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Microsoft CEO Ballmer says Windows 7 sales are double its predecessors'
Microsoft's CEO Steve Ballmer was on hand for the company's annual shareholder's meeting in Washington, and news of Windows 7 sales came up right away. While delivering the opening remarks, Ballmer said that Microsoft has sold twice as many copies of Win 7 as any previous Microsoft OS in a comparable time frame. That's including both OEM sales and boxed retail copies, of course, and though no specific numbers were mentioned, the good news isn't completely unexpected as pre-orders were through the roof. High five, Microsoft.
Engadget Podcast 168 - 10.25.2009: The Engadget Show 002 with Steve Ballmer
For this week's installment of the Engadget Podcast, we present the audio stream from our recent Engadget Show, featuring a one-on-one with Microsoft CEO, Steve Ballmer! We encourage you to go and check out the actual show if you haven't seen it, but for those of you on the move who can't be looking at a screen, here's the next best thing. Of course, Josh, Paul, and Nilay still tear through the week in news (and what a week!), and as a bonus, you get to hear some tunes from the ever so talented Bit Shifter. So what are you waiting for? Sit back, crank the PMP, and prepare to enter nerd heaven. Hosts: Joshua Topolsky, Paul Miller, Nilay Patel Special guest: Steve Ballmer Produced by: Chad Mumm Directed by: Michael Slavens Music by: Bit Shifter Hear the podcast 00:01:22 - Steve Ballmer hasn't seen the Courier video, promises Zune integration in next WinMo release 00:38:40 - Bit Shifter 00:41:37 - Windows 7 Launches 00:46:45 - Apple's Magic Mouse: one button, multitouch gestures, Bluetooth, four-month battery life 00:47:50 - Unibody MacBook (late 2009) review 00:52:50 - iMac line updated with 16:9 displays, quad-core Core i5 / i7 model 00:52:48 - Barnes & Noble Nook dual-screen reader officially announced... for real 00:59:00 - Spring Design Alex: dual-screen Android-based e-reader (Update: not for Barnes & Noble) 01:00:05 - Motorola Droid Subscribe to the podcast [iTunes] Subscribe to the Podcast directly in iTunes (enhanced AAC). [RSS MP3] Add the Engadget Podcast feed (in MP3) to your RSS aggregator and have the show delivered automatically. [RSS AAC] Add the Engadget Podcast feed (in enhanced AAC) to your RSS aggregator. [Zune] Subscribe to the Podcast directly in the Zune Marketplace Download the podcast LISTEN (MP3) LISTEN (AAC) LISTEN (OGG) Contact the podcast 1-888-ENGADGET or podcast (at) engadget (dot) com. Twitter: @joshuatopolsky @futurepaul @reckless @engadget
The Engadget Show - 002: Steve Ballmer, Droid, Nook, and new Macs
Do we really need to tell you what this is all about? Steve Ballmer. Windows 7 launch day. Pure magic. Sit back and enjoy a spirited conversation with the CEO of Microsoft -- then stick around to watch Josh, Paul, and Nilay get into it over the week's news! Hosts: Joshua Topolsky, Paul Miller, Nilay Patel Special guest: Steve Ballmer Produced by: Chad Mumm Directed by: Michael Slavens Music by: Bit Shifter Visuals by: Paris and outpt Opening titles by: Julien Nantiec Download the Show: The Engadget Show - 002 (HD) / The Engadget Show - 002 (iPod / iPhone / Zune formatted) Subscribe to the Show: [iTunes] Subscribe to the Show directly in iTunes (M4V). [Zune] Subscribe to the Show directly in the Zune Marketplace (M4V). [RSS M4V] Add the Engadget Show feed (M4V) to your RSS aggregator and have it delivered automatically.
Steve Ballmer's Windows 7 pitch features MacBook Pro in the background
Talk about embarrassing. Steve Ballmer guest hosted on NBC's Today Show yesterday to talk about the Windows 7 launch. Sadly for Steverino, Matt Lauer talked a lot about Apple and the iPhone. Even worse, sharp eyes noticed an NBC-produced graphic in the background with a Windows 7 logo appearing on the screen of what clearly is a Mac laptop. You can watch the video here. That's probably not the kind of quality control Microsoft would have liked. Thanks to Bill for sending this in (no, not Bill Gates) [via TechCrunch]
Steve Ballmer hasn't seen the Courier video, promises Zune integration in next WinMo release
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! %Gallery-76322%
The Engadget Show, live with Steve Ballmer!
Keep your eyes tuned to this post -- because at around 2:30PM ET (give or take), we'll be starting The Engadget Show live, with Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer as our guest! You don't want to miss it! Update: And that's a wrap! Thanks to everyone who watched the stream, we'll have the full recording available tomorrow.
Windows 7 launch event with Steve Ballmer (watch now)
We've got our own little sit down with Steve Ballmer coming up later today, but right now he's making things completely official at the Windows 7 launch event in New York City, and you can watch it live after the break. Update: And that's a wrap. Hit up the link below to get caught up on anything you might have missed courtesy of The Wall Street Journal's liveblog.
Reminder: The Engadget Show with Steve Ballmer tapes tomorrow -- here's how to attend (or livestream it)!
If you've heard that the next Engadget Show will be featuring a live, one-on-one interview with Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer (on the Windows 7 launch day, no less) -- you've heard correctly. Additionally, our good friend Bit Shifter will be there providing chiptune jams, and Paris and Outpt will be on hand for some brain searing visual art. And of course, the editors of the site will sit down for a roundtable discussion of the week in news. If you'd like to join us for the live taping, you can -- just check out the info below. If you can't make it in the flesh, don't worry. We'll be livestreaming on the day-of, and we'll also have a full, edited version of the Show available just a few days later for download via the site, iTunes, or the Zune Marketplace. The Show will take place at the Times Center, part of The New York Times Building in the heart of New York City at 41st St. between 7th and 8th Avenues. Tickets are -- as always -- free to anyone who would like to attend, but seating is limited, and tickets will be first come, first served... so get there early! Here's all the info you need: There is no admission fee -- tickets are completely free The event is all ages Ticketing will begin at the Times Center at 12:30PM on Thursday, October 22nd, and the show begins at 2:30PM You cannot collect tickets for friends or family -- anyone who would like to come must be present to get a ticket Seating capacity in the Times Center is about 340, and once we're full, we're full The venue is located at 41st St. between 7th and 8th Avenues in New York City (map after the break) The show length is around an hour If you're a member of the media who wishes to attend, please contact us at: engadgetshowmedia [at] engadget [dot] com, and we'll try to accommodate you. All other non-media questions can be sent to: engadgetshow [at] engadget [dot] com. If you can't make it to the live event, we'll have a stream here on Engadget (provided by USTREAM) which coincides with the taping. Just tune your browser to Engadget at 2PM on the 22nd to catch it. You can also hit our USTREAM page. Subscribe to the Show: [iTunes] Subscribe to the Show directly in iTunes (M4V). [Zune] Subscribe to the Show directly in the Zune Marketplace (M4V). [RSS M4V] Add the Engadget Show feed (M4V) to your RSS aggregator and have it delivered automatically.
The Engadget Show with Steve Ballmer tapes Thursday, October 22nd -- here's how to attend (or livestream it)!
If you've heard that the next Engadget Show will be featuring a live, one-on-one interview with Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer (on the Windows 7 launch day, no less) -- you've heard correctly. Additionally, our good friend Bit Shifter will be there providing chiptune jams, and Paris and Outpt will be on hand for some brain searing visual art. And of course, the editors of the site will sit down for a roundtable discussion of the week in news. If you'd like to join us for the live taping, you can -- just check out the info below. If you can't make it in the flesh, don't worry. We'll be livestreaming on the day-of, and we'll also have a full, edited version of the Show available just a few days later for download via the site, iTunes, or the Zune Marketplace. The Show will take place at the Times Center, part of The New York Times Building in the heart of New York City at 41st St. between 7th and 8th Avenues. Tickets are -- as always -- free to anyone who would like to attend, but seating is limited, and tickets will be first come, first served... so get there early! Here's all the info you need: There is no admission fee -- tickets are completely free The event is all ages Ticketing will begin at the Times Center at 12:30PM on Thursday, October 22nd, and the show begins at 2:30PM You cannot collect tickets for friends or family -- anyone who would like to come must be present to get a ticket Seating capacity in the Times Center is about 340, and once we're full, we're full The venue is located at 41st St. between 7th and 8th Avenues in New York City (map after the break) The show length is around an hour If you're a member of the media who wishes to attend, please contact us at: engadgetshowmedia [at] engadget [dot] com, and we'll try to accommodate you. All other non-media questions can be sent to: engadgetshow [at] engadget [dot] com. If you can't make it to the live event, we'll have a stream here on Engadget (provided by USTREAM) which coincides with the taping. Just tune your browser to Engadget at 2PM on the 22nd to catch it. You can also hit USTREAM proper, where the Show will be featured. Subscribe to the Show: [iTunes] Subscribe to the Show directly in iTunes (M4V). [Zune] Subscribe to the Show directly in the Zune Marketplace (M4V). [RSS M4V] Add the Engadget Show feed (M4V) to your RSS aggregator and have it delivered automatically.
Samsung's WinMo 6.5-powered Armani smartphone gets previewed
Got a cool grand to drop on a Windows Phone? Oh, yeah? Then have a gander at Samsung's latest fashion piece, the Armani-branded M7500. The cool cats over at PhoneArena managed to get their paws around a unit, and as predicted, they didn't hesitate to bust out the camera and give us all a good look. They also took the chance to give us a brief overview of how the handset handled, calling it "bulky even for a WinMo smartphone," though praising the high-res display and well-spaced keyboard. Feel free to hit the read link if you're interested in more, but don't be shocked to hear more than a little criticism.[Via MobileTechWorld, thanks Arnaud]
Giorgio Armani and Samsung unveil Windows Mobile smartphone... with a little help from Steve Ballmer
Fashion fans, rejoice. Your two favorite labels have finally come together: Giorgio Armani... and Windows Mobile. Today in Milan, Armani's empire unveiled a new, €700 (or about $1030) smartphone built by Samsung, running Microsoft's latest 6.5 OS iteration. The device -- featuring a full touchscreen and slide-out, landscape QWERTY keyboard -- touts a 3.5-inch AMOLED display, a 5 megapixel camera, 8GB of internal storage, GPS chip, and microSD slot. Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer, who spoke at the launch, says the device is "the most fashionable phone [he's] ever had a chance to talk about." We won't lie, there is something weirdly appealing about the bronze and black smartphone, though we don't see ourselves shelling out that kind of dough on this particular model. Oh, not because we don't want to, but it doesn't go with our shoes. Check out a couple of videos from the launch after the break, including a short clip with Ballmer.%Gallery-75192%
The next Engadget Show tapes live October 22nd -- with Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer!
The Engadget Show returns Thursday, October 22nd, in New York City, and we couldn't be more excited about our guest. We'll sit down live and in-person with CEO of Microsoft Steve Ballmer for a frank and unscripted one-on-one conversation... on the day of the Windows 7 launch! As you may already know, the Show is filmed live in front of an audience once a month -- but if you can't make it, don't worry. We're bringing the video back home to Engadget (and as a free download here or in the iTunes Store) for your viewing pleasure. The full show will be online just a few days after we tape. For this next show, we will also be livestreaming! (Details to come) We'll have a lot more info in the coming days and weeks (like where to be and when), but for now, mark your calendars... and get ready! If you want to catch up, you can see the first episode of The Engadget Show here, and our first short segment here. If you're a member of the media who wishes to attend, please contact us at: engadgetshowmedia [at] engadget [dot] com, and we'll try to accommodate you. All other non-media questions can be sent to: engadgetshow [at] engadget [dot] com.
Steve Ballmer talks 'three screens and a cloud' and more with TechCrunch
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.
Ballmer: Windows Mobile 7 should have been out, like, yesterday
It wasn't all that long ago that Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer proudly declared that Windows Mobile 7 would be out "sometime next year," but it looks things got a bit more real at the company's just-concluded Venture Capital Summit, where Ballmer reportedly said that he wished Windows Mobile 7 had already launched by now. That initial word comes from venture capitalist Paul Jozefak (or @pjozefak), who also tweeted that "Ballmer says they screwed up with Windows Mobile," while another attendee, @beninato, directly quotes Ballmer as saying that Microsoft has "pumped in some new talent," and that "this will not happen again." Steve Ballmer's fists could not be reached for comment. [Via MobileTechWorld]
CE-Oh no he didn't! Part LXII: Steve Ballmer publicly ridicules Microsoft employee with iPhone, threatens to smash it
Not every man was born with common sense. And anyone who's ever seen Steve Ballmer take a stage knows that you don't want to get in the way of the emotionally-charged big man when the curtain opens. So we're not terribly surprised to learn that Steve grabbed an iPhone he saw during his big entrance to a private Microsoft company meeting held at Seattle's Safeco Field. Apparently, the hapless employee (allegedly from the Windows group) was trying to snap a photo of his boss when Ballmer grabbed the device and made some "funny comments" met by boos and jeers from Microsoft's employees. Steve then set it on the ground and pretended to stomp on it before walking away -- later teasing the employee during his presentation by noting that he hadn't forgotten him. Good times, we're sure, and nothing rallies the troops like a common enemy... except perhaps the camaraderie that comes in knowing that you've created a game-changing device. We even have a photograph from the actual iPhone supposedly snapped while Steve Ballmer was brandishing it overhead. We can't say for sure if it's real, in fact, that could be the guy from Lost. See it after the break.
Steve Ballmer calls Chrome OS "highly interesting," says Google "can't make up their mind"
You just knew Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer would have some choice words about Google's Chrome OS at today's Windows Partner Conference, and he didn't disappoint, saying that while he finds the project "highly interesting," the late-2010 ship date and existence of Android have him wondering exactly what it's supposed to be. "I don't know if they can't make up their mind or what the problem is over there, but the last time I checked, you don't need two client operating systems. It's good to have one." Snap. Of course, Microsoft is shipping six different Windows 7 SKUs, can't quite get rid of XP, and sells Windows Mobile, Windows CE, and Zune in the handheld space, but the man's got a point -- the real question is whether he's smiling or just baring his teeth in rage.
Ballmer apologizes for letting slip wrong Natal release date
Microsoft has already come out and clarified Steve Ballmer's recent statement that Project Natal would be rolling out sometime in 2010 (possibly in the form of a new Xbox console), but it looks like the man himself also felt the need to set the record straight. Speaking with IGN, Ballmer said that he "confused the issue with my poorly chosen words," adding that, "there is no news in my comments. Things are as reported after E3. Sorry." Of course, this would be somewhat understandable if it were an isolated incident, but as you no doubt recall, Ballmer also recently dropped word of an earlier than expected Zune HD release date, which prompted yet another quick "clarification" from Microsoft. But hey, he only works there.[Via Joystiq, image courtesy guardian.co.uk]
Project Natal recognizing retail shelves in 2010, says Ballmer (update: maybe not)
Despite our incessant pleading, not a soul at Microsoft -- including newly-minted media darling Kudo Tsunoda -- would give up a release window for Project Natal, except to say "not in 2009." Well, at least we know we won't be waiting too far into the future. Company CEO and cheerleader Steve Ballmer told attendees to his speech at The Executives Club of Chicago today that the Xbox 360 motion control interface is coming in 2010. That's still a large timeframe, but hey, at least you can go ahead and start planning your block-breaking 2011 New Year's Eve party now. Update: Looks like Steve might've spoken out of turn. Microsoft just us over an official statement reiterating that they "have not confirmed a launch date at this time." Full reading after the break.
Exclusive: Steve Ballmer demos the Zune HD for Engadget!
That's right kids -- Ballmer himself whipped out the newly minted Zune HD for us during D7 and showed off a few of its finer features... including its ability to play a Pixar movie on its gorgeous OLED screen. Also of note, Steve off-handedly mentioned that the device would be shipping in a month, though we can't confirm that that's accurate. Anyhow, these pictures say far more than a thousand words, so just hit the gallery.Update: Microsoft just pinged to let us know that the Zune HD is still set for a Fall release, not next month.A few quick impressions we took away: The device was a pre-production model, and Steve had to boot it up -- which can be seen in the shots below. Hardware was surprisingly thin. There's what appears to be a solitary hard button below the screen. Interface was basically the same Zune UI with touch navigation, but very colorful and pretty snappy. The OLED screen looked great. We'll obviously be badgering Microsoft in the coming months for a longer, closer look at the device, but at least it's not just a render anymore.
Air Force now using super-secure version of Windows XP
Windows 7 might be getting all the attention lately, but Windows XP is having a quiet little renaissance of its own -- not only have sales of the venerable OS been extended until 2010, Microsoft is selling an ultra-secure version to the Air Force. The custom build ships with over 600 settings bolted down, and a security patch turnaround of just 72 hours compared to the standard edition's 57 days -- all because Steve Ballmer personally stepped in and approved the project at the Air Force's request. The effort's to standardize and preconfigure the OS has paid off: 85 percent of previous known exploits have been blocked, support call volume has dropped 40 percent, and the USAF has saved some $100 million in costs. Nice -- but don't get your hopes up, since it doesn't seem like Microsoft has any intention of selling this version to the public.[Via Slashdot]
