Steve Ballmer talks 'three screens and a cloud' and more with TechCrunch
By Donald Melanson 
posted September 25th 2009 11:57AM
posted September 25th 2009 11:57AM
Steve Ballmer's talk at Microsoft's Venture Capital Summit yesterday may have only been open to a select few, but non-VCs can now get the next best thing courtesy of TechCruch, which got a chance to sit down with Ballmer following the event. In the wide-ranging interview, Ballmer discusses Microsoft's new "three screens and a cloud" strategy, which he describes as a "fundamental shift in the computing paradigm" (and can't help but compare to Three Men and a Baby), as well as Microsoft's "fun year" with things like Bing, Windows 7, and Project Natal, and Microsoft's future acquisition strategy (it'll probably buy about another 15 companies next year). Of particular note, Ballmer also went some way to dampen any talk of a Microsoft-banded phone, saying that while an Apple or RIM can "do just fine," Microsoft still thinks a software play is right for them in such a high volume market -- noting that, "when 1.3 billion phones a year are all smart, the software that's gonna be most popular in those phones is gonna be software that's sold by somebody who doesn't make their own phone." Head on past the break to see the whole thing for yourself.
@Templarian: "It could completely close, and they could easily take it back."
Easily? One of the hardest things to change is consumer habits and mindset. Ford ceded the top spot in the U.S. auto industry to GM waaay back in 20's or 30's. And it took 30 years of GM's bumbling and a near-catastrophic economic meltdown for Ford to take back number one. If that doesn't convince you, ask Yahoo about Google. Or Dell, Sony, Microsoft, HP, Samsung, Creative and Sansa about iPod. You might even ask Apple about Windows. It's even harder if you used to be dominant and fell behind, because you have the added stigma of your-product-must-be-really-crappy-if-you-couldn't-hold-on-to-the-top-spot.
Microsoft's job is even more difficult because after years and years of failed product launches and billions upon billions of shareholder's money poured down the drain, Microsoft's board hasn't expressed the least bit of dissatisfaction over the presiding CEO's performance. Seriously, after the string of failures, why is Ballmer not even in lukewarm (forget about hot) water? If this were GE or one of Warren Buffett's holdings, he'd have been gone a long time.
Then again, Ballmer has the best qualification to be Microsoft CEO: he was Gill Gates' college buddy.
If you try harder, you can make your douchey analytical comment even douchier.
@10minutehobo
Why do you say that? Christian is absolutely right. Don't let your bias in favor of MS blind you to the facts on the ground.
They should pretty much only worry about the enterprise anyway. That's where their strengths lie. Microsoft doesn't *need* to be a consumer mobile company that makes for phones for teenagers and soccer moms.
Watch out for his karate.
he seems like a nice guy.
until he gets excited
"Just freaking smoke a bowl and calm the eff down you bunch of whiners."
Spoken like a true Apple customer...
d-d-d-did he just mention people might use linux?! holy shit! hell just froze!
Are you all seriously arguing over whether engadget tried to make him look ugly or not in a freaking picture? Move on with your lives, there's probably more important stuff here.
and what the hell happened to my picture?
Did anybody else notice how he kept sniffling and rubbing his nose, maybe a little under the weather or a sign of something else...hmmm...
Clearly he's being held hostage and signaling his location using a propriety MS signaling system.
Seven Flu
Ragweed. Right now a lot of peoples allergies are like this.
Oh jesus, the effing engadget MS defense squad is out today. OMFG THEY PS'd Ballmer, wont somebody please think of the children.
You guys are a joke.
They do the same damn thing to jobs all the time. Just freaking smoke a bowl and calm the eff down you bunch of whiners.
Uh, no they dont.
Jobs is NEVER shown unless the photo has the following:
Jobs with serene, contemplative look.
Jobs with glowing Apple logo behind him, or with some huge icon or slide from his presentation.
Always shown in a wide shot so that he looks like some small figure who has just figured out the secret of the universe and is imparting that knowledge to us.
He is never shown awkwardly in mid-pose, never photoshopped, and never with horrible lighting, or blurred.
This same treatment is granted to all Apple executives.
If you can find an example of Engadget giving Jobs the same treatment, we would love to see an example.
The way I see it, everybody has a chance to change. It applies to everyone in this world. Ballmer might have screwed a lot of things up but Microsoft is a company with a lot of opportunities. Given their modal, if they choose the right direction we can see good competition.
Just saying, we're end users. We've got options. I say I'd love to see Microsoft provide fierce competition so that we actually get more options from the market. People like Ballmer and Jobs have tough responsibilities so don't hate them. Their still humans.
Peace.
@Look_Around_You:
Blurred: http://www.engadget.com/2007/02/08/steve-jobs-likes-to-repeat-himself/
Bad Lighting: http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/24/wsj-steve-jobs-pouring-almost-all-of-his-attention-into-an-ap/
Wii version of Steve in Wii Sport Boxing close to be knocked out: http://www.engadget.com/2008/05/28/ce-oh-no-he-didnt-part-lvi-dell-states-for-the-record-he-co/
Jobs Pasty: http://www.engadget.com/2008/01/28/steve-jobs-tells-apple-employees-and-investors-to-hang-in-there/
Want to admit your full of crap now?
Hey Ballmer, why not a global launch of ZuneHD?
Probably music licensing and such for their services. Could be other things, but that is probably the main one.
He's sitting and the interviewer is standing? What the hell? Project extrachair for next year?
He looks like he's rapping "awkward 80s whiteboy style"
@Cander:
Oh, that's very nice. None of them make him look remotely "bad".
Now search for Ballmer.
They even put his head on a freakin GORILLA.
Seriously. Everything I said still applies. The Cliffhanger image barely counts.
i never thought I would compliment Ballmer for saying something but I have to admit that making the claim that Microsoft is better off letting others build the phone hardware and they create the software is actually smart. well if they can pull off great software it is. and by focusing perhaps they can
What I don't get is why Microsoft (and Ballmer) sees the need for the company to be involved in every single area that is somehow related to technology.
They're an enterprise software and PC operating system company, and they do that well. Why are they also hell bent on being a consumer electronics company, an internet search engine, a seller of music and movies, and so on?
What's next a line of fast food restaurants? "Yes, I'd like to order a double Windows Burger with cheese, a side of Zune Onion Rings and X-Box Cola"
Or maybe an airline: Bing Airways.
I know if that I were a large investor in the company, all these unrelated side ventures that are money pits would have me tearing my hair out.
Well they have to get into every thing.. had they got into search earlier... n been better... google would probably not have enough money to invest in building a competing operating system... with time the markets have changed and they have to butt into other folks territory so that they dont get wiped out eventually...its nice that google n apple are butting into their territory.. this might ensure MS from re-imaging windows every year and selling the same stuff... internally windows 7 has been rewritten in .net.. but to the end-user its the same start->program thing...which is what we have been seeing since win 95
Is it me, or does Ballmer kind of sound like Super Dave?
Nail on head.
"we're going to need some midgets, an elephant, a transvestite and a really long ladder"
I agree with you Ballmer, an independent software on phones is the way to go... I also appreciate your endorsement of Android.
What about three chords and the truth? Did he talk about that at all?
I ain't sayin' she's a golddigger, but she ain't messin' with no broke
"You Down With O.P.P.? Yeah You Know Me! "
Welcome TechCrunch, I've been expecting you.
You no longer need those.
man Ballmer looks old !!! hope he dies soon !!!
just kidding
anyone remember a brilliant game company called Bungie? Ahhh, the good old days when they were independent,,,,
They are independent...hence why the new name is "Bungie, LLC."
They just have a current publishing contract with Microsoft, but they've discussed going to someone else after Reach is done.
To be honest, I find him rather interesting. He usually shares more info then most of the top secret agents at Microsoft.
glad theres no twitter acquisition, pheew!
Ballmer is good for Microsoft.
Gates was dragging the company down. Big time. His control of the 'technological vision' brought us Windows Vista, the rushed Xbox 360 launch, the HTPC, etc.
Ballmer? He's brought us Windows 7, Zune HD, Bing, a decent PR department, and more.
It's easy to see who wins...(hint: It's Ballmer.)
Shh....
That would jibe with the image of a bald sweaty fool that the morons here like to believe Steve Ballmer is.
"when 1.3 billion phones a year are all smart, the software that's gonna be most popular in those phones is gonna be software that's sold by somebody who doesn't make their own phone."
Well, that explains why it seems like they are deliberately handicapping the Zune OS and why the Zune HD seems more like a competitor to the ipod nano than the ipod touch when you actually play with them side by side.
Somebody should really fire this guy!
I think I see a typo...