The GigaOM Network: Cleantech | Tech Insider | Gadget Gurus | Online Video | Open Source | Web Life | Research | Live Events | About | Contact

Microsoft Takes My Advice (Mostly)

Written on July 10, 2009 by Tom Reestman and 30 people have commented

When writing about Microsoft’s previous Laptop Hunters ad, I made the following plea:
So, Microsoft, I’m begging you to bring back Lauren #1. Give her the same $1,000 budget so she can easily rule out a Mac
In its newest ad, the company did reduce the budget (to $700), and I think this tack is its best [...]

Windows 7 Pricing vs. Mac OS X: Why Even Go There?

Written on July 03, 2009 by Tom Reestman and 49 people have commented

Windows 7 pricing was made official not long ago, and the general consensus is that, despite a slight drop in Home Premium pricing compared to Vista, it’s too expensive.
Still, there are some in the Microsoft community that try to justify it by comparing it to Apple’s pricing for Mac OS X. Microsoft can never win [...]

Macs in the Enterprise: A Firsthand Tale

Written on June 30, 2009 by Mark Crump and 37 people have commented

While I live and play in the land of Apple, where rainbow-farting unicorns frolic in the meadows, I work in a Windows world. While being a card-carrying member of the International Brotherhood of Apple Pundits dictates otherwise, I don’t view Microsoft as the Great Satan; a computer is but a tool to do a job. [...]

To Morro: A Microsoft Musical

Written on June 11, 2009 by Tom Reestman and 30 people have commented

Microsoft’s free antivirus software, Morro, will soon be in beta testing — a free cure for one of the Windows world’s greatest sicknesses. And you know it’s gotta be good, because who better to close those doors than the company that opened them in the first place?
We should all practice safe computing, so as a [...]

Microsoft Announces Zune HD: So What?

Written on May 27, 2009 by Liam Cassidy and 23 people have commented

Your first question might be, “Isn’t Zune dead already?” Or you might be wondering, “Why does Microsoft bother?” You might even be asking why there’s a report about Zune on TheAppleBlog.
Well, first the news. CNET’s Ina Fried reported yesterday that Microsoft has confirmed its long-rumored plans to launch an HD version of its portable music [...]

Microsoft Ads Winning Over More Consumers Than Apple’s

Written on May 22, 2009 by Liam Cassidy and 35 people have commented

Apple’s fantastically effective “Get a Mac” commercials have entertained us for years now, and they just get better and better. Microsoft has been slow to respond, and when it did start to hit back, it first did so with the amusing-but-confusing Seinfeld commercials. Then the “I’m a PC” campaign started, and today we’re seeing ads [...]

Laptop Hunters: No, Not THAT Lauren, The OTHER One!

Written on May 18, 2009 by Tom Reestman and 18 people have commented

Another Laptop Hunter ad is upon us, and with five of these babies under our belt it’s time to step back and see what, if anything, works, and what doesn’t.
It’s not hard to see the predicament Microsoft is in. It wants to push Windows machines yet is hamstrung by the following:

It can’t sell the operating [...]

Microsoft Jumps the Shark, But Gets a Lamborghini Gallardo SE for Only $700

Written on May 12, 2009 by Tom Reestman and 37 people have commented

Microsoft has lost its marbles regarding this whole “Apple is expensive” thing, which is clear with their latest “ad.” So far, they’ve only been running this ad online, which makes me wonder if even they know they’ve jumped the shark with this meme.
Their latest shot is a video with “certified financial adviser” Wes Moss. Wes [...]

Windows 7 RC: Reality Check Edition

Written on May 07, 2009 by Tom Reestman and 57 people have commented

Yes, I know “RC” designates Windows 7 as a Release Candidate, but a better designation would be Reality Check.
Windows 7 is an improvement over a very bad Vista, OK? Big deal. Let’s not pretend it’s more than that. The signal-to-noise ratio from some quarters is getting ridiculous.
Let’s look at the reality check:

Did they address that [...]

Quickoffice: Finally, Word Document Editing Comes to Your iPhone

Written on April 21, 2009 by Darrell Etherington and 9 people have commented

I’ve been waiting for the ability to edit Word documents on the iPhone since the day I got one. Why? Because I’m a dreamer, and my dream is someday not having to lug around a laptop of any size while I’m traveling, or just out and about in the city.
My iPhone has become a big [...]

Microsoft Longs For the Golden Age of FUD

Written on April 14, 2009 by Tom Reestman and 17 people have commented

So I’ve been unwinding in Vegas the last week (yeah, I know, “unwinding” and “Vegas” do not belong in the same sentence). Now I’m back catching up on my news feeds only to see that Microsoft has attempted a return to the good ol’ days.
The Way They Were
Back in those good ol’ days, Microsoft pretty [...]

Dear Giampaulo (and Microsoft): You Had $1,500 and Blew It

Written on April 06, 2009 by Tom Reestman and 41 people have commented

The latest Laptop Hunter ad is out, and it went where it had no business going. The first ad featured Lauren, and setting aside that she was cute, the best thing about her was that she was enthusiastic and a non-techie. Her purchase was as much emotional as anything else. While I’d disagree with that [...]

Quickword App Submitted for Apple’s Consideration, Can Edit Word Docs

Written on April 03, 2009 by Darrell Etherington and No one has commented

A lot of apps have been promising to bring Microsoft document editing capabilities to the iPhone, like DocumentsToGo, which enjoyed prominence on the Palm OS, and continues to be a popular choice for BlackBerry users. But now it looks like Quickoffice might be the first app out the door, though it all hinges on Apple [...]

The “Macs Are Too Expensive” Debate: It’s Ultimately Futile

Written on April 01, 2009 by Charles Moore and 45 people have commented

Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer set the proverbial cat among the pigeons last week with his contention at the McGraw-Hill Companies’ Media Summit in New York that Mac buyers pay a $500 price premium for merely a designer logo.
“Apple gained about one point, but now I think the tide has really turned back the other direction,” [...]

Another Harebrained Microsoft Ad: Lauren and Her Quest

Written on March 27, 2009 by Tom Reestman and 71 people have commented

Have you seen the ad yet? Lauren only has to find a laptop computer with a 17-inch screen for under a grand and she gets to keep it.
Lauren is a redhead. Long, thick, curly, lovely red hair. Did I mention redheads rule? Well, they do. Curse you, Microsoft, for using Lauren in this ad. Her [...]

Netbooks to Become the New OS Battleground

Written on March 10, 2009 by Darrell Etherington and 22 people have commented

Microsoft has already experienced the power the netbook has to open up operating system options for PC consumers, since it saw Linux distributions being included as the default operating system on consumer-oriented machines for the first time with the advent of the small, affordable, feature-light machines. They’ve since managed to gain a foothold in the [...]

Microsoft Finally Found a Group They Can Impress

Written on February 17, 2009 by Tom Reestman and 13 people have commented

 
Joe Wilcox has an article on Microsoft Watch about Microsoft’s new ads with kids. The series is called The Rookies, and there’s a second spot up.
Joe is less impressed with the second spot than the first, but goes on to explain how these ads have potential, Microsoft needs more of them (I’m sure more are [...]

Microsoft Unveils WinMo 6.5, My Phone, and Marketplace

Written on February 17, 2009 by Darrell Etherington and 4 people have commented

Microsoft tried to generate a bit of buzz yesterday with a press event in Barcelona at which they unveiled three new technologies which are designed to help enhance their mobile customers’ experience. Enhance how, you ask? By getting them as close as possible to owning an iPhone, even though they still just have some Windows [...]

Weekly App Store Roundup: Feb, 14th. 2009

Written on February 14, 2009 by Olly Farshi and 6 people have commented

Get your spoon and prepare to swallow a whole tub of awesome because we’ve got the freshest picks from the App Store to stuff in your mouth.
Before we get in to the latest releases, I’ve got a couple of interesting picks from the week’s Apple news.
First big thing, file sharing has been activated for MobileMe. [...]

Microsoft Retail Stores: No Challenger to Apple

Written on February 13, 2009 by Darrell Etherington and 15 people have commented

Taking charge of your own retail distribution is a questionable move even in the best of times, but it looks like Microsoft is bent on opening up another battleground between themselves and Apple, and that’s where they want to do it.
It’s a gutsy move on Microsoft’s part, and it’s hard not to offer up some [...]