Microsoft's 'Scout' search app goes underground
,----[ Quote ]
| If you're waiting for Microsoft to field "Scout," a
Microsoft-Research-developed search applet designed to help users
| navigate Office 2007, don't hold your breath.
`----
http://blogs.zdnet.com/microsoft/?p=237
Ouch! You've Been Live Branded
,----[ Quote ]
| Yeah Live is a mess, but contrary to speculation elsewhere, the
| Live brand isn't dead. That's not to say it should ever have been born.
`----
http://www.microsoft-watch.com/content/web_services_browser/ouch_youve_been_live_branded.html?kc=MWRSS02129TX1K0000535
http://tinyurl.com/2gggr3
I am listing some stories below. They should show you that Microsoft fails to
expand beyond its two cash cows (Office and Windows), which are under
growing threat themselves (primarily Linux and OOo).
Recent and related (projects that flop and big losses):
Microsoft says Zune executive will leave company
,----[ Quote ]
| Bryan Lee, corporate vice president at Microsoft's entertainment
| and devices division, also played a key role in shaping the Xbox
| game console business and the introduction of its Internet
| Protocol television software.
`----
http://news.zdnet.com/2100-9595_22-6155200.html
Original 'Origami' team moves to a new secret project
,----[ Quote ]
| This "secret project" could be nothing more than a lot of hype --
| as was the "Origami Project" (which morphed into the
| less-than-well-received Ultramobile PCs).
`----
http://blogs.zdnet.com/microsoft/?p=234
Microsoft Kills Origami, Presents Vistagami
,----[ Quote ]
| Microsoft Corp., the pioneer behind the Ultra Mobile PC movement
| (Origami), is more or less killing the original concept and
| coming up with a more upbeat version.
`----
http://www.cooltechzone.com/Special_Reports/Special_Reports/Microsoft_Kills_Origami%2C_Presents_Vistagami_200701302798/
http://tinyurl.com/2nhttc
Whatever Happened To The Origami?
,----[ Quote ]
| Ultimately Origami is a classic example of how a viral buzz can
| work against a product release. Expectations were too high and the
| final product was puzzling and didn't fulfill any specific consumer
| demand. By the time the systems were actually released the hype had
| died down and there was practically zero consumer awareness. I've
| actually considered the possibility that the viral Origami campaign
| was a warm-up for the Zune campaign that followed later in the summer.
`----
http://www.medialoper.com/hot-topics/hardware/whatever-happened-to-the-origami/
Let Microsoft know they need to fix their search engine
,----[ Quote ]
| Many posts and pages turn up that link to BadVista.org, but no
| results from badvista.org itself appear...
|
| Is it deliberate? No way to know I suppose, though to their
| credit if you search for "badvista.fsf.org", you will get some
| (rather odd-looking) results. So perhaps this is some kind of
| technical problem with the interaction between their search
| bots and our site.
`----
http://badvista.fsf.org/blog/let-microsoft-know-they-need-to-fix-their-search-engine
Microsoft 'not happy' with search results
,----[ Quote ]
| Microsoft is continuing to lose market share in the search business
| to industry rival Google, something the software maker's financial
| chief said Thursday he is "not happy" about.
`----
http://news.zdnet.com/2100-9595_22-6153584.html
Microsoft profit on slide
,----[ Quote ]
| Some analysts are looking for any signs of improvement from
| Microsoft's internet division, which continues to lose market
| share in web search to Google.
|
| Microsoft's online services group saw revenue fall for the last
| four quarters and posted a loss in the past three quarters while
| it shifted to a new internet advertising platform and overhauled
| the company's web properties.
`----
http://australianit.news.com.au/articles/0,7204,21109542%5E15306%5E%5Enbv%5E,00.html
Will Berkowitz keep Windows Live?
,----[ Quote ]
| At the risk of moving this article over to the opinion blog, many
| of the problems Berkowitz faces were caused not by too much focus
| on technical wizardry, but by a lack of clear direction, both fo
| MSN and for Windows Live.
`----
http://www.liveside.net/blogs/main/archive/2006/12/10/ny-times-will-berkowitz-keep-windows-live.aspx
Sources: Several Windows Live Projects Halted
,----[ Quote ]
| Microsoft's Windows Live desktop search project has been
| shelved "indefinitely," although not much reasoning has been
| given as to the reason for its demise.
`----
http://www.betanews.com/article/Sources_Several_Windows_Live_Projects_Halted/1163715423
Ozzie: Vista, Office must adapt to Web era
,----[ Quote ]
| Ozzie said that the transition to integrate online services into Microsoft
| products has been a challenge but that changes within the company are
| happening.
`----
http://news.zdnet.com/2100-9588_22-6133895.html
Will Web 2.0 ultimately kill Windows?
,----[ Quote ]
| Allchin shared his thoughts on Windows Live (which, along with Windows and
| developer tools also falls under his organization); competition with Google
| and Apple; and why a client-based version of Windows won?t ever completely
| disappear, regardless of how successful Web services become.
`----
http://blogs.zdnet.com/microsoft/?p=66
MSN Still Going Nowhere Fast
,----[ Quote ]
| It is worth noting that Microsoft still hasn't made any headway
| in the search-and-portal game and, in fact, is falling farther andf
| arther behind. As a result, it is not surprising that Steve Ballmer
| is now warning media companies that Google is the Evil Empire --
| because no other competitive tactic has worked.
`----
http://biz.yahoo.com/seekingalpha/061116/20767_id.html?.v=1
Can Google trump Microsoft?
,----[ Quote ]
| Google's "frontal assault" to Microsoft Office is Google Apps
| Enterprise Edition and Google is indeed waging warfare against Microsoft.
`----
http://blogs.zdnet.com/micro-markets/index.php?p=697
November 25 - Microsoft Dies
,----[ Quote ]
| This is the day. The demise of Microsoft. The day of reckoning has
| come at last. Friday 23rd November 2006. Google had seen it's profits
| soar massively. Microsoft on the other hand have had an awful year.
| Low profits, internal scandals, a lowered reputation and a lowered
| customer satisfaction rate have left the company in tatters.
`----
http://globa-tech.blogspot.com/2006/11/november-25-microsoft-dies.html
Desperate Acts (of Microsoft)
,----[ Quote ]
| Microsoft is expected to spend $650 million next year to let the world
| know it has a shiny new search service and Web advertising network.
| That money is more than double the amount Microsoft will spend rolling
| out Vista, the new operating system that will contribute vastly more to
| its revenues.
|
| Microsoft's two-year catch-up effort in search has yielded only
| middling results. This year it dropped from 11% to 9% of all searches.
| Google handled 61% of the 204 billion searches worldwide in the past1
| 2 months.
|
| "We're late to the game. We admit it," confesses a full-page Microsoft
| ad in national papers, begging the world to try out its new Live
| search service. You almost want to hand Chief Executive Steven Ballmer
| a cup of cocoa.
|
| [...]
|
| Think of this fight as determining a few decabillion dollars of market
| value circa 2010. The current figures are $147 billion for Google and $284
| billion for Microsoft.
`----
http://www.forbes.com/forbes/2006/1127/044a_print.html
Google, Ask Gain Search Share; Yahoo, Microsoft Lose Ground
http://biz.yahoo.com/seekingalpha/061020/18896_id.html?.v=1
Google vs. Microsoft Market Cap Game
,----[ Quote ]
| Interesting seeing how Google's market capitalization has chased
| Microsoft's since Google's IPO. We have seemingly plateaued at a
| little under 60% for a year now, but any takers on bets with
| respect to how long that holds?
`----
http://paul.kedrosky.com/archives/2006/11/21/google_vs_micro.html
ComScore: Google Leads Again In Search
,----[ Quote ]
| Yahoo reversed a slide that lowered them to 28.1 percent in September.
| They gained slightly to 28.2 in October. Microsoft gave up 0.2 percent
| to decline to 11.7 percent, after falling 0.6 percent in September to
| 11.9.
`----
http://www.webpronews.com/topnews/topnews/wpn-60-20061120ComScoreGoogleLeadsAgainInSearch.html
MS cuts 360 estimates, Xbox division posts $289m loss
,----[ Quote ]
| Microsoft's Entertainment and Devices division has posted a US $289 million
| (EUR 223.6m) loss for the second quarter - and cut fiscal year estimates
| for Xbox 360 hardware.
`----
http://www.gamesindustry.biz/content_page.php?aid=22385
Microsoft's 2Q profit falls 28%
http://ctv.globetechnology.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20070125.wmicrosoft0125/tech/Technology/techBN/ctv-technology
How Much is Too Much?
,----[ Summary ]
| Microsoft says it will stick with Xbox. But with years of heavy losses
| behind it, the pressure's on for the gaming division to make good
`----
http://www.businessweek.com/innovate/content/oct2006/id20061013_283856.htm?campaign_id=rss_topStories
http://tinyurl.com/yxdr4j
Microsoft stoic despite massive losses
,----[ Quote ]
| If you were to judge by the PR rhetoric, you'd think the 360 was
| an unstoppable commercial juggernaut. As usual though, PR lies.
`----
http://www.gamerscan.com/articles/06/10/09/microsofts.massive.losses/
Microsoft profit on slide
,----[ Quote ]
| Some analysts are looking for any signs of improvement from
| Microsoft's internet division, which continues to lose market
| share in web search to Google.
|
| Microsoft's online services group saw revenue fall for the last
| four quarters and posted a loss in the past three quarters while
| it shifted to a new internet advertising platform and overhauled
| the company's web properties.
`----
http://australianit.news.com.au/articles/0,7204,21109542%5E15306%5E%5Enbv%5E,00.html
A Dozen Stocks For '07
,----[ Quote ]
| Millen also thinks $36 billion in planned share buybacks
| will help the stock.
`----
http://www.forbes.com/2006/12/05/stocks-markets-investing-pf-ii-cz_ag_1205stockpicks.html?partner=yahootix
http://tinyurl.com/yjzfbo
Microsoft counts on Vista to recharge stagnant stock
,----[ Quote ]
| There was a time in the 1990s when shares of Microsoft stock seemed to
| double every couple of years. 1996: college for the kids. 1998: a place
| on Whidbey. 1999: early retirement.
|
| Times have changed.
`----
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2003437957_vista19.html
Commentary: Microsoft needs more than just buybacks to lift its shares
,----[ Quote ]
| Microsoft shares, which have been dormant for the last few years,
| have been looking up over the last couple months. The Dow industrials
| component has gained about 20% since hitting a 4-year low of $21.46 o
| June 13.
|
| To help move things along, Microsoft not only launched a $40 billion
| stock repurchase program that lasts through 2011, the company also said
| its previously announced 4-year, $30 billion stock buyback program was
| completed in just 2 years.
`----
http://www.marketwatch.com/News/Story/Story.aspx?guid=%7B685EFB89%2D5791%2D4E8B%2DAD6A%2D9688F5B6012A%7D&source=blq%2Fyhoo&dist=yhoo&siteid=yhoo
Microsoft Hides Its Mobile and Business Apps Divisions
,----[ Quote ]
| The company is folding its two worst-performing divisions -- Microsoft
| Business Solutions (its business applications unit) and its Mobile and
| Embedded units -- into the Microsoft Business Division and Microsoft Home
| and Entertainment units, respectively.
`----
http://www.microsoft-watch.com/article2/0,1995,1990243,00.asp?kc=MWRSS02129TX1K0000535
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