well, at least Windows Phone is apparently the real deal.
What is amazing is that the product was released at all.
Companies don't just put products out there and see what happens, they should know with some confidence how many units are going to sell.
What on Earth happened here?
C.
Probably a good concept with a terrible execution. Microsoft does that more times than not. but it still gets the occasional thing right.
It's not about generating ideas. It's about recognising the great ones. I'm sure most here will understand that concept.
Nevertheless, it's the proverbial sleeping giant and we underestimate it at our peril.
Or not.
That all sounded too serious, eh, so I'm going to have a glass of sav and chill.
Cheers.
As Kin gets sent to the land of the MiSFiT toys.
Shouldn't that be MSFT toys ?
Seriously?
500 phones?! Thats unbelievably bad. I'd love to verify that number. One of the girls in the Kin tv ads was really cute. But 500 phones total, over 48 days?? You would think they'd be able to pull off better numbers just based on grandparents buying random junk for their grand kids they don't really want. "i want and iphone and got a kin
Agreed -- it would be great to see some verification on that number because if true, it would be extraordinarily bad. People still make fun of Apple over the Cube, but I bet Apple sold more than 500 of them! And I also agree that this is clear evidence that Balmer should be fired.
By the way, I love the totally non sequitur comment about the cute girl in the ad...
What on Earth happened here?
This is what happened.
Any other new mobile product would have to stand on its own legs in the eyes of the investors, but Microsoft is the epitome of 'more money than they know what to do with'. Literally.
I hope at some point the rest of the world recognizes this and backs MS into their Windows/Office corner. You don't see IBM producing phones, or Oracle, or any other number of software giants (Google excepted, but their long-term future isn't assured, despite Android's immediate appeal to pent-up nerd demand). But for some reason Microsoft thinks they can be a jack of all trades, and their 'Windows Everywhere' mantra is the only prism they can see out of.
(People always bring up the Xbox as some sort of counter-example. One could argue that any product can ultimately be rationalized as 'successful' if you are willing to throw enough money at it. See above.)
Huge, rich companies often fail trying to glom on to some passing fad by snatching up some little company and trying to bolt it onto their giant corporation. M$ fails at this time and again, and Google is beginning to follow in their footsteps.
Steve's guidance of Apple is much more reasoned and logical, so the acquisitions make sense now (PA Semi), or often they pay off in the long run (what's up with Lala?)
When you own the market, it instills a certain level of complacency, and don't have much room for growth unless you branch out, and Microsoft's efforts at branching out has been a lot more misses than hits. XBox 360 seems to be the one thing outside of the Windows/Office standby that has legs on it.
I think you underestimate the Windows 7 groundswell. In many ways it matches and even in some areas exceeds OS X in its appeal. The last part doesn't apply to the committed Mac user naturally, but that segment is tiny compared to the great 'unwashed'.
Windows 7 is most definitely their best performing OS and it's early days yet. 150 million copies since the October launch is pretty spectacular. And much of that is consumer level uptake. If anything, the corporate IT world has been cautious given Vista's lackluster approval rate.
Assuming (admittedly an assumption) that the consumer sector continues at this pace for a while and that the enterprise increases it uptake (highly likely), their growth doesn't seem that unrealistic.
Probably where the greatest growth will come though, will be their entry into the third world arena where subsets of their OS will be provided at peppercorn prices to power super-cheap PCs for those who have no chance of aspiring to an Apple class computer. That's an enormous untapped market and Intel is already looking there.
Microsoft may be bloodied, but I don't think you can count them out yet.
They aren't a good PR company either. They didn't do much marketing until Vista came around.
I agree with you but remember the Windows 95 marketing blitz, XP release, Seinfeld ads? The Windows 95 marketing campaign was nothing short of overwhelming. They seem to push it in spurts but it never really gains traction.
I have always believed they would be better off having a few undercover brother projects going. One of them should be a unix/linux based OS built to give them a leap into the future. A time to leave everything behind and start a new without the hassle of legacy products to bring them down.
I am not saying they should stop development of Windows but why not try a new OS, give a choice, and then start the transition if successful. Windows in the current form may be good today but what will it be in 20 years? I don't know myself...