ballmer

Ballmer says Microsoft at work to rival iPad

REDMOND, Wash.--Acknowledging Apple's early success with the iPad, Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer insisted Thursday that the software maker is hard at work on Windows-based tablets.

"They'll be shipping as soon as they are ready," Ballmer said, offering few details on the products, which he said will come from partners, not Microsoft itself. "It is job one urgency. No one is sleeping at the switch."

Speaking to financial analysts, Ballmer said the goal is "not just to deliver products, but to deliver products that people want to buy."

As for Apple and … Read more

Ballmer talks up Microsoft's consumer business

REDMOND, Wash.--Steve Ballmer made the case Thursday that Microsoft not only gets the consumer market, but is set to grow its business there.

Speaking at the company's financial analyst meeting here, Microsoft's CEO began his speech by talking about the current state of the company's consumer business. His talk follows Kevin Turner's chat earlier in the day focusing on momentum with business customers.

"Our biggest consumer product, no question is Windows," Ballmer said, noting that most computers these days are sold to individuals, rather than businesses.

"Suffice to say I didn't … Read more

Buzz Out Loud 1267: Fix your brain! (podcast)

Consumer Reports says it can't recommend the iPhone 4 because the antenna issue can be replicated and is, in fact, serious. Fanboy response: suck it up and buy a case. Molly response: epic rant. Also, the RIAA's wildly inflated file-sharing damages are smacked down once again, and Reddit begs for money.

Ballmer talks up Windows 7 slates, phones

Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer insisted on Monday that Microsoft is still serious about tablets.

Ballmer reiterated that there will be Windows 7-based slates on the market this year, while Windows Vice President Tami Reller showed off a couple of models, including the dual-screen Libretto that Toshiba has in the works as well as a slate from Chinese computer maker Hanvon.

"Over the course of the next several months, you will see a range of Windows 7-based slates that I think you'll find quite impressive," Ballmer said, speaking at the company's Worldwide Partner Conference in Washington, D.… Read more

Steve Ballmer's iPad point: Not affordable for all

Defending the personal computer at the D: All Things Digital conference this week, Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer said "general purpose" PCs will continue to thrive because specialized devices like the iPad may be redundant and not necessarily affordable. Is he right?

Responding to a question about the iPad and whether it's a PC, Ballmer addressed the affordability factor of the iPad and specialized devices: "The real question is, what's a PC? Nothing that people do on a PC today is going to get less relevant tomorrow. There are usage cases. Whether those are done today … Read more

Buzz Out Loud 1241: Facebook needs an adult...and a towel (podcast)

Poor Mark Zuckerberg has an almost-literal meltdown on-stage at All Things D and it makes us wonder: is it time for a grownup to take over there? Or just time for Zuck to throw his privacy boss under the bus? Also, HP doesn't want to make smartphones with its new WebOS toy, the Dell Streak continues to baffle, and hey! Globular rovers!

Walt and Kara sweat Zuck at D8 http://news.cnet.com/8301-13860_3-20006653-56.html http://d8.allthingsd.com/20100602/mark-zuckerberg-session/ http://blogs.forbes.com/velocity/2010/06/02/mark-zuckerberg-great-perspirations/

Ballmer and Ozzie http://d8.allthingsd.com/20100603/steve-ballmer-ray-ozzie-session/ http://news.cnet.com/8301-13860_3-20006637-56.html

HP CEO: “We didn’t buy Palm to be in the smartphone business” http://www.engadget.com/2010/06/02/hp-ceo-we-didnt-buy-palm-to-be-in-the-smartphone-business/

Dell Streak looks like HTC Evo http://news.cnet.com/8301-13860_3-20006644-56.html… Read more

Ballmer and Ozzie speak at D8 (live blog)

Editor's note: We used Cover It Live for this event, so if you missed the live blog, you can still replay it in the embedded component below. Replaying the event will give you all the live updates along with commentary from our readers and CNET editor Josh Lowensohn. For those of you who just want the updates, we've included them in regular text here.

RANCHO PALOS VERDES, Calif.--Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer and Chief Software Architect Ray Ozzie are slated to speak Thursday at the D: All Things Digital event.

Check back around 8 a.m. PDT for … Read more

What should Ballmer do with Zune?

After spending the last few years focusing on building a credible search engine and fixing Windows, Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer is now turning his eye, Sauron-like, toward Microsoft's consumer products.

On Tuesday, Microsoft announced that two longtime leaders in its Entertainment and Devices Division, President Robbie Bach and Chief Technical Officer J Allard, are stepping down. Although both executives are best known as the public faces of the Xbox, they also bear some responsibility for the Zune, Microsoft's portable media player and associated software and services. Bach was assigned to fix Microsoft's digital-media strategy in the mid-2000s, … Read more

Buzz Out Loud 1238: Smell the light? (podcast)

On today's show, it turns out flies are getting smell-o-vision before we do. Whatever. Also, the next Apple TV is coming, and you won't believe who thinks it's a dud (hint: Brian Tong is on the show). The iPad launches globally, Skype Mobile is coming to Android just in time to save us from the newly $5-a-month Qik. Plus, Rafe thinks Apple is angling to kill OS X. Find out why.

Buzz Out Loud 1237: Facebook privacy hangover (podcast)

Our verdict on Facebook's privacy retool: well ... we're tough graders. Also today, will Steve Ballmer show up at the WWDC keynote? Palm loses its mobile UI design guy to Android, which is good news for Android, but continuing bad news for Palm and WebOS. Also, introducing Darth Vader's Dog.