MICROSOFT is losing money because of sub-notebooks that run GNU/Linux [1, 2, 3, 4, 5], so Microsoft trying to just eliminate them altogether. When it comes to sub-notebooks, Microsoft is hoping to embrace (through dumping and maybe kickbacks), extend, and extinguish them for good.
“When it comes to sub-notebooks, Microsoft is hoping to embrace (through dumping and maybe kickbacks), extend, and extinguish them for good.”This devious plan would not quite work because of ARM-based sub-notebooks, but Microsoft is working on attacking them too. Spin is a major component of this; some weeks ago they tried to spin the lack of Windows for ARM as a loss for ARM rather than a loss for Microsoft and Scientes now warns that "Slashdot spins ARM CEO's Warren East statement." What is going on?
According to Mary Jo Foley, Microsoft is still trying to replace sub-notebooks with more expensive computers where Windows is no longer given away almost for free. This is not news because about a month ago Microsoft tried using terms like "Smartbooks" (as opposes to small notebooks) to pretend that naming alone would resolve pricing issues; it's like trying to make "Windows" and "PC" synonymous.
Ballmer, unlike some Microsoft execs, wasn’t afraid to say the word “netbook.” In fact, he told FAM attendees that netbooks are synonymous with MIDs (Mobile Internet Devices).
Ballmer disputed the notion that netbooks are killing Microsoft’s Windows client revenue base. He showed a slide he admitted the rest of his team had warned him was overly complex (and I have to say I agree) to try to show why netbooks aren’t going to keep chipping away at Windows’ margins.
Android logoWe’ve reported about Android netbooks for a while, and made it clear we’re not sure if anyone really wants one. Acer first announced it would produce what would likely be the first Android netbook, then explained it really meant it would dual-boot with Windows.
No more blind cheerleading from Redmond: Microsoft (MSFT) finally admitted that its mobile business needs some work.
At Microsoft's analyst day in Seattle, Robbie Bach confessed in his finest business school jargon that the company hasn't "done as good a job as I would like building relationships and getting the right integration with our hardware partners," according to the WSJ, and vowed to improve: "You’re going to see dramatic improvement in integration."
He added, "You’ll see our execution rhythm pick up and the quality of our execution improve."
I wonder if it will be too late for the company to make a comeback, similar to Zune struggling to playsanjay catch-up with the iPod. So while there is a lot of focus on Apple v Google, the real battle is actually between Microsoft Windows Mobile and Google Android. It looks like Google has drawn its first blood.
Comments
zatoichi
2009-08-01 00:18:36
Acer had originally planned to release an Android netbook in August, i.e. sometime between tomorrow and 4 weeks from now; it's been put off until November, accoding to Acer, because "further evaluation has found demand for an Android Netbook is not strong enough".
I'm still of the belief that putting Android on hardware isn't easy. If you'd prefer to believe (or wish to additionally believe), as Acer says, that nobody wants Android netbooks, that's fine with me, too.
Either way, Roy's story here lacks factual support. Again.
zatoichi
2009-07-31 15:54:41
How can Android on netbooks, much less "Chrome OS"—both of which could only be termed "vaporware" at the moment—be "causing major headaches to Microsoft"?
The fact seems to be that Android's proving to be a lot more difficult to get running on random pieces of hardware in a market-ready way than Google would like people to believe. Why isn't every ODM in Taiwan offering an Android phone, otherwise?
phel
2009-08-01 10:49:29
zatoichi
2009-08-01 13:02:53
phel
2009-08-03 10:13:37
zatoichi
2009-08-03 16:35:38
Sorry, that's ridiculous. The Taiwanese and mainland Chinese markets are awash in iPhone clones of varying degrees of fidelity, none of 'em running Windows Mobile or Windows CE.
So, what are you talking about? They're not afraid to go into the iPhone business for themselves at the risk of slam-dunk trademark infringement suits from Apple, but they won't make Android phones (which don't have the IP issues around the iClones) because of pressure from Microsoft...?
Makes no sense. 'Splaina me this.
zatoichi
2009-08-03 13:24:26
Given that these same ODM make phones all up and down the price spectrum, and given that we're not seeing a single Android device produced independently of Google in spite of the software's being free, somehow it's got to be Microsoft's fault.
Okay.
I'd hate to see Occam's Razor interfering with your paranoia, heaven knows.
zatoichi
2009-08-03 16:09:23
[Citation needed]
zatoichi
2009-07-31 23:04:37
As far as installing it on a mobile phone goes, you'll find that—at least if you like it to continue operating as a phone—you're pretty much limited to the phones HTC's already made available through carriers, and you can't randomly replace the firmware on those.
I guess you don't mind about "Tivoization" if it's Google doing it, hm?
Needs Sunlight
2009-07-31 20:41:31
http://code.google.com/p/live-android/ http://code.google.com/p/live-android/wiki/howtouse
It's a modified version of the eee_701 Android OS
The braver can do a native install. To install it on a mobile phone, instead of a regular netbook, look up the developer community forums for your mobile phone.
zatoichi
2009-08-03 16:37:31