Google's surprise decision to take its Apps package out of beta and even more sudden announcement of the Chrome OS may be as a result of soon-to-be-announced Microsoft plans, a blogger is hinting.
Well-publicised tech blogger, Robert Scoble, has suggested that Google's timing is based around a Microsoft announcement due on Monday.
Scoble says, via his FriendFeed account: "Why did Google announce Chrome OS this week? Well, of course, Microsoft has a big announcement coming on Monday (I'm embargoed)".
Microsoft's World Wide Partner Conference starts in New Orleans on Monday, so it's not out of the question the company may have relevant news to impart, but what?
Developments for Microsoft's "Azure" cloud computing framework that will be offered alongside Windows 7 are a possibility as is a web-based Office suite.
Alternatively, whispers of a project code-named "Gazelle", an extension of Internet Explorer that would see the browser becoming an all-in-one operating system, are also doing the rounds.
I'm sure I've already been labelled an Apple fan boy by most, but I'll try to be objective with my comments here.
What could Microsoft honestly present to the world that would make them relevant again? I truly believe, and this is somewhat unfortunate, that MS's days are numbered. It will be a long time before they're gone because of the massive market share they have, but it's been more than a decade since they've put together a good OS...You cannot survive that long in the crapper.
I wonder if they'll pay me money for using my name.
Seeing how MS's lawyers have worked in the past, you'll shortly get a cease and desist order for violating a Microsoft copyright.
__________________
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They're going to announce a new colour for their Start Button. There may also be some kind of an innovative animation sequence that occurs when a user clicks on it. Something about it just kind of... popping up on the screen. Like, *click* and then BAM!, there it is.
As for the whole Programs -> Accessories -> Calculator thing... they're still working on faster way of getting to that.
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I'm sure I've already been labelled an Apple fan boy by most, but I'll try to be objective with my comments here.
What could Microsoft honestly present to the world that would make them relevant again? I truly believe, and this is somewhat unfortunate, that MS's days are numbered. It will be a long time before they're gone because of the massive market share they have, but it's been more than a decade since they've put together a good OS...You cannot survive that long in the crapper.
And Apple will have a difficult time making much of a dent in Microsoft's market space until they relax their firm grasp of the entire environment they have set up. But Apple can't because then that would see them slide into similar issues Microsoft struggles with.
Both have their uses and fans, but neither will ever knock the other out; only they can screw themselves up, either by pursuing a poor strategy or by not recognizing when they need to act on a new trend.
__________________
"The problem with any ideology is that it gives the answer before you look at the evidence."
—Bill Clinton
"The greatest obstacle to discovery is not ignorance--it is the illusion of knowledge."
—Daniel J. Boorstin, historian, former Librarian of Congress
"But the Senator, while insisting he was not intoxicated, could not explain his nudity"
—WKRP in Cincinatti
The Following 2 Users Say Thank You to Bobblehead For This Useful Post:
And Apple will have a difficult time making much of a dent in Microsoft's market space until they relax their firm grasp of the entire environment they have set up. But Apple can't because then that would see them slide into similar issues Microsoft struggles with.
Both have their uses and fans, but neither will ever knock the other out; only they can screw themselves up, either by pursuing a poor strategy or by not recognizing when they need to act on a new trend.
As far as I can tell, Apple has almost zero interest in making a dent in Microsoft's market. They have become quite adept at creating new markets (iPhone/iPod) strongly built around the locked down philosophy.
Apple is positioned to become the "Microsoft" of the mobile platform. And considering how rapidly that market is growing, it's a very enviable position to be in. I know more people with iPhones then I know with Blackberries or any other mobile platform (smart). Couple that with the explosion of iPhone development work, it's a recipe for domination.
The closer battle, in my view, is between Microsoft and Google and what they are doing with online computing and operating systems.
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The iPhones and iPods sell themselves, they don't even need commercials for those.
Bingo.
The Mac platform is a niche of the home PC market. Microsoft is content to be the GM/Honda of the home PC world while Apple strives to be the Mercedes/BMW in that market (I know... car analogies are weak but you get the point).
What I am finding very interesting is just how much traction the Mac platform gets in the world of software developers. Nearly all the developers I know use OS X. The only developers I know using Windows are working with the .Net platform.
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As far as I can tell, Apple has almost zero interest in making a dent in Microsoft's market. They have become quite adept at creating new markets (iPhone/iPod) strongly built around the locked down philosophy.
Apple is positioned to become the "Microsoft" of the mobile platform. And considering how rapidly that market is growing, it's a very enviable position to be in. I know more people with iPhones then I know with Blackberries or any other mobile platform (smart). Couple that with the explosion of iPhone development work, it's a recipe for domination.
The closer battle, in my view, is between Microsoft and Google and what they are doing with online computing and operating systems.
Both Google and MS know mobile as all that matters in 5 years. Browsers and PC operating systems are destined to be buggy whips in a few short years.
So i'm not disagreeing, except to say nobody is ceding the mobile space to apple and blackberry. That war is just getting started. Google has a pretty good lead. Apple is headed toward a niche. MS is barely out of the gate and the hardware gang (blackberry, nokia etc) are trying not to become marginalized - same for the carriers.
Microsoft planning major news for Monday
I just put a shortcut to it in my Quicklaunch icons, which works nicely.
