Tag: microsoft (Page 3 of 4)

      Will somebody save Palm?

      November 14, 2009 /

      Rumors that Nokia might take a look at purchasing Palm resurfaced today, giving Palm stock an eight percent bump. It’s a deal we’ve been hearing about for months, though not always with Nokia as the buyer. There have also been rumors that Dell or Microsoft could nab the struggling mobile company.

      Let’s consider the Nokia thing for a minute, though. I would be amazed to see it drop the estimated $2 billion to purchase Palm, especially since Palm isn’t exactly going gangbusters. Stock dipped 30% after this same deal failed to mature in September. So why would Nokia spend so much just to acquire the company, not to mention the marketing that Palm needs to stay alive, when the Finnish handset manufacturer is bleeding market share to Apple every day? It just doesn’t make sense.

      Palm’s struggling stock is a clear reminder that the company needs help, but I don’t think it would bring enough value to any of the potential buyers to make a deal reasonable. If anything, Nokia could license WebOS for a facelift on a few devices, but even Palm’s operating system seems to have an expiration date looming in the near future.

      Mobile, News

      MacFarlane and Borstein scare Microsoft away

      October 27, 2009 /

      I’m not sure what Microsoft thought Seth MacFarlane and Alex Borstein would put together for the Windows 7 sponsored Family Guy Presents: Seth and Alex’s Almost Live Comedy Show, but apparently it was something very different from typical Family Guy fare. After viewing the show’s taping session, Microsoft execs pulled the plug on the special event.

      “We initially chose to participate in the Seth and Alex variety show based on the audience composition and creative humor of Family Guy, but after reviewing an early version of the variety show, it became clear that the content was not a fit with the Windows brand,” said a Microsoft spokeswoman. In this case (as with just about every episode of the show), “creative humor” meant jokes about deaf people and Holocaust jabs. Is anyone surprised?

      The endorsement drop didn’t kill the show, though. Fox will still be airing the special event on November 8th as part of an all-MacFarlane night of television. Hopefully the new sponsor will actually look at some of MacFarlane’s work before considering a deal.

      Source: Variety

      microsoft

      Ballmer warns Windows 7 launch could recreate the Vista nightmare

      October 8, 2009 /

      Now don’t panic. There’s a lot of context to be had here. I am, of course, going to start with the incendiary remarks, though. Steve Ballmer said last week that the Windows 7 launch may not be so different from Vista.

      “The test feedback has been good, but the test feedback on Vista was good,” said Ballmer. “I am optimistic, but the proof will be in the pudding.” To be honest, I think the whole world is optimistic. Windows 7 is isn’t making the big leap like Vista did from XP. While plenty of things have been improved, not everything is completely different. The driver situation is pretty much under control (Nvidia has had drivers ready for months), which was one of Vista’s biggest setbacks. All things considered, I’m betting on a smooth launch.

      Source: Bloomberg

      Computers, microsoft

      Google Set to Release Chrome OS

      July 8, 2009 /

      A couple years ago the big news was Google scooping up OS developers from all over the world, including a few of Microsoft’s employees. That set us all to waiting for the search giant’s first foray into operating systems, but the most we’ve seen since is the release of Google Chrome, the company’s first web browser (which sits around 1% market share), and Android, Google’s mobile OS.

      At long last, though, Google is set to take on Redmond with their first operating system designed for full PC application, the Google Chrome Operating System. Sundar Pichai, Google’s VP of product management says Chrome OS is “our attempt to rethink what operating systems should be.”

      Initially designed for the netbook market, Chrome OS has a huge task before it. Windows currently runs almost 90% of the PC market. That’s not exactly small potatoes. Google is in a good position, though, as netbooks continue to gain popularity and manufacturers look for lighter-weight, faster operating systems to run the trimmed-down computers. Acer, for example, has already agreed to develop several netbooks to run on Android for 2010.

      Set for release in the second half of 2010, there’s still no word on what Chrome OS will cost. Market analysts at Enderle group expect simply a nominal fee, which is one thing that could easily woo manufacturers. Microsoft does not release its manufacturer prices, but most analysts speculate they charge something like $20 for XP and as much as $150 for Vista. Undercutting that price could result in not only a deal for manufacturers but a price cut for consumers as well.

      Google hasn’t said much regarding Chrome OS as a system for running high end PCs, like the gaming PCs a lot of us geeks are concerned with. The OS is based on Linux, though, so I’d imagine they can beef it up for just that sort of capability. For now, the OS is meant for folks looking for a quick OS for web browsing and other simple applications.

      Microsoft has yet to comment.

      Source: Reuters

      Computers, microsoft, News

      Can Natal Support 5 years of “Maxed Out” Development?

      June 9, 2009 /

      In a recent interview with Official Xbox Magazine, Electronic Arts Senior VP Patrick Soderlund said his company has “maxed out the 360.” As a major developer for the 360 platform, EA hitting the development ceiling could be an issue, particularly considering Microsoft’s 10-year plan for the 360.

      The news isn’t all bad for Microsoft. Soderlund said he’s been very impressed with the 360, but that he would have a headache if he were running Sony. It’s unclear exactly what that means, though he’s probably referring to developer support for both platforms. Plenty of folks have mentioned the ass-chapping support coming from Sony. Soderlund told OXM that EA has yet to max out the PS3.

      If the 360 is already getting maxed by developers, what’s in store for the next 5 years? Obviously we have Natal to look forward to in 2010, but can motion control keep the console alive into 2015? Obviously Natal has the potential to win a non-gaming consumer base, but what about the Halo demographic? What of the competitive gamers? Will they be looking at the same graphics 5 years from now? If so, is that all bad?

      Several genres have relied heavily on graphical improvements to keep people interested (FPS comes immediately to mind). Graphical stasis could give developers a chance to focus more energy on gameplay, which is a great thing for gamers in any genre.

      Gaming, microsoft

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