Bill Gates, Warren Buffett praise Apple, US economic outlook

Posted:
in General Discussion edited January 2014
In a conversation with Fox Business News, business luminaries Bill Gates and Warren Buffett praised Apple's performance while talking about tablet technologies and presented an overall strong outlook for the American economy.



Microsoft just canceled the prospect of own Courier high-end tablet concept that company observers had hoped to see reach the market later this year. Additionally, its Slate PC partnership with HP, aimed at delivering a tablet-sized device running Windows 7, has been sidelined by HP's high profile purchase of Palm. Analysts expect HP to use Palm's webOS instead of Microsoft's desktop operating system in its future mobile products.



However, Gates said in the interview that "Microsoft has a lot of different tablet projects that we're pursuing," perhaps alluding to previous Tablet PC and UMPC devices, as well as forthcoming Windows 7 systems from other vendors, such as Dell's Streak tablet.



Thinking outside the pen



Gates also emphasized the stylus as being critical to Microsoft's plans. "We think that work with the pen that Microsoft pioneered will become a mainstream for students. It can give you a device that you can not only read, but also create documents at the same time."



While Microsoft developed some rudimentary support for Pen Computing in Windows in the early 90s, mainstream stylus-based computing devices had arrived much earlier, dating back to the truly pioneering GRiDPad and Apple's sophisticated but slow selling Newton MessagePad, which introduced the concept to broad audiences.



Gates has long advocated stylus-based mobile devices, announcing in 2001 that "within five years [the stylus-drive Tablet PC] will be the most popular form of PC sold in America," a promise that simply failed to materialize. In contrast, while Apple has continued to investigate the merits of pen based computing and has patented related concepts, its chief executive Steve Jobs has downplayed the roll of pen-based devices since the iPhone was unveiled.



"We are all born with the ultimate pointing device: our fingers," Jobs said at the time, "and iPhone uses them to create the most revolutionary user interface since the mouse."



Buffett, Gates on Apple, the US economy



Turning to Apple specifically during a conversation on investing in tech companies, Buffett said, "Steve Jobs has done a terrific job. And there will be companies that excel. And occasionally they will excel because of luck, but usually they excel because of brains."



Gates added, "Yes, I think both in general and in the specific, Apple's done a great job."



Both Buffett and Gates were optimistic about the country's economic future, with Gates noting that "Innovation is still there and it?s very much a global system. We?re way better off and this is going to be a great time for the country."



Buffett added "we have a terrific system. In the end, decade by decade, people live better in this country." On the subject of government regulation, Buffett observed, "well, you never know what they're going to do and we'll -- we've managed to adjust to all kinds of regulations and laws over the years and most of them we think are pretty good. So, that, I'm not sitting around worrying what Washington is going to do in terms of running Berkshire Hathaway."



Regarding the Recovery and Reinvestment Act stimulus, Buffett said ?we followed the proper course of action when the world virtually stopped in the fall of 2008. That only, only the United States government could have stepped in to leverage up to offset the deleveraging going up in the rest of the economy so we applied the right medicine basically. We applied massive dosages of it. We couldn't keep doing that without having other consequences, it's the right thing to do then. It?s the right thing to end at some point and ending it is harder than starting it.?



On capitalism and global markets, Gates said, "We still have the best system for letting people take risks, get capital. We are the envy of the world. They are coping some of our good ideas. Unfortunately, our health care system, they are not copying some of our bad ideas.?
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 36
    quinneyquinney Posts: 2,528member
    Two of the richest men in the world think things are great.

    Shouldn't the "fair and balanced" network also interview two of the poorest men in the world?
  • Reply 2 of 36
    chris_cachris_ca Posts: 2,543member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by AppleInsider View Post


    Buffett added "we have a terrific system. In the end, decade by decade, people live better in this country." On the subject of government regulation, Buffett observed, "well, you never know what they're going to do and we'll -- we've managed to adjust to all kinds of regulations and laws over the years and most of them we think are pretty good. So, that, I'm not sitting around worrying what Washington is going to do in terms of running Berkshire Hathaway."



    "because with BRK.A at $114,800 a share, I really don't give a rat's ass what happens."
  • Reply 3 of 36
    ranreloadedranreloaded Posts: 397member
    Gates praises Apple... OMG Now the anti-trust is imminent!!!
  • Reply 4 of 36
    paulmjohnsonpaulmjohnson Posts: 1,380member
    Sounds like it would be an interview worth listening to, if I could just overcome my aversion to watching anything on Fox News!



    I think Bill Gates has a point about something pen based still being of interest. Jobs is right that you're born with a finger to point with, but my fat fingers aren't the most accurate things in the world.



    A pen based device that really could do hand-writing recognition would be great.
  • Reply 5 of 36
    mdriftmeyermdriftmeyer Posts: 7,503member
    Quote:

    Gates also emphasized the stylus as being critical to Microsoft's plans. "We think that work with the pen that Microsoft pioneered will become a mainstream for students. It can give you a device that you can not only read, but also create documents at the same time."



    Our lawyers and engineers discovered there is no way in hell we can implement a multi-touch gestures, or more interface without getting our butts handed to us in the courts.



    We're going to stick with the area we have patents on.
  • Reply 6 of 36
    christopher126christopher126 Posts: 4,366member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by PaulMJohnson View Post


    Sounds like it would be an interview worth listening to, if I could just overcome my aversion to watching anything on Fox News!



    Agreed, Paul. I don't know where I read it, but, 'we probably shouldn't watch Fox News or MSNBC.'



    This advice I have taken.



    I read the Wall Street Journal and listen to NPR specifically Diane Rehm via radio or podcasts while running.
  • Reply 7 of 36
    spotonspoton Posts: 645member
    Buffet has said a lot more than that lately.



    1: Whole country involved with fantasy about housing market.



    2: Banks lose money guaranteeing credit (encouraged by laws governing banks forcing to give credit to unworthy persons)



    3: Homeowners made a lot of bad bets on housing.



    4: Biggest taxpayer losses: Freddie and Fannie





    Also:



    In the month of January 2010 there were 300,00 bank foreclosures



    In the same month, there were 600,000 foreclosures from Freddie and Fannie





    Who got the two GSEś involved in the sub-prime housing mess?



    How is Congress planning to pay for the mess they 2/3 caused when they took office?



    A Health Care tax to take effect a few years from now, when they are out of office.





    Things are about as rosy as can be when you just hocked the country to itś eyeballs to the Chinese and started the process of taking over another industry after failing the first one.



    The U.S. is going to be another Greece unless the debt is paid down, the pain is being put off right now, but it will have to be addressed soon.



    And Greece´s problems are minor, Italy, Spain, Ireland and Portugal owe many many time more than Greece does, all to Britain, France and Germany. 8 billion of Greece´s bailout came from the IMF, which the U.S. gives 20 billion a year. Yep, your money!



    If the EU goes down, which is why gold and the dollar is up today and the Euro and the US stock market is down, that leaves the U.S. bailing out Europe, which will severely effect our economy. The dreaded double dip is coming.



    Read Business Insider, watch CNBC, read the WSJ for the real scoop.



    http://www.businessinsider.com/gdp-chart-2050-2010-5





    /rant
  • Reply 8 of 36
    psych_guypsych_guy Posts: 486member
    I wanna see "Pirates of Silicon Valley, Part II", where Steve Jobs raids MS office with a refurbished B-17, and drops iPods , iPhones and iPads and says "Eat this Billy boy!", while laughing maniacally. That would be cool.
  • Reply 9 of 36
    spotonspoton Posts: 645member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Psych_guy View Post


    I wanna see "Pirates of Silicon Valley, Part II", where Steve Jobs raids MS office with a refurbished B-17, and drops iPods , iPhones and iPads and says "Eat this Billy boy!", while laughing maniacally. That would be cool.





    Your going to be O.K., this link will help



    http://psychcentral.com
  • Reply 10 of 36
    bc kellybc kelly Posts: 148member
    .



    Not sure you want to use the words "Bill Gates" and "luminary" in the same sentence



    Unless it's in the sense of a Light House that warns people to stay away



    .



    Then later you say Gates mentioned, " ... projects we're pursuing."



    Now THAT is spot on



    "Pursuing"



    Yep, all Billy Boy will ever be good for



    Never get there, just pursue



    .
  • Reply 11 of 36
    formerarsgmformerarsgm Posts: 191member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by PaulMJohnson View Post


    Sounds like it would be an interview worth listening to, if I could just overcome my aversion to watching anything on Fox News!



    I believe the story ran on Fox Business, not Fox News. However, your inaccurate comments still lead us to believe that you must think some other news outlet is not biased or pushing an agenda? Which one? Cause as far as I can tell, ALL media has let us down. No longer the watchdogs, they now seek to create news and influence policy rather than simply report it.
  • Reply 12 of 36
    dr millmossdr millmoss Posts: 5,403member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by FormerARSgm View Post


    I believe the story ran on Fox Business, not Fox News. However, your inaccurate comments still lead us to believe that you must think some other news outlet is not biased or pushing an agenda? Which one? Cause as far as I can tell, ALL media has let us down. No longer the watchdogs, they now seek to create news and influence policy rather than simply report it.



    Does it make you feel better somehow, or perhaps more justified, by assuming that nobody in journalism makes an effort to report the news without bias?
  • Reply 13 of 36
    paulmjohnsonpaulmjohnson Posts: 1,380member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by FormerARSgm View Post


    I believe the story ran on Fox Business, not Fox News. However, your inaccurate comments still lead us to believe that you must think some other news outlet is not biased or pushing an agenda? Which one? Cause as far as I can tell, ALL media has let us down. No longer the watchdogs, they now seek to create news and influence policy rather than simply report it.



    Hey, I'll freely admit that all news outlets are biased, it's just I'm European, so Fox is waaaaaaay too right-wing for my socialist ass!
  • Reply 14 of 36
    yensid98yensid98 Posts: 311member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by FormerARSgm View Post


    I believe the story ran on Fox Business, not Fox News. However, your inaccurate comments still lead us to believe that you must think some other news outlet is not biased or pushing an agenda? Which one? Cause as far as I can tell, ALL media has let us down. No longer the watchdogs, they now seek to create news and influence policy rather than simply report it.



    You need to stop watching cable and especially network news and begin to watch more news programs on PBS.
  • Reply 15 of 36
    bugsnwbugsnw Posts: 717member
    I'm wary about the economy. We are still under the Bush tax cuts. I'm not sure how our economy will cope with the massive new taxes in the pipeline. My guess is it's not going to be pretty. Tax and spend has never worked. Unemployment is going to creep higher when small businesses are forced to cut costs via laying off when bruised by the coming hikes.



    As far as networks, there's a reason Fox is #1. If you like the WSJ, it's strange to say you don't like Fox. I prefer them both.
  • Reply 16 of 36
    dr millmossdr millmoss Posts: 5,403member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by yensid98 View Post


    You need to stop watching cable and especially network news and begin to watch more news programs on PBS.



    And/or NPR. Of course some will tell you that both of those news sources must be lefty because they aren't righty. This is what passes for logic today.
  • Reply 17 of 36
    nasdarqnasdarq Posts: 137member
    Were they drunk or what? If you read their quotes, the lack of fluency is astounding, especially in the last (cheer-leading) part ...
  • Reply 18 of 36
    bartfatbartfat Posts: 434member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by AppleInsider View Post


    On capitalism and global markets, Gates said, "We still have the best system for letting people take risks, get capital. We are the envy of the world. They are coping some of our good ideas. Unfortunately, our health care system, they are not copying some of our bad ideas.”



    Don't you mean fortunately, for the rest of the world? Oh, I see, unfortunately for us
  • Reply 19 of 36
    firefly7475firefly7475 Posts: 1,502member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by mdriftmeyer View Post


    Our lawyers and engineers discovered there is no way in hell we can implement a multi-touch gestures, or more interface without getting our butts handed to us in the courts.



    We're going to stick with the area we have patents on.



    They have been doing multi-touch gestures for almost a decade... surely they have some patents.
  • Reply 20 of 36
    macgregormacgregor Posts: 1,434member
    SpotOn, as much as you think you understand Buffet and the underpinnings of the financial meltdown, you don't.



    I like watching CNBC and I am even drawn to their simple philosophy of letting the free market and not conscientious morality make important decisions, but their audience is the investor/CEO class and they are of course even more biased than a general news station. Just listen to Kudlow for 5 minutes and even though I like him and l like capitalism, he is just a high priest reading from his own scripture.



    "Drill, baby, drill - it will all get cleaned up later..." Okay, so much for personal responsibility.



    The govt. encouraged banks to make loans, but no one forced them to make loans any more than anyone forced people to take out mortgages that they couldn't afford. So who is more at fault, a million people without MBA's hoping to make a better life with some personal risk or the 10 thousand or so mortgage experts and later derivative experts who made the whole mess a systemic risk rather than a person risk. So much for corporate responsibility.



    I guess if you really feel you have to blame the govt. just to feel better, go ahead, but at least we can vote politicians out and we can look at govt. records. Everything in bank board rooms is secret (as it should be) and we never know what they are doing until they get caught.



    When all is said and done, this was a predictable result of Reaganomics, which gave us a great few decades of Wall Street sky rocketing, regular wages staying stagnant, savings plummeting ... until deregulation and risk finally had to balance things out. Buffet and Gates understand that far better than BusinessWeek, the WSJ or CNBC talking heads do.



    Ayn Rand was very observant, but not particularly deep.
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