Steve Ballmer
Latest
Microsoft to Windows RT OEMs: 'If your name's not on the list, you're not making a tablet'
China Times is reporting that Microsoft is only letting an elite few companies build Windows RT tablets in order to focus its research and development resources. It reportedly asked three chipmakers to pick up to two OEMs to bring inside the tent, with NVIDIA grabbing ASUS and Lenovo, TI snagging Toshiba and Qualcomm selecting Samsung and HP. However, the latter company dropped out of the program to concentrate on x86 machines, so it's rumored that Dell's currently jockeying to take its place. The first wave of completed tablets will arrive on October 26th, and Redmond won't open up the market until January next year -- so expect Windows RT to be the buzz-word of CES 2013.
Steve Ballmer says Microsoft won't 'leave any space uncovered to Apple'
Steve Ballmer delivered a fair bit of news during his keynote at the company's Worldwide Partner Conference in Toronto yesterday, but it looks like he saved some of his stronger words for an interview he gave to CRN following his talk. In it, he boldly said that "we are trying to make absolutely clear we are not going to leave any space uncovered to Apple," adding, "not the consumer cloud. Not hardware software innovation. We are not leaving any of that to Apple by itself. Not going to happen. Not on our watch." Asked if that included a change in its smartphone strategy, Ballmer said that "right now we are working real hard on the Surface. That's the focus. That's our core," although he did add a "look, we'll see what happens" before talking up its current partners. He also reaffirmed that Microsoft's retail stores and website will be the primary sources for Surface tablets initially, noting that the company's focus was on putting "one foot in front of the other" and getting it out the door, although he added that there's nothing stopping partners from ordering them from Microsoft.com and selling them.
Microsoft's Steve Ballmer ready to take on Apple again
Microsoft's CEO Steve Ballmer met with Steven Burke of CRN and talked about his company's future. Speaking about Microsoft's strengths and weaknesses, Ballmer said, We have our advantages in productivity. We have our advantages in terms of enterprise management, manageability. We have got our advantages in terms of when you plug into server infrastructure in the enterprise. But we are not going to let any piece of this [go uncontested to Apple]. Not the consumer cloud. Not hardware software innovation. We are not leaving any of that to Apple by itself. Not going to happen. Not on our watch. It's nice to know that, like the good old days, the competition between the two companies is once again going strong. [Via GigaOM]
Reuters: RIM could open up BlackBerry network to others, join up with Ballmer
The Q1 earnings news from RIM of layoffs and a delay in its next generation of handsets has unsurprisingly led to some rumors from the usual "people familiar with the situation," according to Reuters. The options reportedly being considered by the board probably also won't shock you, like the possibility of following former co-CEO Jim Balsillie's plan to open up its network to others and / or or sell it outright. An alternative path comes from Microsoft and Steve Ballmer, who has reportedly been putting a full court press on the folks in Waterloo to pull a Nokia and bring their arms to the Windows OS camp. That choice is reportedly less attractive because it would mean giving up technology independence, but we'll see how long that feeling lasts if future earnings projections remain similarly dismal.
Watch Microsoft's Surface keynote now online, relive the mystery unveil from the comfort of your browser (update: video for everybody)
Missed the liveblog? Caught the details, but wanted to see it unfold blow-by-blow? No problem, as Microsoft has uploaded the whole shebang for your viewing pleasure. Compatible browsers can jump in after the break, or hit the source link for a direct download link. Update: We've re-embedded the video via viddler so that everyone can enjoy.
Microsoft announces Surface tablet at Los Angeles event
The Microsoft Big Announcement Speculation Game can finally come to an end, as the company announced a new tablet device called Microsoft Surface this afternoon during a Los Angeles press event. Microsoft calls it the "companion hardware innovation" for Windows 8, an OS that was designed to work on mobile devices specifically.The Surface includes a kickstand built in to the device, as well as an optional cover that contains a touch-typing, super thin keyboard and a multitouch trackpad. Because the device runs a full version of Windows 8, it presumably will run any games that work on that OS, but we'll have to wait and see how those games play. We can also presume that the Surface will work right alongside any other Smart Glass features to be announced for the Xbox later on. We'll have more on Surface in the future, so stay tuned.
Steve Ballmer's Windows 8 rig measures 80 inches, so... does that do anything for ya?
To all the executives out there, consider what you have hanging on the walls of your office. Perhaps it's a fine work of art -- maybe even an original -- but it most certainly isn't an 80-inch Windows 8 computer. That curious distinction belongs to Microsoft CEO, Steve Ballmer, who has eschewed use of his phone, notepad and a more practical email solution in the name of awesomeness (or, perhaps compensation for those lagging Windows Phone sales.) Initially said to be a machine that'd be marketed and sold by Microsoft, the company has since clarified that no such effort will take place -- although the door remains open for independent vendors to step in and sell similar behemoth Windows 8 setups. Unlike most tablets, we've a hard time imagining ol' Steve throwing this one under his arm as he scoots out of the office... but then again, the man can afford some mighty good chiropractors.
Microsoft Kinect coming to Windows on February 1st, up for pre-order now!
Straight out of the horse's mouth: Kinect is oh-ficially coming to Windows starting on February 1st! We've seen Microsoft's PrimeSense-sourced motion sensing system used for just about everything outside of gaming, but proper Windows compatibility is bound to mean huge, huge things for its future. Wondering what's next for Kinect? So is Microsoft, and in just a few weeks, it'll make it even easier for you to answer that. Update: It's up for pre-order now! The $249.99 price tag ain't pretty (consider this -- the standard Kinect, with games, is but $120), but it'll probably be a premium that many hackers are willing to pay. Thanks, Mary Jo Foley!
Live from Microsoft's CES 2012 keynote with Steve Ballmer!
Are you ready for the end of an era? Microsoft has said this will be its last keynote at CES and you know what that means: Steve Ballmer will be pulling out all the stops to really knock our socks off. Or maybe not. Still, it's sure to feature plenty of Windows 8 love and maybe, if we ask real nice, Steve will give us one last battlecry of "developers!" Join us for a heartwarming liveblog you won't want to miss.
Ballmer announces LTE Windows Phones coming to AT&T
Well, it's been a long time coming, but Windows Phone has finally been granted LTE compatibility -- officially. AT&T trotted out Steve Ballmer who talked up the "blindingly fast" 4G service that'll be coming to Mango. Hopefully there will be more information coming at the live blog tonight.
Microsoft's CES 2012 keynote won't deliver 'significant news,' more of 'a wrap-up'
After learning of Microsoft's plans to stop holding CES keynotes following the 2012 edition, the immediate attention turned to this: would it use its last opportunity on the main stage to make a lasting impact? Evidently, that answer is "no." We've confirmed with the company that Steve Ballmer will be "focusing quite a bit on Windows Phone and the its Xbox / entertainment story," while also sharing "momentum from across the company for Windows, Office, Bing, etc." Ultimately, we're told that there "won't be significant news, but more of a wrap up of the strong year the company has had in consumer." We've got a call out for further clarifications (as well as questions on whether or not another BUILD, MIX or some other spinoff event will take the theoretical place of CES), and we'll be sure to update as we learn more. Update: While Microsoft can't confirm specifics, we're getting the impression that the company's partners will be the ones leading and driving announcements in the CES events to come. And while it wouldn't comment specifically on the future of MIX or BUILD, we're told that "it will continue to invest in those kinds of owned venues going forward." Update 2: The CEA, also known as the entity that puts CES together, has officially responded to the news. It also affirmed that Microsoft will not reserve the massive Central Hall exhibit space that it has used in past years, but it seems pretty unconcerned about the whole ordeal. The full statement is after the break.
Microsoft replaces Andy Lees as Windows Phone head (updated)
AllThingsD is reporting that Microsoft is replacing Andy Lees as head of its Windows Phone division... sort of. It looks like Terry Myerson, who has headed up engineering efforts for the group, will take over many of Lees' responsibilities, though, he won't be inheriting his title. At least not just yet. In a memo seen by AllThingsD, Ballmer announced that Lees would be taking on a new position with the company, though it's not entirely clear what that might be -- describing it only as "time-critical" and "focused on driving maximum impact in 2012 with Windows Phone and Windows 8." (So, it's safe to assume he's not becoming a janitor.) The shakeup isn't terribly surprising, especially considering the CEO's own admission that Windows Phone 7 was not performing as well as expected in the market. The division's interim leader, Myerson, has been with Microsoft since 1997 and previously headed up the team in charge of Exchange. For now he will continue to report to Lees, who will remain the president of the Windows Phone group, even if that is in name only. Update: Microsoft has released the full text of the memo announcing the leadership transition and we've added it after the break. The company also told us that first assuming the responsibilities before the title is standard practice. Andy Lees himself spent a significant period of time as a corporate VP while heading up the Windows Phone division before assuming the title of president.
Microsoft: Ballmer didn't say Windows 8 is coming to phones
Oh, what a difference punctuation makes. Speaking at the company's shareholders' meeting earlier today, Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer made a remark that set more than a few geek hearts aflutter. According to various reports, he said "We've got broad Windows initiatives driving Windows down to the phone with Windows 8." Turns out, that's not how he said it. A Microsoft rep confirmed to us that if transcribed correctly, Ballmer's remarks (documented in the recording below) should read, "We've got broad Windows initiatives driving Windows down to the phone. With Windows 8, you'll..." By "Windows," then, he meant the overarching family of software bearing the Windows name, and not Windows 8 specifically. Says Redmond's PR team: "He was making a statement along the lines of what we've already publicly stated around providing a consistent experience across various devices but all carrying the Windows name." Makes sense to us, seeing as how Windows 8 already makes good use of WP7's Metro UI. Still, we'll be curious to see how Windows 8 influences Windows Phone once Win 8 gets the final seal of approval, likely sometime next year.
Microsoft signs Compal deal, now takes money from half of all Android ODMs
Despite Steve Ballmer's apparent disdain for the Googly OS, he must love it really. He's now making money from ten separate Android and Chrome licensing deals, having just inked yet another agreement with Compal -- a large Taiwanese original design manufacturer (ODM) that builds tablets and smartphones for brands like Lenovo. From this point on, a "reasonable and fair" chunk of Compal's $28 billion annual income will be diverted to the coffers at Redmond. Overall, this means that Microsoft's tentacles have spread across 55 percent of the Android ODM industry and -- more importantly -- are poked firmly into two different mobile OS pies. As cut-throat as this approach might seem, however, it's surely better than freezing the market with cold and ceaseless waves of litigation. PR after the break. [Thanks, Majed]
CE-Oh no he didn't: Steve Ballmer lays into Android
"You don't have to be a computer scientist to use a Windows Phone," said Microsoft's Steve Ballmer, "but you do to use an Android phone." He was addressing the Web 2.0 summit in San Francisco, where we guess his audience must have included a large but silent population of Android-loving non-scientists. In any case, the Redmond CEO also revealed that he just can't get "excited" about Android phones, which proves that anything can be boring if you're rich enough -- including raking in up to $15 per Android handset in cross-licensing deals. On a serious note, though, HTC's latest Titan handset shows off the Mango experience at its best and it is simpler than Google's OS. If Windows Phone sales eventually pick up despite the buzz over Android 4.0, then the point beneath Ballmer's bluster might not seem so unreasonable.
Microsoft doles out the dough to Nokia and Samsung, plans Mango marketing bonanza for year's end
Know who loves it when other OEMs call him big poppa? Ballmer, that's who. So much so that he's opened up the company's coffers to Nokia and Samsung for a holiday blitz of Mango marketing. Hold onto your hats though, it's no carte blanche access to Redmond's Gringotts. According to a report on Mobile Magazine, inside sources claim MS has set aside ₤28 million (about $44 million) for the endeavor, with about ₤20 million of that reserved for Nokia's first Windows Phone 7.5 handset. This joint marketing effort is reportedly a broader extension of the cooperative agreements all parties agreed to, ensuring future WP devices get the media saturation they deserve. So, keep your eyes peeled this upcoming winter. We have a feeling you won't be able to escape the commercial onslaught, anyway.
Microsoft finalizes acquisition of Skype, Tony Bates shares his thoughts (video)
Well, it's finally happened -- Microsoft's acquisition of Skype has just been finalized, a little more than five months after it was first announced. Under the $8.5 billion deal, Skype CEO Tony Bates will be named president of the new Skype Division of Microsoft, and will have to report directly to Steve Ballmer. Many Skype employees, meanwhile, will stay onboard at offices around the globe, including at outposts in Estonia, the Czech Republic, Russia, Sweden, the UK, Luxembourg, Japan, Singapore, Hong Kong and the US. In a post on the Official Microsoft Blog today, Bates seemed unsurprisingly enthusiastic about the acquisition, describing it as a marriage of two "disruptive, innovative, software-oriented companies." The exec was less specific about the role his company would play within Redmond's new architecture, but assured that Skype would be at the forefront of future communications initiatives across a variety of platforms. "Microsoft is committed to the ubiquity of the Skype experience – communication across every device and every platform will remain a primary focus," Bates wrote. "And we've only scratched the surface." Head past the break for Microsoft's full PR, as well as the video address from Bates.
Ballmer: Windows Phones aren't selling very well, but we're not worried
Microsoft's Steve Ballmer was his usual frank self when he met financial analysts yesterday, admitting that the world isn't yet as keen on Windows Phone as he'd hoped. To be precise, AllThingsD reported him as saying: "We haven't sold quite as many as I would have liked in the first year." His cunning plan? Well, that's easy: make it all Nokia's problem. Or, as he put it: "With Nokia we have a dedicated hardware partner that is all-in on Windows Phones." Indeed, the Finnish manufacturer has now staked far more than Microsoft on the success of this "third ecosystem" and, if its imminent Mango handsets fail to turn things around, we may eventually see Stephen Elop standing behind that silent cash register.
Steve Ballmer touts 500,000 Windows 8 downloads in less than 12 hours
We've already heard that quite a few of you have downloaded Windows 8 since the developer preview became available last night, and it looks like plenty of other folks have as well --- about 500,000 in the first 12 hours, to be specific. That's according to Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer himself, who took to the stage at Build earlier today to dish that particular bit of news and recap the past two day's events. Hit the source link below for a video of the full keynote if you missed it (Ballmer's appearance is around the 2:32 mark).
Ballmer: Microsoft will launch Xbox Music this fall (update: not true)
Steve Ballmer revealed a new service yesterday that should be, ahem, music to your ears when it starts spinning this fall. During Microsoft's Worldwide Partner Conference in Los Angeles, the Windows chief mentioned Xbox Music -- a MS-branded music streaming service, with over 11 million songs and Kinect compatibility. That last feature will let you shout your music selections across the room, and could result in some pretty gnarly sibling battles whenever music tastes don't match. Unlike the console's current last.fm offering, we can only hope that Music will support multitasking, allowing you to settle those musical differences in the virtual boxing ring as the beat goes on, rather than on the living room floor. Update: The Business Insider editor who reported the quote tweeted a correction and updated the article, explaining "No new Xbox Music service coming this fall. Just voice command to existing service. 'Xbox. Music.' Correction posted."
