Microsoft Archive

Microsoft’s tricky strategy to strike back at Apple, Google

Thom Holwerda 2013-04-08 Microsoft 26 Comments

"After years of domination, Microsoft is finally facing serious threats at the cores of its business, Office and Windows. Consumers and businesses alike are largely purchasing devices based on their capabilities and form factors rather than the software contained within. Windows is slowly becoming commoditized and Microsoft's traditional allies are looking at Android and Chrome OS as viable alternatives, a trend that threatens the Windows monopoly. Microsoft faces a tricky balancing act as it faces a future that's very different from its existing business." Good article by Tom Warren.

The reason we don’t have Metro Office yet

Thom Holwerda 2013-03-06 Microsoft 65 Comments

One of the major lacking features in the newest Office: no Metro applications. In fact, the only reason Windows RT has a desktop at all is because the Office team was unable to create Metro applications in time for the release of Windows RT. I often thought this was a classic case of two important divisions within Microsoft not getting along and not being aligned, but now that I have my own Surface RT, I'm starting to realise that there's a far simpler, and thus more likely, explanation: Metro is simply not ready for anything serious - or for anything at all, really.

Guest post by snydeq 2013-02-19 Microsoft 31 Comments

As PC prospects decline, Microsoft has been moving toward a hybrid, cross-platform future with an eye toward opportunities in the server closet and the cloud. But the question remains, How might Microsoft evolve to get there? "It's tempting to say the past five years has seen Microsoft's desktop-centric strategy slowly give way to a pell-mell free-for-all made up of equal parts desktop, server, mobile hardware and software, cloud services, and auxiliary systems like the Xbox. Truth is, intention has always been present. It's only now, thanks to major upheavals in consumer tech and the cloud, that Microsoft's broad-spectrum plays are becoming more evident and critical. What may be new for Microsoft is the need to better cohere its strategy around an ever-widening array of services and technologies, especially as the breadth of competition it faces widens. Most of all, if there ever comes a time to stop being a consumer-oriented company, Microsoft shouldn't flinch. A future where Microsoft doesn't make hardware or end-user programs seems remote, but there was a time when IBM abandoning its PC business seemed jarring, too." And if Microsoft can't quite cohere its strategy, the best means to this end may be to divide.

Bill Gates ‘not satisfied’ with Microsoft’s innovations

Thom Holwerda 2013-02-18 Microsoft 97 Comments

"Although Bill Gates stepped away from his day-to-day role at Microsoft nearly five years ago, he still keeps a close eye on the company he co-founded - and he isn't always happy with what he sees. During a recent interview broadcast this morning on CBS This Morning, the Microsoft chairman was asked by Charlie Rose whether he was happy with Steve Ballmer's performance as chief executive. Noting that there have been 'many amazing things' accomplished under Ballmer's leadership in the past couple of years, Gates said he was not satisfied with the company's innovations." It's impossible to deny by this point that Microsoft hasn't done well in mobile. It would be more surprising if Gates had denied it.

Who’s being dishonest with storage space?

Thom Holwerda 2013-02-07 Microsoft 48 Comments

"Microsoft has been absolutely pummeled in the press and in reader comments this week by pundits and customers alike. They feel cheated by the amount of free storage space available to them on the new line of Surface Pro devices. But is that criticism fair or even valid?" Spoiler alert: turns out, it isn't. Both devices have about the same free space available, and by creating a USB restore drive for Windows on the Surface, you can actually get a little more on the Surface Pro. Interestingly enough, Microsoft confirmed on Reddit that their original numbers - which caused the ruckus - were wrong, because they were based on pre-production hardware, with debug code and other additional stuff on it. Oh Microsoft.

Microsoft’s ‘Blue’ wave is coming to more than just Windows

Thom Holwerda 2013-02-07 Microsoft 6 Comments

"As we've known for a few months, the Windows client team at Microsoft is working on its first 'feature-pack' update for Windows 8, supposedly due this summer/fall, which is codenamed 'Blue'. But it turns out Blue isn't a Windows thing only, according to one very accurate tipster of mine who doesn't want to be identified. Blue also is the way Microsoft is referring to the next substantial platform update for Windows Phone, the Windows Services (like SkyDrive, Hotmail, etc.), and Windows Server, according to my source. In other words, Blue is a wave of product refreshes which are not expected to arrive exactly all on the same day, but which are meant to be released more or less around the same time."

Submitted by Adurbe 2013-01-29 Microsoft 9 Comments

Microsoft has released Office 365 Home Premium. Ars has a review up: "Just like Windows 8, this cloud-tethered version of Office may have a hard time convincing home users it's time to upgrade. There are many useful new features in some of the most heavily used applications of Office, and the new add-in apps provide a useful way to pull external content into documents and presentations. The real question is whether customers - especially consumers - will buy into the service format." You're looking at EUR 100 per year for Office 365 Home Premium. Sure, it's for five PCs - but one, who has that many PCs these days other than families, two, even among those families, how many need Office for five PCs, three, who doesn't buy Office once and just installs it on all PCs in the house, and four, you can't use it for commercial stuff. In other words, virtually everyone is better off buying regular, non-subscription Office 2013 Home & Student. You pay EUR 139 once (instead of EUR 100 every year), and it's yours forever. I really don't understand who the subscription service is for - it's screaming for a single-license, EUR 25 per year option. Also, lose that ridiculous non-commercial bullshit.

Microsoft complains about YouTube, ActiveSync removal

Thom Holwerda 2013-01-02 Microsoft 140 Comments

Microsoft's legal chief: "We continue to be dogged by an issue we had hoped would be resolved by now: Google continues to prevent Microsoft from offering consumers a fully featured YouTube app for the Windows Phone." Utter nonsense, since MetroTube offers a complete and full YouTube experience on Windows Phone (it's one of the best Windows Phone applications), and YouTube+ on Windows 8. Two fantastically rich applications, built by small ISVs - yet Microsoft can't do the same? Don't make me laugh. Coincidentally, Microsoft is also whining some more about Google's removal of ActiveSync - Redmond again refuses to acknowledge that all it needs to do is implement the open standards CalDAV and CardDAV, just like everyone else has done. Times have changed, Ballmer. You don't get to dictate the industry anymore.

Guest post by lucas_maximus 2012-12-21 Microsoft 30 Comments

"In a move that has raised eyebrows, Microsoft has submitted a patch to the WebKit project to extend the open source rendering engine with a prototype implementation of the Pointer Events specification that the company is also working on together with Google, Mozilla, and Opera. WebKit is the rendering engine used in Apple's Safari and Google's Chrome browsers, making Microsoft's work a contribution to products that are in direct competition to its own."

Microsoft responds to Google’s EAS move, sidesteps issue

Thom Holwerda 2012-12-18 Microsoft 155 Comments

Microsoft has just responded to Google's move regarding Exchange ActiveSync. Sadly, instead of addressing the very real problems consumers are about to face, Microsoft starts talking about switching to Outlook.com.

Microsoft Will Crush Google, Apple in Mobile

David Adams 2012-11-29 Microsoft 50 Comments

Financial analyst Charles Sizemore predicts that over time, a persistent Microsoft will come to not only thrive but dominate in the mobile computing space, because Apple has no "moats" to prevent customer attrition and its insistence at heavily controlling the ecosystem will drive customers away, while Google's offerings are too "shoddy." It's a bold prediction, but I suppose betting on Microsoft to be persistent and build on its strengths is a safe bet. But will persistence and flexibility be enough?

Sinofsky leaves Microsoft, Larson-Green takes over

Thom Holwerda 2012-11-13 Microsoft 61 Comments

Big and surprising news this morning. Some considered him the crown prince of the Microsoft empire, slated to take over after Ballmer's eventual departure, but this morning, Steven Sinofsky announced his resignation from Microsoft. His role will be taken over by Julie-Larson Green. Persistent sources indicate that we're looking at a Forstall-esque situation; Sinofsky was, supposedly, not a good team player.

Understanding Office

Thom Holwerda 2012-11-08 Microsoft 7 Comments

"Last week I overheard two of the top Microsoft 'watchers' discuss the Office group having bet against Windows 8, presumably because Office 2013 is not fully a (set of) Metro (a.k.a., Windows Store) apps. Ok, as much as it pains me to defend Office I'm going to do so. I'm going to defend them because they are more right than wrong. Especially when you take a shareholder perspective. Not only will I defend what Office did for Windows 8, I'm going to defend some of their licensing decisions. Oh that should be fun." Insightful analysis of the current state of Office within the great context of Microsoft's current challenges. Written by Hal Berenson, former distinguished engineer and general manager at Microsoft.

Microsoft: patent system “served the country very well”

Thom Holwerda 2012-11-07 Microsoft 34 Comments

Bart Eppenauer, Microsoft's chief patent guy, in an interview with The Verge: "We believe our patent laws have served the country very well." Loosely translated, this reads: "This system that gives me my six-figure income and is a fine anti-competitive tool for my company have served me and my company well, the damage to the industry be damned."

Microsoft Office for iOS, Android revealed

Thom Holwerda 2012-11-07 Microsoft 15 Comments

Another (this time, unsurprising) scoop by The Verge: "Office Mobile will debut in the form of free apps that allow Android and iOS users to view Microsoft Office documents on the move. Like the existing SkyDrive and OneNote apps, Office Mobile will require a Microsoft account. On first launch, a Microsoft account will provide access to the basic viewing functionality in the apps. Word, PowerPoint, and Excel documents will all be supported, and edit functionality can be enabled with an Office 365 subscription." Smart move to get users to go subscription.

“Xbox Surface: Microsoft’s 7-inch gaming tablet”

Thom Holwerda 2012-11-06 Microsoft 20 Comments

The Verge is reporting Microsoft is building its own gaming tablet. "The Xbox Surface will likely include a custom ARM processor and high-bandwidth RAM designed specifically for gaming tasks. We're told these specifications could be altered to accommodate an unannounced Intel SoC and that the Xbox Surface is being developed independent of specific hardware architecture. Microsoft's Xbox Surface won't run a full version of Windows, rather this 7-inch tablet will run a custom Windows kernel. Messaging and other tablet functions may be supported, but the focus is on gaming." Custom kernel. So, incompatible with Windows 8 and Windows Phone 8. Question. Why?

Microsoft: Surface has better ‘perceived resolution’ than iPad

Thom Holwerda 2012-10-16 Microsoft 27 Comments

Microsoft's applied sciences department manager Stevie Bathich explains why the 1366x768 Surface RT screen is actually better than the iPad's Retina display - fancy display technology talk. Conclusion? "Doing a side by side with the new iPad in a consistently lit room, we have had many people see more detail on Surface RT than on the iPad with more resolution." I'm sure there's some truth behind the sciency talk, but I highly doubt that the Surface's display bests the iPad's. Seeing is believing, but since The Netherlands is not important, I won't get the opportunity to compare for a long time to come.

Microsoft debuts first Surface TV advertisement

Thom Holwerda 2012-10-16 Microsoft 21 Comments

Microsoft's first Surface television advertisement debuted last night in the US. Apparently, it's for an iPad keyboard that makes a clicking sound. Honestly - I have no idea what non-techies are supposed to take home from this.

Microsoft confirms Office for Android, iOS for March 2013

Thom Holwerda 2012-10-10 Microsoft 12 Comments

"Microsoft product manager Petr Bobek has confirmed that the software maker is planning to release native iOS and Android versions of Office 2013 next year. Speaking at a press event in the Czech Republic earlier today, Bobek told Czech site IHNED that native apps will be made available from March 2013." Smart move. There's money to be made here, but I am wondering what kind of functionality they're going to reserve for Windows users.

Ballmer to shareholders: MS faces “fundamental shift”

Thom Holwerda 2012-10-09 Microsoft 104 Comments

Steve Ballmer's annual letter to shareholders makes it very clear Microsoft is at a point of no return - and in the middle of a transition into a hardware company. "This is a significant shift, both in what we do and how we see ourselves - as a devices and services company. It impacts how we run the company, how we develop new experiences, and how we take products to market for both consumers and businesses." Line. Sand.