Blog Entries for meggebrecht tagged 'Steve Ballmer'

Microsoft Trashes iPhone as Windows Phone 7 Nears

meggebrecht@ciozone.com — Wed, 14 Jul 2010 23:00:00 +0100

For Microsoft, there's a lot riding on Windows Phone 7 -- namely its future as a player in the world of mobile. So it's understandable that execs at the Redmond giant are a bit edgy, which probably explains why Microsoft COO Kevin Turner made a comment Wednesday at the company's Worldwide Partner Conference that will undoubtedly have a long shelf-life.

"It looks like iPhone 4 might be their Vista, and I'm OK with that," said Turner about Apple's anten [...]

Apple Takes Tech Company Crown From Microsoft

meggebrecht@ciozone.com — Wed, 26 May 2010 23:00:00 +0100

Apple's market value climbed past Microsoft's on Wednesday -- the first time that's happened in more than 20 years -- making it the biggest tech company in the world, according to Reuters.

At the end of the day, Apple's market value stood at around $222 billion, compared to Microsoft's $219 billion, reflecting the changing fortunes of the long-time rivals, as Apple's iPod, iPhone and now iPad have propelled the company into an enviable position.

Th [...]

Ballmer Says Mobile Focus Shortchanges PCs

meggebrecht@ciozone.com — Sun, 23 May 2010 23:00:00 +0100

Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer says there are a lot of "opportunities for innovation" in the smartphone market, but putting all of your development efforts into mobile isn't a smart strategy.

In an interview with CNN Money, Ballmer started by offering Apple a sideways compliment, noting that although it has done some "good stuff" in the mobile business, Apple still trails Nokia and RIM in market share.

What about Google, whose Android operating system [...]

Scammers, Scalpers Riding Google Wave

meggebrecht@ciozone.com — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 23:00:00 +0100

Invitations to use Google's new collaboration tool, Google Wave, have quickly become a hot commodity -- a fact that's hardly gone unnoticed by people looking to make a fast buck.

Much like a Gmail invite was a valuable must-have back in the Webmail service's early invitation-only days, people are falling all over themselves to nab a ticket to use Google Wave. Say what you will about Google, but sometimes it does hype right.

Google sent out 100,000 invitations [...]

Tech Vendors Suffer, Top Execs Don’t

meggebrecht@ciozone.com — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 23:00:00 +0100

In case you hadn't heard, Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer has taken a pay cut. Kind of.

For Microsoft's fiscal 2009, Ballmer earned $1.28 million, down from $1.35 million a year earlier. But in a year in which Microsoft saw sales drop for the first time, Ballmer's salary actually rose, to about $655,000 from $640,000. Don't worry, though -- Ballmer's bonus was off $100,000 from last year's $600,000.

Ballmer, as news reports have so generously pointed ou [...]

Ballmer to the Rescue

meggebrecht@ciozone.com — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 23:00:00 +0100

I wasn't exactly the only one underwhelmed by the search ad agreement announced by Microsoft and Yahoo Wednesday. Yahoo shares have taken a beating, and the general perception -- fair or not -- is that the deal spells the beginning of the end for the company.

Enter Steve Ballmer, who is shocked -- shocked! -- at investors' and analysts' reactions to the long-awaited deal. "Nobody gets it," the Microsoft CEO told financial analysts yesterday. "Peop [...]

The Post Microsoft-Yahoo Pact Blues

meggebrecht@ciozone.com — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 23:00:00 +0100

Now that it's finally happened, does anyone else feel like the search ad deal struck by Microsoft and Yahoo is a bit anticlimactic?

Not that there are any real surprises in the agreement announced this morning: Microsoft will provide Yahoo's search backbone, while Yahoo will be the heavy-lifter in sales. Bing will get a big boost in search volumes, while Yahoo gets a $500 million bump in operating income and some $200 million in cost-savings.

Everyone's happy. [...]

Microsoft and Yahoo: Just Get It Done

meggebrecht@ciozone.com — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 23:00:00 +0100

Can’t Microsoft and Yahoo get together already? After talking and talking and talking, Microsoft and Yahoo are reportedly on the verge of finally forging a search advertising alliance.

According to AllThingsDigital, top Microsoft execs are in Silicon Valley today, hammering out the final details, and a deal could be announced as early as next week.

While Microsoft’s takeover bid was rejected by Yahoo leadership last year, [...]