“A senior Microsoft Corp. executive who oversaw the launch of its Zune digital music player plans to leave the company, the world’s largest software maker said on Wednesday,” Reuters reports.
“Bryan Lee, corporate vice president at Microsoft’s entertainment and devices division, … is a key deputy of Robbie Bach, head of Microsoft’s entertainment and device division. J Allard, a rising star within Microsoft and one of the early Xbox leaders, will now take full responsibility for the Zune business,” Reuters reports.
Reuters reports, “Lee plans to leave the company in the next several weeks to pursue personal interests, Microsoft said.”
Full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: Buh-bye, Bryan. Excellent work. By the way, Microsoft’s J Allard has 9 iPods and uses an Apple Mac.
[Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader “MrKruser” for the heads up.]
Related articles:
Report: Microsoft Zune screens cracking from overheating battery pressure – January 31, 2007
Last quarter: Microsoft lost $289 million on Zune, CE devices – January 26, 2007
RealMoney’s Comeau predicts: ‘Microsoft will kill the first Zune media player by midyear’ – December 16, 2006
Desperation time? Microsoft Zune already being discounted by retailers – December 13, 2006
Microsoft Zune plummets to 5th place in U.S. digital media player market share with 2.1 percent – December 04, 2006
Analysts: Microsoft needs to ‘rethink’ as interest in Zune fades fast – December 01, 2006
Microsoft’s Steve Jobs-wannabe J Allard has 9 iPods and uses an Apple Mac – November 28, 2006
Amazon’s bestselling MP3 players list chronicles Microsoft Zune dud – November 20, 2006
Did MDN report on Michael Dell’s return? I figured they’d be all over it.
Former Mac User, you forgot to end your post with “Your Potential. Our Passion.”
That’s right, I know it’s you.
@ FMU: I definately think that Apple will become a portable media company as well, BUT, the fact the Vista copied OS X SO much, says something. It says their SCARED SHITLESS. And guess what, who cares, Apple may not even be the one to end M$’s era….but SOMEONE will. The seeds are already sown. With all the fruitless $$$ I poured into M$, I so hope they crash and burn. I feel like they have kept the industry back and they deserve what they get.
One down, and what? Three, four thousand incompetent middle managers to go?
Apple has some incompetent managers too, but they actually stand out since they’re rather rare.
-jcr
“Goodbye from Seattle”
Apple may not even be the one to end M$’s era….but SOMEONE will. The seeds are already sown. With all the fruitless $$$ I poured into M$, I so hope they crash and burn. I feel like they have kept the industry back and they deserve what they get.
You’re going to be waiting a loooonnnng time, baby! Microsoft is at the top of the heap in the eighth-annual Wall Street Journal ranking of the world’s best and worst corporate reputations. In this year’s Corporate Reputation Survey, which evaluates the publics perception of a company, the winners for being the most reputable on earth are, in order:
* Microsoft (the most reputable)
* Johnson & Johnson
* Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing (3M Corporation)
Apple didn’t even make it into the top 10.
Only rabid Macheads waste their time spouting anti-Microsoft drivel like they’re going to change the world or something.
Poor fracks……..
Re: WSJ Reputation Survey
Just to finish the sentence, the WSJ itself and most outside assessments of the survey have indicated that Microsoft’s high ranking was influenced in significant measure by Bill and Melinda Gates’ personal philanthropy.
For most people, social responsibility counts for a lot more than it has in the past, and Gates’ commendible redistribution of his own wealth is identified in people’s minds with MS.
Apple was 22nd on the survey, up from 27th, one of the top climbers in the survey. Here’s what the WSJ said about Apple.
“Apple Inc. continued to climb in the ranking, jumping five places to No. 22, with particularly strong gains in its scores for financial performance, and vision and leadership.”
Not commenting, but didn’t want FMU’s selective take on corporate reputations left incomplete.
damacles, this isn’t a rat deserting the sinking ship, this guy got tossed overboard. They canned his ass.
-jcr
Apple was 22nd on the survey, up from 27th, one of the top climbers in the survey.
Say what? Only 22nd place? And we know big phrases like “top climbers”! Ooooh! I’m impressed. And Apple jumped five places!
Buy hey, Microsoft, the main topic of this forum, jumped seven places to #1 and that’s what really counts. All the excuses and Microsoft bashing on this forum aren’t going to change it. Nor is it going to change the fact that Apple never even made it into the top 10.
The fact is, you can walk down the street and take a random survey asking people about “Apple” or the “Mac” and better than 80% of the people surveyed will ask, “Apple? Do they even make those anymore?”
–better than 80% of the people surveyed will ask, “Apple? Do they even make those anymore?”–
and most of them voted for George Dubya–twice…
To: Bryan Lee:
Welcome to the social!
Or maybe he’s going to scour the earth for someone to squirt a song to.
Zune Tang, you are a legend matey.
“got Zune off to a fantastic start”
Define “fantastic”. I heard you say that where you are, Zune has 50% of the market already. But apart from you, your Mum and your cow, is there anyone else in your idaho hideaway? And, anyway, I heard your Mum has a Dell Ditty… Now there’s a fabulous innovative iPod-beating product if ever there was one. Gee, you were ahead of the pack in spotting that one weren’t you… and SUCH a catchy name too. Dell Ditty – really rolls off the tongue doesn’t it.
“Apple on the run”
…all the way to the bank eh Mr Tang? …all the way to $1Billion in profit last quarter. …all the way to 76% market share.
“Allard is a true visionary unlike that moron Jobs”
well, thats doubtful. Allard is at microsoft. Bill gates thinks parental controls and gadgets are innovative and visionary. Steve Jobs probably thought that too back when Apple put them in OS/X…
” the stale iPod is losing chunks of market share to Zune”
define “chunks”. I mean, just because your Mum’s brother bought a Zune doesn’t mean anyone else will. Anyway, he only bought a Zune because his cow ate his iPod. And your Mum told me you talked him into it and he’s not that pleased with it. Apparently his cow isn’t all that pleased either. The squirting thing doesn’t do it for either of them apparently…
“Your vaporware iPhone is dead in the water”
actually, i think the iPhone might have a wriggle or two left in it… the financial guys on wall street certainly think so.
“Vista blows the doors off OS X in innovation, stability and security”
well now, you have legions of fans who would agree with you. Not counting the cow and your Mum of course, there were all those billions of pople waiting to buy Vista all over the world.
though i am not sure i agree with you on the innovation bit. bill does. but im not much into parental controls. i dont use it on my powerbook (no kids). the gadgets bit looks pretty neat, though i think they spelled it wrong – on my mac its spelled “widgets”. can that be right?
and im not sure i agree with you on the security bit either. i think I can still hear the pig oinking underneath the lipstick. Ask your cow.
…though i have to say, the lipstick is quite a nice shade.
and thank you for the “welcome to the social” bit. thats very nice of you. will you take a raincheck on that?
Oh, ZT… I missed something important in your post.
ZT: “Allard is a true visionary”
MDN: “By the way, Microsoft’s J Allard has 9 iPods and uses an Apple Mac”
Look ZT. Do yourself a favour. You need to SHOW not TELL. Load the cow in the truck, and your Mum. Drive the 99,900 miles from your rural retreat to the nearest Apple store and show everyone there just how fabulous your squirty zune and lipsticky Vista really are. And if you are feeling really provocative, get your Mum to bring along her Dell Ditty. Now that will show them a thing or two eh ZT? Oh and if you take the cow, I think she could probably do with a bit of lippy if she is going to be on show in the big smoke…
…Or, now here’s an idea! How about, instead of taking the cow you take your brother/nephew/grandson’s pig. Leave the lipstick off and the pig could be DOS. Put the lipstick on and, voila, Vista! Oh that’s so clever! I’m full of ideas. I could be a visionary too – Just like Mr Allard. I don’t have 9 iPods though. And, hey, I bet Mr Allard doesn’t have a Dell Ditty… You could be in with a chance for a job down there if you play your cards right. Being such a visionary yourself and all…
Oh ZT I can see you really have us poor Apple fanboys on the hop now dont you… I think it was the Dell Ditty that really did it for me you know. When you mentioned your Dell Ditty it was instantly clear what a truly visionary talent you have for picking market winners…
ps: you really are beeblebrox arent you… or maybe his brother? or his brother and his uncle and his grandfather perhaps? i know what its like in those little rural backwaters – everyone is related to everyone… can i ask you a personal question? do you share your cow?
I can imagine Allard whispering in Bill Gates’ ear and pointing at his boss since the the failure of Zune. We’ll enjoy watching Allard crash and burn too..
As for “Former Mac User” – (there’s a lie for a start?) what can one say? If your company was making the mistakes that Microsoft is, you’d be pretty sore and muddled in the head too.
So he crashes in here to tell us the ONE AND ONLY piece of positive Microsoft news there has been in 4 years..
The fact is that it is no surprise that MS heads the list, when you think of money making, there is no-one like MS. If the people polled knew more about it than that one simple fact, they would put MS at 50th position.
hey ZT,
you won´t have nothing new on zune trademark after 5 years ou even 10,because a software company don´t make hardware,that logical for us that the zune is a toshiba rebaged and u can see that very well.
I bet the first thing he does when he gets home is throw out all his old Microsoft crap and then heads straight for his nearest Apple Store to buy his new Mac.
I apologise for my comments earlier.
My crack supplier was late with my daily delivery today.
Once again I apologise to everyone.
Welcome the the mac social.
Here the nice ad for zune
http://www.metacafe.com/watch/403519/welcome_to_the_so_so/
We’re going to catch all the market for us
“Microsoft’s Entertainment Devices division posted a $289,000,000 loss this year, as revealed earlier this week.”
http://www.gamesindustry.biz/content_page.php?aid=22385
yep, they’ll kill the iPod at this rate.
Will the rest of the team quit any time “zune”?
You know, if the world’s richest company wasn’t at the top of the list, there would be a lot of people panicking, so, Apple climbing the charts is not too shabby.