“Microsoft CEO Steven Ballmer trumpeted the company’s new Surface tablet on Thursday, classifying the device as a twofer that — unlike some of its competitors — can be used both for work and entertainment,” Cadie Thompson reports for CNBC.
“While the tablet space is getting pretty crowded, Ballmer predicted that Windows 8 and the design of the Surface tablet will give Microsoft an edge over its competition,” Thompson reports. “‘I don’t think anyone has done a product that I see customers wanting,’ Ballmer said Thursday on CNBC’s ‘Squawk Box.'”
Read more in the full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: There have been five generations of Apple iPad models: the original, the iPad 2, the third-generation iPad, the fourth-generation iPad, and the iPad mini.
iPad sales have exceeded 100 million units since the product’s debut in April 2010.
91% of tablet-generated Web traffic comes from Apple’s iPad.
94% of the Fortune 500 is testing or deploying the iPad.
In stating, “I don’t think anyone has done a product that I see customers wanting,” Mr. Ballmer proves he’s either blind, delusional, a liar, or all three rolled up into one big, sweaty clown.
[Thanks to MacDailyNews Readers “Fred Mertz” and “Joe Architect” for the heads up.]
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Bullshit
Ehh, Ballmy is just a past-his-prime load of blubber who still deludes himself into thinking he can freeze the market with a word.
Sad.
He is either a complete buffoon, lives in a hollodeck world, surrounded by Yes Men, on and on and on….
No one takes Microsoft seriously these days, because no one takes Ballmer seriously.
That’s just Ballmer being Ballmer…
Apple iPad vs Window8 Surface Tablet
Today, Saturday, 10/27/2012 I went to Frys Electronics, the MSFT Store, and the Apple Store in Newport Beach, CA. It was quite an eye opener that bodes very well for the Apple iPad and other Apple products.
I spoke with people at Frys who said the “grand release of Win8 and Surface was flat”. I myself was one of only 3 people looking at the Win8 program on a laptop. I was not impressed.
I went to the MSFT store and the employees outnumbered the customers. The store looked like a Apple store clone. I looked at the Surface with the $120 keyboard(feels cheap) and found the whole thing not even close to an iPad with a Apple or Logitech Bluetooth keyboard. Most importantly; I noticed window shopping by patrons and no purchases during my time in the store.
Lastly I went to the Apple store and found the store VERY busy. I spoke with some people there who said the MBP 13” Retina Display was selling nicely. The other product lines are selling very well at some reduced price points. The pending iPad4, iPad-mini, and iMac desktop are generating a lot of questions and product buzz.
Bottom line; I am a lifelong Windows user who has been migrating to the Apple ecosystem for the last two years. I frankly was left unimpressed with Win8 and Surface. I will be keeping Win7 on my remaining Windows machines. I will keep my MAC mini. I will dump my Samsung phone and get the iPhone5. Additionally, I have already sold my iPad3, ordered my iPad4, iPad-mini, and will be gifting a iMac 21” to someone in November.
BIll, it is great to hear that your recent experience with Macs and iOS devices have been highly positive, especially in contrast to your recent tests of the latest version of Windows. Rest assured that you are not joining a “cult” of Mac – you are joining a group of people who elected to think for themselves and choose the computing environment that worked for them. The loyalty that Apple has gained from its users is a direct reflection of the focus that Apple has placed on improving the experiences of its customers and Apple’s willingness to take chances in forging ahead of the “me too” crowd of computer vendors. As long as Apple continues to do its best to serve me, I am willing to forgive Apple for occasionally failing to achieve its goals and to support Apple when things are not going as well as everyone would like.
You are part of a group of people who *care* about quality in computing and design and user experience. We expect things to “just work.” We expect insanely great products. And we choose our own paths – we are not “conformists” or “anti-conformists,” either group of which are sacrificing their own free will in a futile statement against the other.
Ballmer’s customers, up until the idiot released Surface RT, was the OEMs like HP, Dell and Asus.
In his little world, Ballmer really hasn’t seen a decent tablet from his OEM partners. Of course, the idiot must be including Surface RT. He hasn’t seen his customers wanting that either.
What a dickhead!
I think you are being unfair!
The reporter just left out the words “within Microsoft” from Balmers statement, which actually should have read ‘I don’t think anyone within Microsoft has done a product that I see customers wanting’,
which again makes perfect sense.
It is very gratifying to my need for revenge for all I have endured from Microsoft over the past 30 years to see men of this calibre at the helm. May Mr. Balmer have a long life and constant employment @ Microsoft.
He was talking about at his own stores.
Exactly. Steven needs to walk next door to the Apple Store.
Monkey boy strikes again.
He is a clueless idiot
He is clueless. That is why M$ will fail. You can’t argue his statement ‘I don’t think anyone has done a product that I see customers wanting,’ because of the “that I see”. So his vision is very bad, there were tablets long before Apple made the iPad, but not many people wanted them. There is the vision problem.
“. . .the design of the Surface tablet will give Microsoft an edge over its competition,”
Now remember, this is the same guy that thought people would like to “squirt” each other with a Zune player. Need I say more?
Just keep making floppy crap till you’re irrelevant MicroSloth. You’re awesome Balmy!
May Ballmy remain CEO for as long as it takes.
BallSweat Rules!
I’m glad he’s in that seat. At least there is no intelligent competition from Ballgirl. How’s that 1 inch thick iPad ripoff going for you, Microsoft! Laughable.
“Windows 8 my tablet”
He is obviously blind. The dumb-ass brings out a tablet that is behind the curve. If he hadn’t paid $100.00 each for people to show up at his event, the tablet would have been a flop. He’s not getting it. It’s call an ECO system. Apple has plenty more to offer down the road. Apple is just getting started with new technology for the 21st Century…,
I wonder if you only got the $100 if you bought one…
i’d take the $100 and walk over to an Apple Store and buy something with it 😉
Apple defined the ‘iPad’ market. The ‘Tablet’ market is an undefined, iPad wannabe market. So Balmey is indeed right; ther is no ‘Tablet’ anyone wants. Windows8 tablets will provide even better motivation to buy an Apple iPad.
BLmy as usual provided a good laugh for everyone. 🙂
To paraphrase Craig Ferguson’s commentary on the Zune, “Microsoft’s trying to break the iPad stranglehold on the iPad market.”
My laugh for Saturday, the clown is a moron who is living in a different reality. In this Idiots mind I should have wait about three year for his so call surface tablet instead buy all three version of my wonder iPad. The man a dumb ass I take a first generation iPad over his Surface tablet any day and twice on Saturday
There are lots of stupid and delusional fanbois who still think their toys are still hold magic.
really? REALLY?!
You certainly didn’t see any magic in the Microsoft environment, did you?
You’re right of course since you mean Android fanboi’s.
Aren’t his co-workers, family, dog dying of embarrassment?…,
Ballmer’s dog ran away.
With his wife.
I just don’t really get the Surface product. It seems designed to sit at a desk to use. It’s size makes it awkward to hold and use. If you wanted to sit at a desk and use it, why wouldn’t you want to just get a laptop?
… you might want to go easy on those attacks on Steve Ballmer. I’m not saying he is undeserving, we all know he is. But someone you will soon vote for has an even worse problem with – you decide if he is challenged more by truth or reality.
Yet … you still intend to vote for him. So … go easy. Or change your voting plan.
go away.
Hello the loonies are back
Awesome. I love this guy!
Maybe he meant OTHER than the iPad. At least I hope that’s what he meant.
Can someone please explain to me how Ballmer has managed to stay employed for this long? It truly is amazing. Is the entire MS board as dumb as he obviously is?
Simple if eh were sacked then everyone would have to look at Microsoft objectively and that would mean inevitable disaster for them after all he is Bill Gate’s chosen spawn and Billy Boy as we all know is sainted for inventing everything from the wheel to World peace. This way people still think this is purely a seasonal glitch and that there is no reason NOT to like their strategy a lot.
Shhhhh, don’t wake them up!
The Surface: finally a tablet you can do real work on. That’s the reason the ad shows all those people dancing and clicking, while the iPad ads show people doing useful stuff…
..for as long as it takes.
Ballmer is such a douche nozzle. Win 8 is going to fail big.
And Apple’s iPad “…doesn’t appeal to business customers because it doesn’t have a keyboard which makes it not a very good email machine…”
100 million must be a rounding error to him. I now see that he does have a reality distortion field but it distorts his reality not others around him. Idiot.
How can that fat f***k not be embarrassed to make statements that only a flaming idiot would believe?!
“used for both work and entertainment”, like an iPad. I run a small delivery business out of mine and the play games on it at home. When he says the surface will give an edge over the competition the edge is about ¾ of inch thick. It looks heavy. How much does the slab weight? Does any one know?
LMAO!
I decided to search for the weight.
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ee692038(v=Surface.10).aspx
I forgot they also used the Surface name for that big ass table…
then again when they list it at 196lbs.. it really doesn’t surprise me.
(Wiki says 1.5lbs)
I like Microsoft’s strategy. I like it a lot.
Gorilla Arms! We want Gorilla Arms!!
The people have spoken, Microsoft listens.
Thanks Steve ‘Monkey-Boy’ Ballmer!
(O so simian.)
But then again, Mr. Ballmer hasn’t been able to see his feet when he stands on the bathroom scales for some time. ..He once called Apple’s business a ’rounding error’. Ironic as he IS a ’rounded error’. ..
Delusional and ignorant. The primary characteristics of MS CEO.
Funny. I do more “real work” on my iPad (3) than the MacBook Air. A good display, Citrix, and iWork are all I need.
This from the same guy who laughed when asked if the iPhone would get any market share ?
Why does anyone take him seriously ?
And this guy is a CEO?
This is exactly the kind of mindset that will sink Microsoft, sooner than later. Please keep it up Steve O. Your doing a heck of a job!
How much acid did Ballmer do when he was rooming with Gates?
I assume Ballmer is including Surface in the list of products no one wants to buy?
What a fool. Last time I looked the iPad was selling quite well.
Keep living the dream Ballmer!
I ordered my iPad mini, 64g i black. How’s that Ballmy?
I have come to the realization that these comments of the past several days, by Ballmer and other MS representatives, are coming thru some sort of spatial rift from an alternate reality where Apple does not exist. There’s no other possible explanation.
These people clearly do not live in the same universe as the rest of us. 🙂
The RDF is working very well.
“Tablets, tablets, tablets, tablets, …” I can just see the sweaty clown romping around the stage now embarrassing everyone in sight. This statement is from the man who laughed about the iPhone’s future.
These statements are classic. I wish we had a video like the one he made stating that the iPhone was not going to do well because it didn’t have a keyboard. Nothing, and I mean nothing could have been further from the truth. The thing with reality is that we all perceive it from our own point of view, and Balmer’s view is so distorted by his ego, so much so, that he simply can not opine objectively about anything related to his company.
That’s funny. I don’t see Microsoft selling ANY tablets
Balmer reminds me of Biden.
I don’t see Microsoft selling any tablets that I want.
This “as long as it takes” mantra among Apple fans is now becoming a poison in our own bodies. It started as being fun, but it’s as fun as geriatrics who continue to take drugs for fun which are now destroying them. If Microsoft goes down the tube, Apple has proved it will keep its own focus, and will not listen to customers who don’t fit Apple’s focus. So it take half a decade to upgrade the design of Mac Pros; it does not offer non-reflective screens for desktop and external displays (the 75% less reflection of the Retina is off the mark). So he whom you call Monkeyboy, while a source of derision, is actually needed to keep Apple on its toes. And to the extent where your Monkeyboy isn’t keeping Apple on its toes, Apple just keeps on spewing out propaganda about how it makes great products – while ignoring important minority segments of the market. Apple is not interested in meeting the needs of minority segments of the market, such as graphic designers, photographers (who need, e.g. non-reflective desktop screens, Mac Pros) etc. Apple just wants to make money, and Apple thumbs its nose and middle finger at any minority market segment that will not bring in piles of money.
We support Ballmer, for as long as it takes!
I think to “Ballmer” should become a word or verb or whatever. Definition: to say something, anything, no matter how wrong or clueless, as long as it is bombastic and idiotic.
“Man, that guy totally Ballmered the presentation”.
Ballmer is the biggest mistake Microsoft has made. He is a joke in the techno world.
D – Clown.
“Ballmer on tablets: ‘I don’t think anyone has done a product that I see customers wanting.’”
Ballmer’s right. No one has made a TABLET that consumers want.
iPads on the other hand….
Three words: Reality Distortion Field.
If Ballmer is so seemingly bad, horrid, and awful, why then does Microsoft still tolerate him and not just relieve him of his position? I don’t understand how a multi-billion dollar company that makes sub-par products seemingly year-after-year — under the leadership of that individual — still allows that individual to be in charge. I don’t get it so could someone enlighten me? Thanks.
Two words: BILL GATES. Bill Gates is COB for Microsoft and its largest stakeholder with a 5.5% share of the company (Ballmer is 2nd with 4%).
Ballmer has Bill Gates strong support and as long as he has that, he will probably remain Microsoft’s CEO.
The MS revenue stream comes from corporate and government lockdown on MS systems. Until Apple or another company moves into the corporate space and threatens the revenue stream the rest is just playing at trying to be relevant. My work place still uses Office 2003 – which sort of tells you that most office automation has plateaued at getting rid of the typing pool and making workers do their own. I bet OA use beyond Word is less than 2%
Thanks. I always wondered about this so I appreciate the clarification.
Joe Biden should be the next Microsoft CEO
This new world where outright lying has become normal in business and politics is just wrong. We should, each of us, reject it outright. None of us should chose to support an outright liar.
“puttin’ on the ritz!”
This is what happens when you put a salesman in charge.
Except for their legacy marketshare, Ballmer and Microsoft are essentially irrelevant in today’s market.
Steve,
You don’t see anything because you have your head shoved up your backside.
I didn’t see this show but I wonder if anyone on that show challenged him on his rediculous assertion. There are such things as facts and there used to be something called journalism where clueless people would be called to account for statements that were so obviously false.
That headline was close… it was just missing this…: Ballmer on tablets: ‘I don’t think we have done a product that I see customers wanting from microsoft’
OMG – does bold Ballmer’s stupidity have no bottom?!
what an abyss he’s creating for himself.
consumers can’t trust his lies.
the media mocks him.
only the anal-ysts lick his balls/brownnose him.
he’s making such a fool of himself.
commit suicide Balmy, you’re too dumb to F’ yourself, your self, or others.
this guys has flopped everything he touched in 15-20 years.
he’s ruining msft. look at the stock.
yet he still proclaims to know better than apple?! apple is the only recession-proof co. and he chose to compete with apple, not the lesser firms?! stupid indeed.
Ballmer:
“I don’t think anyone has done a product that I see customers wanting…”
hm, ok: 1st, he doesn’t think, yes, right. he doesn’t.
2nd, iPad or iPod or iPhone or iMac is nothing people want yet they sell out within hours?! is Ballmer using his head or culo? is he smoking? is he using the Windows or zune calc?
3rd, look at AAPL vs MSFT stock + P/E + market cap.
says it all Ballmster : )
Ballmer:
“There is really a unique opportunity.”
wow. which?!
Surface will never surface beyond zune, Windows Mobile, and all other MS projects in over a decade that all failed miserably. the strongest msft product left is the OS, which have failed for the last 4 version + office, which has plenty of better alternatives now.
Surface won’t surface.
just as Windows is your window out to commit suicide from all the frustration.
Ballmer:
“What we’ve done with Windows 8 is really re-imagined Windows end to end”
wow again. ok, so they re-imagined but have not ‘re-smarted’ their devices?! hm. silly.
MS is so desperate, they even force themselves to mimic apple on all levels, not just products or services or os or packaging or marketing, but even slogans: the coined “PC Tablets”
whoa! wtf? they’re clinging on to the Pre-Post-PC era!
what fools!
what a dormant self-fucking volcano
Fan Boys –
He is 100% correct – if he excludes Apple products..
Microsoft Fanboys that is…see it can be greener on the other side..
Here ya go Monkey boy… need any more proof??? And Apple doesn’t have to pay people $100 to stand in line and buy one.
http://appleinsider.com/articles/12/10/27/black-and-slate-16gb-ipad-mini-sells-out-in-35-hours
OMFG.
And he doesn’t even have the excuse of being on drugs to make that statement.
The WOW continues.
You have proof that he’s not on drugs?
Well, I’ll throw out the alcohol drug as a possibility, he looks like he could be a “Scotch on the Rocks” or a “Manhattan” kind of guy. Just can’t picture Ballmer smoking a joint.
Answer, delusional.
If you play with one as I have (the keyboard isn’t as bad to type with as I thought it would be) you can make yourself believe that on the “Surface,” this is something that can succeed.
Does MSFT have a Board of Directors? Or does Balmer own enough stock to keep them shut up? Unless Bill Gates doesn’t care, or has sold his stock, I don’t understand how Ballmer keeps his job. I’m not really complaining … Well, that’s not entirely true…I have to use Windows (running on my MacBook Pro, of course) for a couple of applications, so I feel the right to bitch a little. They should hurry up and implode so that the apps I have to have Windows to run can be rewritten to run on something that, well, runs.
First part of the clause is obviously true “I don’t think”
Long life to Ballmer.
And they pay him HOW MUCH?
It just amazes me that Microsoft’s board hasn’t removed this guy yet. Nothing he has done has been successful.