Summary: Microsoft's outlook for the coming year looks rather grim, even in the eyes of a longtime booster of the software/marketing/litigation giant from Redmond

WE HAVE written extensively about Goldman Sachs not because it's worth commending; it's quite the opposite in fact, as Goldman Sachs is corrupt and it receives money from Bill Gates (through the Gates Foundation). Goldman Sachs has been boosting Microsoft for years, but that too is changing because it "predicts tough times ahead for Microsoft in 2011".

Goldman Sachs technology analyst Sarah Friar sees challenging times ahead for Microsoft in 2011 as it attempts to address the threat from tablet computers such as the iPad and mobile operating systems such as Android. In a research note released this weekend, Friar wrote that it will be a "more challenging year" for Microsoft with top-line growth slowing from 12 percent to seven percent.

We no longer cover Microsoft as much as before because the company grew weaker. It's not worth the time for the same reason that covering Novell is somewhat wasteful (because it's a goner). "Microsoft seems set to announce another generation of doomed tablets at CES New Windows Tablets Coming Out This CES" says this other new headline, which helps remind people that it's an arena where GNU/Linux or Android compete with Apple.

News has broken that Microsoft will announce a large set of new slate computers to compete with Apple’s iPad and the river of launched and forthcoming Android tablets next month at CES.

Judging from what the rumors have said, the tablets are already more or less doomed, and they are going to fail for the exact same reasons that every other Microsoft tablet concept has failed before. It’s almost frustrating.

Microsoft suggested that Vista Phony 7 [sic] was supposed to target tablets, but without basic functionality like tethering or copy & paste, no such platform is designated for today's market.

Microsoft is losing its grip on software while failing to become a hardware seller or online player (not as a profitable contender). That's why it turns to patents right now. When products fail to bear fruit all that's left are ideas and lawyers. ⬆