CE-Oh no he didn't! Part L: Ballmer says Android "just some words on paper"
By Joshua Topolsky 
posted November 8th 2007 12:43PM
posted November 8th 2007 12:43PM
You can't help but love Steve Ballmer. Besides being the ultra-rich, ultra-faithful CEO of Microsoft, you can always count on him to deliver some choice words -- especially if the competition is in the news. His latest efforts come in the wake of Google's Android announcement, a project which clearly stands to compete with Redmond's ubiquitous Windows Mobile platform. When asked what he thought of the forthcoming phone OS at a news conference in Tokyo, Ballmer noted that, "Their efforts are just some words on paper right now." Okay, let's be perfectly honest: that statement is true -- but don't you think that when a monolithic company like Google aligns itself with other giants such as Intel, T-Mobile, Samsung, and LG (amongst others), Microsoft might take it a little more seriously? Ballmer went on to say that, "They have a press release, we have many, many millions of customers, great software, many hardware devices and they're welcome in our world." Thanks for allowing Google into "your world" Steve, we're sure your subjects will appreciate it.
great software...???? win mobile 6 is freakishly crappy for being 6th gen item, I can add copious amounts to david pogge's comments in the NYT's yesterday....
And, activesync is stupidly dangerous garbage that thinks it's cool to delete all your contacts, calendar and notes off of your phone...
Go get 'em Stevie B... I bet you can ride Microsoft right into the trash bin if you have your way.
Ummm.... "Just words on paper" is the dumbest phrase i've ever heard. I guess the Bible, or The Communist Manifesto were just words on paper ever...
Since when does something "just" being words on paper in any way imply it's insignificant?
-Taylor
Oops, meant "words on paper too"
When the object isn't just a work of literature (however inspired it might be). You're trying to be clever, and it's just not working.
I think a better example might be an architectural plan. Just because the building isn't up yet doesn't mean the drawings are valueless garbage. In the beginning stages it is about what can be done, not what is done, and the idea can still be powerful. Sure, the actualized product is the cool part, but the "words on paper" are a big part of making things happen.
Those two books aren't such bad examples of getting big results out of simple words; they have both inspired several acts of war.
Isn't that the dude who has the Young Frankenstein role in Mel Brooks' new Broadway show?
Android is currently vaporware. While Balmer could have been more PC it doesn’t irk me for him to speak his piece. I’m sure MS has people watching the development and will act as necessary when they need to. The more competition we have the better off all consumers will be.
Remember we still don’t know how unlocked the carriers will allow this OS to be on their hardware/networks. When Android phones are selling as well as WinMobile or iPhones then there will be something to take interest of.
Isn't there an unwritten time until a product is considered vaporware? Like, more than a week?
You can't take an interest in something until it is doing at least as well as the competition? Perhaps you confused this with the Enstablished blog, which covers items at the peak of their life-cycle.
Up until a year ago I didn't know Steve Ballmer was the CEO of Microsoft, I though he was some kind of spokesperson. I was shocked and still am as to how this moron could lead a company.
Oh no, wait a second......George Bush Jnr running the country and Steve Ballmer running Microsoft.....we're all doomed!
trooph, sad trooph
Worse yet: Hillary Clinton running the most powerful country in the world and Steve Ballmer running one of the most powerful corporations in the world! THAT is a scary thought.
Well until you have something to look at, compare, touch, take apart - you have to treat this as just words right now. You can either wait till there is something and move forward based on this actual info - or you can jump to conclusions and waste time preparing for something that hasn't been released and you only know through hearsay what it actually is.
Any bad news for either camp is unwelcome when trying to determine a market leader. No matter which way your fan blows.
You have proved it's incredibly easy to illicit negative responses to words from MS by putting an unattractive picture and spin on a quote.
Well done!
Hey try something harder try and find a George Bush picture where he looks stupid and search for a quote that matches.
Wow more negative responses.
You are either conducting the saddest social experiment in the world or just terrible journalists. You choose.
John P Vista rocks and I know more about computers than you so I'm right, I’ll wrestle you to prove it. :P
Ok, computer question 1: What has John P Vista got to do with Android?
Let's face it - I have a Moto Q which replaced my Palm Treo 700p, and I can definitively say that MS doesn't have good software. Windows 95 ported to a mobile device on a slow ARM processor just doesn't work that well. That said, they have partnered with better hardware manufacturers such as HTC - the Palm OS is/was good, but the hardware was very unreliable.
The market is aching for alternatives, this is why the iPhone got so much early adoption even though it's lacking features in some key areas.
If the Google platform runs well on good hardware, MS will have a big problem on their hands IMNSHO.
Just fyi, but it's extremely hard to read the post with balmer's pic next to it....
So basically engadget is ragging on this guy for calling a spade a spade. At this stage it's still vaporware until there's a product/SDK.
Simon
@ Chris
You may want to consider that one factor delaying the adoption of Vista is that for most people XP works really well and (Mac fanboys cover your sensitive ears) is very stable.
You might also want to consider that one factor that the adoption of Leopard surpassed expectations, and had been getting great reviews, is that for most Mac users ... Tiger works really well?
@Simon:
That's a fair comment.
As both a Windows and Mac user for many years, I have no problem in saying that XP in it's current form is one of the best things Microsoft have put together.
Vista on the other hand is a buggy, bloated, over-rated POS which doesn't even fulfil its first criteria - be a stable Operating System from which to run your software from.
As for releasing all it's "2008" software at the same time - that'll be interesting to watch - they've barely got all the "2005" suite working properly yet!
I personally can't wait until Google et al start to play ball properly, and *really* put the frighteners on Microsoft.
Apple seem to be getting to a bit of a crossroads as the business is growing ever more successful, if they're not careful they could end tarnishing the image they've spent the past few years building up.
Interesting times ahead..
Google was just "words on paper" at one point, too...
PS: Damn I love that picture!
I'm pretty sure that it was an actual website by the time that anyone actually heard about it.
Umm I don't really get why this is a CE-Oh no he didn't. What Ballmer said is true, we haven't seen what it looks like or what it can do. In fact all he seemed to say is that so far nobody's seen it so he can't judge right now but that he welcomes google into the business. I'm somewhat baffled that you guys didn't catch that, engadget.
Ballmer welcomes words on paper...
Ballmer picks rock instead of scissors...
and his kids still don't get to play Wii...
Micro$oft decides to make some words on paper to counterattack words on paper...
shows video of M$ Surface next to zune
announces xbox 360 controller compatibility with zune {it will happen}
Micro$oft mistakes Gmail-Paper as real, creates HotPaper.
http://www.roughlydrafted.com/RD/RDM.Tech.Q1.07/50755EA6-A759-42FD-84ED-EBB5A060AF16.html
Oh ho, I get it, you replaced the "S" in Microsoft with a dollar sign! It's funny, because they're a corporation and like money! Do you mind if I use that one sometime?
(; OK john
keep those comments coming.
Microsoft doesn't exactly control the mobile market they seem to dip their feet into everything so they can keep a shield around their core profit business.
I've seen lots of working models from Microsoft that have turned into vaporware: still waiting for the next cool thing that Microsoft uses to misdirect attention.
in then end it's just as Ballmer says:
MARKETING, MARKETING, MARKETING!!!
to bad Ballmer is PUG UGLY
And.. windows mobile is just icons on a cheap lcd screen. show me the money, ballface.
ugh balmer shut up!
this is why i've never paid for an install of windows.... :P
Surely doesn't everything just start off with words on paper...?
Please stop using that grotesque picture. I want to vomit.