We just got off stage with Steve Ballmer, where we garnered a blistering 40 minutes of wild conversation with the man, touching on all things Microsoft. Of course, Windows 7 was at the forefront of talking points, be we also got Ballmer chatting up that
Courier vid, and the lack of Zune integration on Windows Mobile. For the former he swears he hasn't actually seen it, but that it sounds like it's something someone should make, while for Zune he says Windows Mobile is going to get integration in the next release -- which is a comforting thought, if perhaps a bit late. Of course there's plenty more to what he said, and we'll have an HD version of the whole show up tomorrow so you can sit back and take it all in if you
missed the live shindig.
Update: We've uploaded a gallery of photos courtesy of our good friend and podcast producer, Trent Wolbe. Check 'em out!
posted October 22nd 2009 6:51PM
@giuliop
I've "worked" with Microsoft products for 17 years and although Office 07 is a love it or hate it proposition, 2007 and now Windows 7 are easily the best versions of both in their history. My local school district obviously saw some value in 2007 and upgraded to it last year (about 1000 computers) and after you get used to the different format, options are usually two clicks away instead of being buried under menus and submenus and tabs and Advanced buttons.
Most of my business customers have upgrading as well, why stick around with old technology?
Ya, when was the last time they came out with a product that excited anyone? *rolls eyes*
And the sad thing is that he likely copied that diatribe from the 100000 other iTards that keep posting it like they are being original.
can anyone that was at the live taping tell me if I missed anything after bit shifter's last performance b/c i left while they were playing...
Yea you're right- Office 2007, Windows7, ZuneHD, Project Natal, Winmo7 are all abject failures. How does Microsoft even stay afloat?
It takes a real brain-washed fanboi to be excited at a product that barely fixes the obscenities of the worst operating system they've ever done.
Extra small edition please! Can't wait.
@cocoviper
Of the five things you mentioned, two aren't even out, the other two have just been launched and the fifth (Office 2007) is a laugh. Pretty thin to stay afloat on, I'd say.
Cocoviper: natal and winmo7 aren't out yet, and ZuneHD is good but a failure, and a ton of people hate office 07, I've never upgraded, oh and I like win7, as far as windows goes, but it may fail.
@giulop: sigh.
Vista was a fine operating system. It's main problems were PR and HDD grinding. Everything else was pretty much fantastic. They made some deep changes to the backend which required 3rd party manufacturers to create new drivers and get off their asses, and this caused alot of negative hype. The OS as it is today (which is pretty much as it was when it came out) is fine and great.
Office 2007 is fantastic. It is so immeasurably better than Office 2003 that I'm completely baffled by your statement. I can only assume you've never had to use it. Maybe if you go to college some day or grad school, or get a job, you'll find out just how awesome 2007 really is, and just how incredibly ubiquitous it is; it is EVERYWHERE. Saying Office "isn't much to stay afloat on" is just hardcore ignorance.
Windows 7 is getting worldwide acclaim. What more do you want? It's hardly "just been released", as many of us have been using it for months and months. Besides, projects that are just being launched have most likely had the most Ballmer influence, so if anything, those should be more indicative of his reign.
no windows schwag :[
*facepalm*
Really?
The live comment chat was freaking hilarious
I got banned though
What exactly has this got to do with engadget talking to ballmer about a video and a zune app?
if mac's werent as important and good as they are, you all mofos woudnt be shouting about how BAAAD macs are, how overpriiiiced macs are, how windows are beeetter. look - apple makes profits and people buy them more and more, so shut the fck up and go buy antivirus and video / audio / photo editing software with those 200 dollars that you "saved" buy buying pc over a mac. oh, and did i mention buying shitty looking plastic garbage with ridiculously worse display than apple has and absolutely pathetic battery life compared to apple macbooks? oh, or you have a clunky piece of garbage dell desktop with 6 wires and ugly looking plastic displays that support, oh my goood, 1080p resolution?! vow, that's really a better choice than ultra-modern, ultra-fast and ultra-big 27 inch led display and one-wired solution all-in-one imac that my friend has. look at the mirror and see a real troll and pc fanboy instead of bitching about that only stupid trolls and geeky losers have mac's.
I don't tell people this much, but dude shut the fuck up.
Holy f**k. I'm not even going to try to read that.
Stream of consciousness or what?
What are you on about?
Have a wank and let off some of that anger.
God.
@ Martin
lol...Did you just say "wow, 1080p on a pc display" as if it was bad on a pc. Im stopping there cause you're a idiot
SP
@Martin
I'll play your game. Here, why don't I go look in a mirror and see just how much of a troll I am... oh wait, that's my MacBook I'm looking at.
You know, I sometimes enjoy reading pitiful comments like yours simply because they tell me just how ignorant and foolish they are, and that posters like you probably could never hold your own in a real face-to-face debate. You really improve your credibility by posting those extremely biased remarks on this story, which as most readers can see, made no reference to Apple products at all. Both companies have some incredible technologies in the market, and it's simply wrong to say otherwise.
@bradsh
Double sigh. Maybe when you've worked with Microsoft products for 20 years as I did, you'll have the competence to understand that they've peaked many years ago and form then on it's been an unstoppable decline. Unfortunately I had (= was forced) to work with 2007, and have seen many people's faces puzzled by their inability to find and use even the most basic functions even if they had years of experience with previous releases.
And as much as you pose as a mature person, you have evidently never worked for any major medium to large company, or you'd know that almost not one of them has upgraded, as the costs to sustain to retrain hundreds (or thousands) of people are too high for such a disgrace of an upgrade.
And last, I did not say that "Office isn't much to stay afloat on", I said that "Office 2007 isn't much to stay afloat on". Everyone who's been in this industry of as much as I have knows that what keeps Microsoft alive is not their innovation (or lack thereof); it's simply inertia.
BLERDY BLERDY BLER
does this mean that the zune hd will have access to the windows mobile app store in the near future?
The meaning of things is like water flowing under the icy reflection of our self adoration. Only when you melt the ice and see through the illusion of slow moving clumpy hydrogen atoms can the true currents of life and change be seen; and yet it is not the seeing but the acceptance of true knowing and faith that finally leaves the hunger to know the future out in the bin with yesterday's banana skins.
I feel once you have meditated on this koan the answer to your quest for the arcane ways of product road maps will be revealed
@giuliop
No one cares how long you've worked with microsoft products, how many big corporations you've worked for, how much experience you have, or any of that other crap.
You opinion is wrong- IN SPITE OF your "experience". It's not like because you remember installing DOS from 5.25" floppies that everything you say is suddenly right.
Steve Ballmer is really cute excepts when he sweats and stuff...
I found myself in the pictures!
damn... who's that chick with the badunkadunk in photo 12? :-)
Does Zune integration mean games too? So like, Project Gotham Racing: Ferrari Edition on an HTC HD2? Which would be the greatest effing thing ever?