The Mercury News’ Dean Takahashi spoke with Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates after his keynote speech at the Consumer Electronics Show earlier this month in Las Vegas. Gates talked a bit about Apple:
Takahashi: What do you think of iTV [Apple TV] and what Steve Jobs is saying?
Gates: I think it’s important to recognize that what you used to think of as consumer electronics has changed a lot. A company like Microsoft or a company like Apple may have some of the more interesting skill sets for delivering connected experiences. Jobs — I remember at a conference he was talking about how he didn’t like going into markets where he had to go through somebody else’s orifice. That’s how he described the broadband companies, cable companies and phone companies and things like that. We love those guys.
MacDailyNews Take: Jobs did describe them as orifices, but only because that is an inherent characteristic of such companies. “Broadband companies, cable companies and phone companies and things like that” are tax collectors, constantly overcharging for products and services while stifling innovation. No wonder Microsoft loves them; they’re exactly like them. Microsoft partners so well: just ask their many “PlaysForSure partners” – they’ll tell you all about Microsoft’s “love.”
Takahashi: There wasn’t much mention of Zune (iPod rival media player) today. We keep expecting the next Zune device, like the 60-gigabyte version or something else.
Gates: Zune deserves an event of its own. We clearly don’t have any new model. We just introduced the product three months ago. It’s doing well. We knew what we wanted. Just like the first-generation Xbox, we wanted to get on the learning curve. We wanted to get credibility. We wanted to have a reputation of doing something innovative and something that we could upgrade over time because of the large screen and the WiFi. We feel great about Zune.
MacDailyNews Take: Zune certainly does deserve some kind of an event of its own. Microsoft clearly doesn’t have any new model – device or business – that much is sure. If Microsoft’s goal for Zune was credibility, they failed miserably. And Microsoft definitely has cemented some kind of reputation for Zune that has nothing to do with innovation and everything to do with mediocrity and limitations; par for the Microsoft course. If Gates’ feels great about Zune, he’s woefully and irrecoverably out of touch.
Full interview here.
[Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader “Bizarro Ballmer” for the heads up.]
I read that they were planning on getting a new zune out by the end of the year. Even if it was the best thing since sliced bread (and we all know how unlikely that is), they need it now. They’re playing catch up and need to regularly improve the product and the service. They need to actively outdo apple, not go slower than them with an already lesser product.
“We wanted to have a reputation of doing something innovative…”
No worries, you DON’T!!!
And 48 hours later his comment about Zune’s big screen was history…
Microsoft are shite, in the shite, dealing shite, made of shite, eating shite, selling shite, and generally pretty bloody bad.
BUT don’t underestimate the stupidity of the masses.
MDN’s take: priceless.
Give Ballmer some ex-lax and you will have your new Zune sooner than later….but only in one color.
And Ballmer is rarely at home. He’s constantly working late at the orifice.
“IT’S NOT BROWN ENOUGH ! !”
… so congrats if you bought a Zune, you’re ‘on the learning curve’ with microsoft-
The event they are looking for is a funeral with an open casket viewing of its sludge and seaweed carcass.
Urrrr… After reading this post and the responses I’m certain that there are just children on this site.
Come on…what do you expect him to say? “My products suck?”
It makes sense to bust on Gates for everything that’s wrong with him, but kicking him just because he’s trying to give optimistic answers to a bunch of leading questions about his competition is silly.
Cheerleading his company is the least he can do. But we can’t fault him for it.
@”grow up”: welcome to the Internet.
Big Bad Bill wants an event just for the Zune? How about a funeral?
I’ve been playing a game called “See When the Zune Drops Completely Out of the Sunday Best Buy Circular.” Two days ago, I won the game.
@grow up….What? You don’t like poop jokes? Where is your stench of humor?
They need an event all right…. a wake.
I have a question in all seriousness? If Microsoft didn’t have another company’s business model to copy, what would they do?
From what I know of Microsoft, they have never innovated of invented anything in the computer industry. Am I correct in this statement?
OS?
Word Procesor?
Spread Sheet?
MP3 Player?
Video console?
Mouse?
Keyboard?
Has Microsoft ever invented, innovated or introduce something new to the computer marketplace?
@me
Yes….vaporware
Gates and Ballmer are asked so many questions about Apple that they are now briefed beforehand and they already have a set phrase to say about Apple when asked. It is so obvious.
Q What did you think about the efficiency with which you designed Windows Vista?
Bill: Best $6 billion I ever spent.
OMFG! LMAO! HOLY SHEMUGGLEMUFFIN!
Microsoft is slow and clumsy, but they have lots of money to waste trying out new products and slowly wiping out the competition.
Look at Xbox – doomed as failure from day one, but now it is fairly successful and has lots of users.
There will be two players in the MP3 market; Apple and Zune. Apple has so much market share it has the problem of only going down; Zune is the opposite. Don´t underestimate the power of lots of cash to buy market share.
Apple says it will be happy with 1% of the phone market; why can´t Microsoft be happy with 1%, 5% or 10% of the MP3 market.
(And don´t forget apple lost market share in the computer market in the last quarter. Why aren´t people screaming about that?)
The sad thing is the media. The media likes to hype
clashes of giants.
ie. yankees vs redsox, Apple vs MS, Trump vs Rosie
This habit will guarantee MS always gets free Zune media coverage up the ying yang. MS can and will continue to make crap but newspapers find it necessary to report on said MicroCrap.
I have used Charter Cable, Dish, and Direct TV. I love absolutely nothing about those guys and Billy does love them because he is orifice sharing revenue with them.
“I’m certain that there are just children on this site.”
Why do you hate children? Did your childhood suck?
Y’know, I never get tired of Crusty Fools® wishing every thread was written specifically in the tone and objective of his or her desire. What’s even more funny is a Crusty Fool® getting really angry and whining here like some editorial god who fantasizes about smiting foes with bitter words and condemnation.
Grow up, indeed.
Me –
“Has Microsoft ever invented, innovated or introduce something new to the computer marketplace?”
Yes. One thing. Microsoft Bob.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microsoft_Bob
A redressed Toshiba Gigabeat = Microsoft “innovation”