“Microsoft Corp Chief Executive Steve Ballmer did not get his maximum bonus for the last fiscal year, despite notching the company’s highest ever sales, as he took a hit for missteps on phones and not moving fast enough to counter Apple Inc’s iPad,” Bill Rigby reports for Reuters.
MacDailyNews Take: Come on, how could Ballmer move Microsoft until Apple told him, “No, dummy, like this.” Seriously, with iPad, he only just saw what to do in January; it takes some time to analyze what Apple’s done, fail to properly understand it, design upside-down and backwards knockoffs with your captives… uh, partners, and then devise marketing schemes that attempt to part the morbidly gullible from their money. Give him a reasonable amount of time is all we ask.
Rigby continues, “Ballmer, 54, received a cash bonus of $670,000 for the fiscal year ended June 30, equal to his salary, but only half of the maximum bonus payout, according to a filing with securities regulators on Thursday. A discussion of Ballmer’s pay in the company’s annual proxy filing also referred to the ‘unsuccessful launch of the Kin phone, loss of market share in the company’s mobile phone business, and the need for the company to pursue innovations to take advantage of new form factors.'”
“Microsoft’s Kin — a feature phone aimed at teenagers — flopped this year and was dropped less than three months after launch with poor sales,” Rigby reports. “Its Windows mobile phone software has been losing share sharply over the last few years to Apple’s iPhone, Google Inc’s Android and Research in Motion Ltd’s BlackBerry.”
MacDailyNews Take: Anyone could see that Kin would be a failure. Anyone. (Anyone not named Rob Enderle or Paul Thurrott, of course.) That Ballmer couldn’t see it means that he should be… uh, Microsoft CEO for as long as it takes! Yeah, that’s the ticket
Rigby reports, “The company has also been in the spotlight for the lack of a quick response to Apple’s iPad — a revolution in what the industry calls “form factor” — which has sold more than 3 million since launching earlier this year. Ballmer said in July that slates and tablets running Windows would appear as soon as they are ready.”
MacDailyNews Take: More like as soon as Microsoft can throw together yet another half-asssed copy of Apple innovation. Thankfully, the public is much more tech savvy now than they were in 1995.
Full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: Rigby’s first nine words plus “it” will someday sum up Ballmer’s entire tenure as Microsoft CEO.
For as long as it takes.
For as long as it takes.
Steve the Emballmer, overseeing the funeral of Microsoft.
Steve the Emballmer, overseeing the funeral of Microsoft.
Jax44!
Whoops
Jax44!
Whoops
QUOTE: “Microsoft no longer issues stock options for employees, and at his own request, Ballmer gets no stock awards. “
“At his own request” – that says a lot about his faith in MS’ stock! He knows it’s in decline! LOL.
QUOTE: “Microsoft no longer issues stock options for employees, and at his own request, Ballmer gets no stock awards. “
“At his own request” – that says a lot about his faith in MS’ stock! He knows it’s in decline! LOL.
Ballmer is a great CEO! We, I mean MS, is lucky to have his leadership. As long as it takes!!!
Ballmer is a great CEO! We, I mean MS, is lucky to have his leadership. As long as it takes!!!
I am so sad to see this news… Poor Balmer is suffering, I mean, his bonus was only equal to his salary? Seriously, how can anyone live under those terms? I hereby suggest that we immediately start a new Balmer fund to raise the additional $670,000 he should have already been compensated. We wouldn’t want Balmer to be so mad at Microsoft that he would take his industry leading genius to some other company, like RIM or HP, now would we? By no means! Save Balmer! Let’s face it, Microsoft needs Balmer!
**clink** for as long as it takes!
I am so sad to see this news… Poor Balmer is suffering, I mean, his bonus was only equal to his salary? Seriously, how can anyone live under those terms? I hereby suggest that we immediately start a new Balmer fund to raise the additional $670,000 he should have already been compensated. We wouldn’t want Balmer to be so mad at Microsoft that he would take his industry leading genius to some other company, like RIM or HP, now would we? By no means! Save Balmer! Let’s face it, Microsoft needs Balmer!
**clink** for as long as it takes!
Ballmer has enough stashed away that any more or less really doesn’t motivate him any.
Creativity and inspiration is a gift. Some people have the gift their whole lives, some only when their young, others like Ballmer, not at all.
As one get older they get more insecure, and desire more and more control. Ballmer losing control to Google, that’s what motivates Ballmer to throw chairs and why Steve Jobs is going the route of closed hardware with the iPad/App Store.
Ballmer has enough stashed away that any more or less really doesn’t motivate him any.
Creativity and inspiration is a gift. Some people have the gift their whole lives, some only when their young, others like Ballmer, not at all.
As one get older they get more insecure, and desire more and more control. Ballmer losing control to Google, that’s what motivates Ballmer to throw chairs and why Steve Jobs is going the route of closed hardware with the iPad/App Store.
I think all Apple stockholders should take up a collection to make it up for him, just to keep him on board. I will chip in.
I think all Apple stockholders should take up a collection to make it up for him, just to keep him on board. I will chip in.
MS’s biggest problem is that it is trying to be too many things to too many sectors. It is a SOFTWARE technology company. It should eliminate all efforts to produce hardware of any sort. Go back to the basics and make better software, and perhaps folks will buy it, from single users to big corporations. It cannot do what Apple does – software and hardware, very few companies can.
MS’s biggest problem is that it is trying to be too many things to too many sectors. It is a SOFTWARE technology company. It should eliminate all efforts to produce hardware of any sort. Go back to the basics and make better software, and perhaps folks will buy it, from single users to big corporations. It cannot do what Apple does – software and hardware, very few companies can.
Steve Ballmer: wa wa wa (sob, sob, sob) I want my marbles back!
Steve Ballmer: wa wa wa (sob, sob, sob) I want my marbles back!
Does this mean Microsoft can claim Kin earned a revenue of $670,000?
Does this mean Microsoft can claim Kin earned a revenue of $670,000?
Personally I think Microsoft should just concentrate on making their mouse and trackball products. Only thing they’ve ever been half decent at.
Personally I think Microsoft should just concentrate on making their mouse and trackball products. Only thing they’ve ever been half decent at.
Not that I mind but…how does a guy like Balmer hang on to his job?