“When Microsoft went public in 1986, there was no 3-D videogaming, no enterprise software, and no Google. Two decades and $285 billion in market cap later, CEO Steve Ballmer is facing a stagnant stock price and more competition than ever. His strategy? Take the offensive,” Telis Demos reports for Fortune. “Microsoft is about to roll out new versions of Windows and Office.”
Demos spoke to Ballmer, whom he inexplicably describes as “affable” about what Sony’s troubles mean for the Xbox 360 game system, the future of advertising and why his kids shun iPods. Here are two choice snippets:
Demos: Do you have an iPod?
Ballmer: No, I do not. Nor do my children. My children–in many dimensions they’re as poorly behaved as many other children, but at least on this dimension I’ve got my kids brainwashed: You don’t use Google, and you don’t use an iPod.
Demos: Think you can you crack the iPod market?
Ballmer: It’s going to take an innovative proposition. In five years are people really going to carry two devices? One device that is their communication device, one device that is music? There’s going to be a lot of opportunities to get back in that game. We want to be in that game. Expect to see announcements from us in that area in the next 12 months.
Full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: So, Ballmer has to brainwash his own kids not to use the best choices in favor of Microsoft’s “solutions” and once again promises “announcements” that conveniently always seem to be 12 months off. Microsoft is “about” to roll out new versions of Windows and Office? It depends on your definition of the word “about,” we guess. Is this guy really CEO material?
Advertisements:
• Apple’s brand new iPod Hi-Fi speaker system. Home stereo. Reinvented. Available now for $349 with free shipping.
• Apple’s new Mac mini. Intel Core, up to 4 times faster. Starting at just $599. Free shipping.
• MacBook Pro. The first Mac notebook built upon Intel Core Duo with iLife ’06, Front Row and built-in iSight. Starting at $1999. Free shipping.
• iMac. Twice as amazing — Intel Core Duo, iLife ’06, Front Row media experience, Apple Remote, built-in iSight. Starting at $1299. Free shipping.
• iPod Radio Remote. Listen to FM radio on your iPod and control everything with a convenient wired remote. Just $49.
• iPod. 15,000 songs. 25,000 photos. 150 hours of video. The new iPod. 30GB and 60GB models start at just $299. Free shipping.
• Connect iPod to your television set with the iPod AV Cable. Just $19.
Related articles:
Microsoft employees call for heads to roll over continual Vista slips – March 27, 2006
Microsoft’s Windows Albatross, er Vista could slip even more – March 27, 2006
Harvard prof: Microsoft Windows users ‘may simply end up with a more and more inferior OS over time’ – March 27, 2006
60-percent of Windows Vista code to be rewritten – March 24, 2006
Microsoft CEO Ballmer promises ‘amazing wave of innovation’ in 2006 – March 23, 2006
Microsoft reorganizes moribund Windows unit – March 23, 2006
Microsoft’s inability to ship Windows Vista leaves door open for Apple – March 23, 2006
Tech writer: Forget booting Windows on Macs, now is the time for Apple Mac to take back share – March 23, 2006
Microsoft Vista fumble could lead to score for Apple Mac; Mac OS X Leopard may beat Vista to market – March 23, 2006
Analysts: Apple could benefit from Microsoft’s latest Vista slip – March 22, 2006
Forbes: Microsoft’s Vista slips again – Steve Jobs must be waking up a happy man this morning – March 22, 2006
What’s the difference between Mac OS X and Vista? Microsoft employees are excited about Mac OS X – March 22, 2006
Vista delay causes Windows-dependents slump in pre-market trading; Apple rises – March 22, 2006
Enderle on MS Vista slip: ‘I personally can not recall Apple ever getting an opportunity like this’ – March 21, 2006
Microsoft delays Windows Vista again – this time until January 2007 – March 21, 2006
Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer: ‘We love to be first’ – January 25, 2005
Microsoft CEO Ballmer: ‘Apple iPod users are music thieves’ – October 04, 2004
it’s in the pipeline. There’s a lot of super stuff up our pipeline. When do they finally get rid of this guy?
“”Microsoft is about to roll out new versions of Windows and Office.””
Define what ‘about’ means.
The poor devil’s can’t find a thing on the internet then…
I like the Balmer Picture. It is, if I am not mistaken, from the infamous “monkey-boy” video. Hillarious.
All I can say is that with all this stuff in the pipeline for the next 12 months….Developers….Developers….Developers….Developers……………………………..
: )
Hilarious! Not the quote about brainwashing the kids, mind you, but the quote about innovation and “getting back into the game…” LOL
There is a pipeline in Redmond. Unfortunately, the pipe is a sewage pipe. Nothing but crap coming out of it.
If Monkey-Boy brainwashes his own kids, how much more the general public?
On a different note: from a complete stop, a human is capable of outrunning a Formula One Racecar for about 30 feet!
Baldmer and MicroSloth…
Worth their weight in entertainment value alone!
MW:COURSE: as in…(referring to his children) “The trouble with having an open mind, of course, is that people will insist on coming along and trying to put things in it.”
Terry Pratchett
A lot of times “going on the offensive” means actually doing something, or even releasing products. I guess Forbes considers “about to go on the offensive” the same as “going on the offensive.” Funny.
Now you know why even Microsoft employees want him fired! This guy belongs in a mental institution.
” width=”19″ height=”19″ alt=”tongue rolleye” style=”border:0;” />
You mean that man has bred?
seriously guys, the device he’s talking about is the real iPod killer: portable XBox/digital audio and video player. It’s going to kill Apple once and for all. You heard it here first.
Balmer quote at time of picture “I use my right hand like this when looking at porn”
Oh yea, here’s another interesting fact I never knew:
Bill Gates’ house was designed using a Macintosh computer!
The problem with Ballmer must go is who would take his place? Gates would still be there and he is no visionary leader.
If Microsoft did not have the OS monopoly it would be dead.
Bullmer is right when he said
“In five years are people really going to carry two devices? One device that is their communication device, one device that is music?
Unfortunately for him, it will be Apple that bring out a single, market-defining device in the near future and not Microsoft.
Wow, Microsoft just talks themselves and can quote themselves into the doom and gloom outlook, they really don’t need any help from a superior OS and company.
iPod is one thing….but brainwashing your kids not to use Google is so stupid…Google is a standard!
Now we know MS will never understand why iPod is successful. If Steve Balmer had let his kids have it and listen to them what they liked and did not like about iPod, then MS had chance of coming up with better iPod killer. With his attiduce, MS will never able to beat Apple.
If he is smart, he should get Apple iPod and Mac on his desk and study his competition.
He got his priority wrong. He should have brainwashed his kids to behave better instead of not using Google and iPods.
” width=”19″ height=”19″ alt=”smile” style=”border:0;” />
How did he brainwash kids, anyway? By throwing chairs at them?
it’s in the pipeline. There’s a lot of super stuff up our pipeline. When do they finally get rid of this guy?
Well, that’s in the pipeline too, which is where he belongs, by the way…
amazing
what was that ‘other dimension’ in the superman comics, earth is cubic and everything backwards?
So in that dimension his kids have iPods… however everyone else in that twisted comic world is happily using Creative MP3’s and Napster. Poor kids.
In the picture above, is the dark blue patch on Steve Bullmers shirt the shadow cast by his shiny slapable-head, or just the big grease-ball sweating?
Well, Steve-o, I’d be sweating if I were you – a lot of your own employees want that big, shiny, slapable head on a plate for what you’ve done to the company…
Balmer is a fat, sweaty, egotistical man, with absolutely no vision.
Hence i think hes perfect as microsoft ceo.
Steve Ballmer is a dillweed.
http://getkickedoffaplanewearingthis.blogspot.com/