ballmer

Ballmer at work on Microsoft restructuring, report says

Microsoft, a software giant since the dawn of the PC era, might not be so focused on software much longer.

CEO Steve Ballmer is in the process of managing a "major restructuring" that would shift his company's center of balance, All Things Digital's Kara Swisher is reporting on Monday, citing people who claim to have knowledge of Microsoft's plans. Rather than base its business on software, as it has since its inception, Microsoft would transition to a "devices and services company," Swisher's sources say.

Ballmer might have already laid the groundwork for … Read more

Bill Gates still world's second richest person

Bill Gates is now worth $67 billion. But he's still only No. 2 among the world's wealthiest people.

Released today, Forbes' ranking of the richest people on the planet found Gates' fortune up $6 billion this year. The increase came not so much from Microsoft stock, which has shown little sign of life recently, but from other financial holdings and private investments.

More importantly, Forbes dubbed Gates the world's most generous person. Microsoft's chairman continues to devote a large amount of his fortune to the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation with the goal of wiping out … Read more

Surface won't dominate but it's a 'real business,' says Ballmer

Sales of Microsoft's Surface may not set the tablet world on fire, but CEO Steve Ballmer still sees a key role for the device.

In an interview published today by MIT Technology Review, Ballmer snuck past the initial question of whether he was pleased with Surface sales.

"I'm super-glad we did Surface," Ballmer said in response. "I think it is important -- and not just for Microsoft but for the entire Windows ecosystem -- to see integrated hardware and software."

But the CEO did concede that Surface isn't likely to dominate the PC … Read more

Bill Gates 'not satisfied' with Microsoft's innovations

Although Bill Gates stepped away from his day-to-day role at Microsoft nearly five years ago, he still keeps a close eye on the company he co-founded -- and he isn't always happy with what he sees.

During an interview broadcast this morning on CBS This Morning, the Microsoft chairman was asked by Charlie Rose whether he was happy with Steve Ballmer's performance as chief executive. Noting that there have been "many amazing things" accomplished under Ballmer's leadership in the past couple of years, Gates said he was not satisfied with the company's innovations.

"… Read more

Microsoft's Ballmer disses Dropbox as a 'little startup'

SkyDrive or Dropbox? That's a decision many people face when seeking online storage. But Steve Ballmer doesn't see much in the way of competition.

In a chat with BusinessWeek published yesterday, Microsoft's head honcho touted his own company's online audience over that of Dropbox.

SkyDrive had more than 200 million users as of October, according to comments from then Windows president Steven Sinofsky. DropBox reached 100 million users in November.

"Well, you've got to remember, 100 million sounds like a pretty small number to me, actually," Ballmer told BusinessWeek. "We've got … Read more

Microsoft reports revenue of $21.5B, earnings of $6.38B

After the close of trading today, Microsoft reported a quarter that came in just a bit shy of what Wall Street was looking for. Not exactly a Google performance, but certainly not Apple either.

The world's largest software maker said it earned $6.38 billion, or 76 cents a share, on revenue of $21.46 billion in its latest quarter, which ended in December. That's a drop from the year ago quarter, when Microsoft earned $6.62 billion, or 78 cents a share. The results are also slightly below Wall Street estimates of 77 cents a share on revenue of $21.53 billion. … Read more

Former Microsoft exec does some Ballmer bashing

There are plenty of critics of Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer out there. Some think Ballmer's been too slow to react to market changes. Others think he's been too slow to get rid of problem employees. And then there are some who were the problem employees themselves...

Meet the latest Ballmer critic: Joachim Kempin. Kempin, for those who don't remember him, falls squarely into the group of "problem employees." Kempin definitely helped build Microsoft a software powerhouse. He is also one of the main employees whose actions landed Microsoft in hot water with the U.S. Department of Justice&… Read more

Steve Ballmer bringing NBA's Kings to Seattle?

LAS VEGAS--Anyone who lives in Vegas knows the pain of not having an NBA team. This city is denied allegedly because of its penchant for gambling.

Seattle has been denied for quite some time now because some hardy business people thought they'd rip its Sonics out and move them to the glory that is Oklahoma City.

Now there are strong sonic rumors that there was very good reason for Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer to bound onto the stage during Qualcomm's neo-psychedelic keynote: A group he is co-heading is reportedly buying the Sacramento Kings.

Yahoo Sports reports that the … Read more

Qualcomm CEO details a 'born mobile' world at 2013 CES

LAS VEGAS--Qualcomm Chief Executive Paul Jacobs today detailed a world where everything and everyone is "born mobile."

Being born mobile means being connected via mobile device, anytime and anywhere, Jacobs said, and he spent nearly two hours at the Consumer Electronics Show today detailing how his company is helping enable that trend. Qualcomm, which supplies them wireless chips for the majority of the world's cellphones, is more than happy to provide the processors that power everything from wearable health monitors to smartphones to automobiles.

"We're all part of what we're calling 'Gen M' now, … Read more

Microsoft CEO crashes Qualcomm keynote at CES

Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer just can't stay away from the limelight at the Consumer Electronics Show.

Microsoft may have given up its coveted keynote spot on the eve of the Consumer Electronics Show, but that didn't stop Ballmer from making a cameo appearance during Qualcomm CEO Paul Jacobs' keynote address.

Ballmer stole a few moments of Jacobs' keynote to talk up Microsoft's new Windows RT and Windows 8 Phone products. Ballmer called the Windows products "stunning" additions to Microsoft's line-up. He showed off two of the newest Windows RT devices, the Samsung ATIV and … Read more