Dell down, Microsoft makes hardware move
Friday 20th November 2009 — Comments (1)
Dell’s profits are way down, and Microsoft makes a move that could scare beige box makers even more.
CNET is reporting in an article surprisingly titled Dell earnings down 54 percent that Dell’s earnings are down 54%. What would I do? I’d shut it down and give the money back to the shareholders ^_^.
This comes on the heels of Microsoft’s downright bizarre move to brand an Acer notebook computer as their own, presumably in an attempt to deliver the same vertical experience Apple does. Much as they abandoned their PlaysForSure partners (with an outdated web page to boot) and went with their own integrated Zune system, could this be a sign Microsoft are willing to start their own hardware business to compete with their own partners in the personal computer space?
The recession, these moves by Microsoft, the razor thin profit margins on netbooks, it’s certainly not a good time to be a beige box PC manufacturer. Especially when your products are being sold in stores where creepy, cringeworthy things like this happen. Run away!
I agree with No Illusions and G’day World host Cameron Reilly’s comment on Twitter, it’s almost as if Microsoft’s strategy is to be as lame and embarrassing as possible. Another example of programmers and engineers like Nick Hodge being stifled by management and a marketing department that are so breathtakingly out of touch with the outside world it beggars belief.
Ah, time for some comments here ;-)
The hardware mentioned (ACER) was semi-custom made for attendees at our Professional Developer’s Conference. With Windows 7, touch screens et al to allow devs to get access so they can write cool stuff. This is a once off, custom build. We sort of did the same for TechEd – with HP. NOT Microsoft getting into PC hardware.
Whilst it seems top-line revenue has reduced due to the GFC, Microsoft’s profits are OK. Much belt tightening etc has been hard – but needed. Microsoft has no debt, cash in the bank, good revenue — and more importantly, 9.6B going into R&D. Microsoft will be around for a while yet.
On lameness: the lameness is US lameness and for that I can offer no excuse :-)
To get what is really going on, techo wise, watch the blogs such as Channel9.msdn.com, blogs.msdn.com, blogs.technet.com & others not the anti-Microsoft crap.
The good thing about Microsoft is that us techo people get to talk in social media etc and can express our own thoughts. Including the fact that the Windows 7 Parties and Dancing at the Microsoft store are lame as. :-)
Outside the open source community, the level of listening and conversation from Microsoft is amazing.