Microsoft Entices New Users With Cash
,----[ Quote ]
| So far, the software maker's productivity-suite dominance has seemed
| unshakable. So why a sweepstakes, with the $100,000 grand prize and more than
| 30,000 other goodies, including hundreds of Zune digital media players and
| Xbox 360 video game systems?
`----
http://biz.yahoo.com/ap/080305/techbit_office_live.html?.v=2
They look very desparate. Didn't they also dump money on the Library of
Congress in exchange for lock-in that has them investigated (antitrust)?
Related:
Microsoft looks to lure search users with prizes
,----[ Quote ]
| As part of an ongoing effort to chip away at Google Inc.'s dominance of the
| Internet search market, Microsoft Corp. on Wednesday began a new push to lure
| users to its own service with the promise of prizes such as T-shirts and
| video games.
`----
http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/microsoft-begins-new-push-compensate/story.aspx?guid=%7B57D712C9%2D80C4%2D46CE%2D859D%2DA4EFE98FB87A%7D&siteid=yhoof
http://tinyurl.com/2uuk7w
Microsoft gives U.K. start-ups a helping hand [dumping lockin]
,----[ Quote ]
| The program is designed to "help fledgling businesses realize their potential
| and achieve success," he added. It includes technical support and guidance on
| Microsoft technologies and platforms including Silverlight--Microsoft's
| competitor to Adobe Systems' Flash--and its Live service, which also received
| a shot in the arm with the announcement of new services on Monday.
`----
http://news.zdnet.com/2100-9595_22-6211004.html
ECIS Accuses Microsoft of Plotting HTML Hijack
,----[ Quote ]
| An industry coalition that has represented competitors of Microsoft
| in European markets before the European Commission stepped up its
| public relations offensive this morning, this time accusing
| Microsoft of scheming to upset HTML's place in the fabric of
| the Internet with XAML, an XML-based layout lexicon for
| network applications.
`----
http://www.betanews.com/article/ECIS_Accuses_Microsoft_of_Plotting_HTML_Hijack/1169824569
Will Microsoft's Katrina Goodwill Go Bad?
,----[ Quote
| The first benefit really goes to Microsoft and its reseller partners rather
| than to the larger group of small businesses seeking aid. What kind of
| hurricane relief is that?
`----
http://www.microsoft-watch.com/content/business_applications/will_microsofts_katrina_goodwill_go_bad.html?kc=MWRSS02129TX1K0000535
http://tinyurl.com/2neepw
Live Search's High Dive
,----[ Quote
| Microsoft's August and September declines clearly show that gimmicks aren't
| enough to gain and maintain relevant search market share.
`----
http://www.microsoft-watch.com/content/web_services_browser/live_searchs_high_dive.html?kc=MWRSS02129TX1K0000535
How Microsoft Clubs to Search Gains
,----[ Quote ]
| We checked with Hitwise, and they explained that June gains include “searches
| automatically generated from a promotion on club.live.com,” up to June 9,
| 2007. After that they stopped counting the data.
`----
http://gigaom.com/2007/07/27/how-microsoft-clubs-to-search-gains/
Tracking Internet Use Remains Difficult
,----[ Quote ]
| For example, this month Nielsen said search-engine queries for No. 3-ranked
| Microsoft Corp. jumped about 80 percent in June, a curious development for a
| search engine that had been continuously losing market share.
|
| Microsoft said the gains were the result of a word game promotion, in which
| players had to form words out of a jumble of letters. As part of the game,
| Microsoft's search engine automatically hunted for Web pages that contained
| the word being guessed at.
|
| The promotion raises the question of whether these clicks were the result of
| using automated means, and therefore shouldn't be counted.
|
| Nielsen product manager Scott Ross said the company sees no need to change
| the June search-engine rankings. Yet, he conceded that critics -- including
| Yahoo, operator of the world's second most popular search engine -- may also
| have a point about Microsoft using questionable means to spark the surge in
| popularity.
`----
http://biz.yahoo.com/ap/070725/tracking_internet_usage.html?.v=1
Microsoft’s Club Live fiasco
,----[ Quote ]
| People were using the macro on more than 3 games at a time, on more than 2
| accounts at a time, why Microsoft didn’t pick up on the fact that in the
| first few days some people had accumulated enough for 3 Zunes each is beyond
| us. Some were lucky, others, not so much.
|
| [...]
|
| So far no one has been banned from using their accounts, which they needed to
| sign up, probably because they did not break any laws, or probably because
| Microsoft didn’t want that hassle and liked their new found traffic.
`----
http://www.blogthe.net/2007/07/16/microsofts-club-live-fiasco/
Bots Helped To Boost Microsoft Live Search Gains
,----[ Quote ]
| In a blog post, Compete analyst Steve Willis attributed Microsoft's
| search gains to prizes awarded to users participating in Live Search
| Club, which features games that post queries to Microsoft's search
| engine.
|
| [...]
|
| Microsoft is essentially being DDoSed by thousands of people hundreds
| of times per minute, but they are mistaking this rise in traffic for
| people actually using Live Search."
`----
http://www.informationweek.com/news/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=201001092
Microsoft Needs Live Search On Facebook
,----[ Quote ]
| Shelling out $240 million for a 1.6 percent stake in Facebook may be
| Microsoft's way of keeping Google away from the social networking site, but
| the deal may not be worth the money unless Microsft can get Live Search into
| the service.
`----
http://www.webpronews.com/insiderreports/2007/10/25/microsoft-needs-live-search-on-facebook
Mcrosoft's Jellyfish Buy Is No Stinger
,----[ Quote ]
| Acquiring the shopping-and-auction service is the giant's latest bid to grab
| a bigger share of online ad dollars. Google has little to fear
`----
http://www.businessweek.com/technology/content/oct2007/tc2007102_526624.htm?campaign_id=yhoo
Microsoft acquires 'ad exchange' company AdECN
,----[ Quote ]
| Underscoring its commitment to the advertising business, Microsoft on
| Thursday announced it has bought AdECN, a company that is a technology
| platform for buying and selling display advertising.
`----
http://news.com.com/8301-10784_3-9750765-7.html?part=rss&subj=news&tag=2547-1_3-0-20
Microsoft to snap up 24/7 Real Media?
,----[ Quote ]
| Microsoft, the world's largest software maker, is a contender to buy
| Internet advertising firm 24/7 Real Media for as much as $1 billion,
| the New York Post reported on Tuesday.
`----
http://news.zdnet.com/2100-9588_22-6180500.html
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