“Steve Ballmer made his first solo presentation, sans Bill Gates, at the annual Microsoft analysts meeting on Thursday, claiming that he would be the ‘primary champion of innovation in our company,'” Kate DuBose Tomassi reports for Forbes. “Investors seemed underwhelmed, bidding the software company’s stock down nearly 2% on the day, perhaps less than excited by Ballmer’s contention that the company’s delayed Vista operating system and Office 2007 program could be Microsoft’s ‘most exciting offerings ever.'”
“In March, Microsoft announced delays of both products until late this year, and some analysts have pegged the Vista launch as more likely for next spring,” Tomassi reports. “The annual analyst meeting is the first ever to be conducted without Gates, who is in Africa. Ballmer said he feels he’s ‘entering into a new era’ as of the company’s June 15 announcement that Gates will transition from full-time to part-time over the next two years.”
“Other new Microsoft offerings mentioned were adCenter, an online advertising platform for the company’s MSN, launched in May; the Xbox 360 gaming console, launched last year with strong sales in June according to NPD data; and the company’s challenge to Apple Computer’s iPod, a new music player and online music service called Zune, scheduled to be launched this year,” Tomassi reports.
Full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: Ballmer’s “entering into a new era” alright: The Apple era.
Related article:
PC World writer’s advice for Microsoft: ‘Stop making crap’ – July 27, 2006
Ballmer needs a drummer on stage with him to do rimshots.
“I’m the primary champion of innovation!”
BA-DOOMP-BUMP!
“Vista and Office will be the most exciting we’ve ever done!”
BA-DOOMP-BUMP!
“Thank you, ladies and gentlemen, I’ll be here all week!”
I think I’ve figured it out. Ballmer and Jobs are actually mates. Ballmer is the greatest actor on the planet and is secretly acting like a total (insert expletive) to bring down the company from the inside. No one could be that stupid and deluded.
“…Ballmer’s contention that the company’s delayed Vista operating system and Office 2007 program could be Microsoft’s ‘most exciting offerings ever.'”
Alas…he is probably correct!
Re: AdCenter – another sign that Microsoft has no coherent plan as to what they want to be, so they try to copy all the other “leaders” in the industry to extend their monopoly. They missed the departure of the internet boat and have been flailing around trying to figure out what to do next. And the only thing they can come up with is “copy what other people are doing.”
Google/Yahoo – MSN, AdCenter
Apple + iPod – Zune
Nescape – Internet Exploder
And the last goes to show…they may not win, but they can make the other guy lose.
MW: ball….mer I kid you not.
Give these a good listen you Mac heads and you’ll know why they call me the “champion of innovation”.
Ballmer’s Education
Ballmer is self concious
Rim Shot for Fester
WHO SAID SIT DOWN!
Ballmer proclaiming that he’s the “primary champion of innovation”, if in fact organizationally accurate, is a godsend to apple.
We win. Like Pepsi with “new coke”… everybody gets the day off.
<u>Correction people:</u>
Ballmer is self concious
Now you can sit down, run, or do as you like..
Meanwhile, the real Clippy is cowering in the corner crying and begging for its freedom.
I’m not surprised that Microsofts stock dropped 2% after he announced that. Does anyone know what he has done for the company? I can think of nothing except looking like fool when he is on TV or on video.
With so many serious things happening in the world right now, this headline:
“Ballmer: I’m Microsoft’s ‘primary champion of innovation”
Brought a smile to my face. You’ve all seen the video of Ballmer (sweaty and pig-like body) running, “dancing” and screaming all over some stage trying to rouse Microsoft developers. This man, THIS MAN, claims to be the champion of innovation. I’ll bet he even refers to himself as Microsoft’s Decider.
After sticking by Apple for so many years (especially through the dark times), I’m enjoying watching the corporate opera unfold as Microsoft emplodes just the way AT&T and IBM did.
Microsoft will be around for many years. Watching the evil Monopolist bleed market share to Apple is gratifying. It reminds that good and true creativity and innovation will win out in the end.
Hey, Real Teacher – is “varian” a word, too? Or did you perhaps have a fat finger moment while trying to spell “variant” as you sat in your double-wide in southwest Podunk?
You should be careful when throwing stones…
jay,
‘Vista will be about as exciting as Charmin’s next product revision.’
You got that all wrong jay. Charmin’s product is useful. Everyone is excited about squeezably soft bum roll.
BC: Not to pick too many small insects but:
http://www.google.com/search?client=safari&rls=en&q=varian&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8
Proper nouns count. <ducks>
LOL! Ballmer…..ROTFLMAO!!!! LOL! ROTFLMAO! LOL!
Stop it, my sides hurt! LOL!!! ROTFLMAO!!!!
Oh…HAAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!!!!!!!! Ow! My stomach hurts now! LOL!
ROTFLMAO!!!!!!
Thank you and good night.
OMG i think I pee’d myself when i read that.
I guess I should cut him some slack. He did invent the two handed double axel whirling chair toss.
I vote that Ampar is the funniest human on the planet.
Yeah, Fester was ugly, but I *always* thought Morticia was hot:
Repressed childhood sexual fantasies perhaps?
Are we sure he did not say “champignon of innovation” ?
Jim the IV: I humbly accept.
“I wish everybody would have to have an electric thing implanted in our heads that gave us a shock whenever we did something to disobey the President. Then somehow I get myself elected President.”
– Jack Handey
Wait. Didn’t that already happen?
As a show of good faith, Ballmer will unveil his latest idea. The Ballmer Mound. It’s basically a large mound of entrails, running chainsaws, ISV agreements, office furniture chunks, sweat, court orders, floppies, a few bits and bytes, and Bob.
Any questions?
Only a 2% stock drop?
and the company’s challenge to Apple Computer’s iPod, a new music player and online music service called Zune, scheduled to be launched this year,
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Wasn’t Longhorn scheduled to be released 2003?
It’s a misquote people. Ballmer is really MS’s PRIMATE champion of innovation.
And speaking of which, who let the monkey out again?
“New era” all right Ballmer. Everyone else calls it a death spiral.
MW: fall. How fitting.
BuriedCaesar. Of course. Real teachers know when there is a typo (or a fat finger moment as you call it) from real mistakes like not knowing alright all right.
I am amazed even you understood it, although so trivial to grasp for everybody else. So, how’s your school in Texas? Had Dan Quayle as well as honor student?
“Had Dan Quayle as well as honor student?”
What the heck does that mean?
It’s o.k. if you’re drunk. Most of these people are on something.
I was about to try deciphering that and then I realized. . . INNOVATION!
It’s begun!