A Microsoft executive has admitted that Bing’s first edition is specifically targeted at shoppers who plan to spend online. It comes as the firm launches a TV commercial touting the cashback features of the site.
For many people, Microsoft is the old guard – an old-fashioned company stuck in its ways and plodding along. And maybe that’s true to some extent, certainly when compared to the young, vibrant, and fresh Apple. But things are changing, and marketing is the key.
Political posturing, whisper campaigns, and lobbying against competitors is hardly a new thing in big business. However, to hear about it happening in such plain terms as we are now still manages to shock. It seems Microsoft and its partners are holding what are casually known as “Screw Google” meetings in Washington, D.C.
Windows 7 will get off to a flying start as buyers snap up new computers in the fall. Or, put another way, Windows 7 will struggle at first as buyers take a piecemeal approach to upgrading.
Apple feels threatened by Windows 7. And so, it seems, is the open source brigade. Apple is fighting back by banging on about viruses in its latest ads. While the Free Software Foundation, which obviously supports all open source efforts, is taking a more direct approach.
Microsoft has apologized after being caught changing an advertising image to replace a black face with that of a white man. The incident appears to be more down to incompetence than racism.
Apple fanboys may well be very vocal in their love for Steve Jobs and co., but in reality Apple is small-time compared to Microsoft. Macs may be loved by certain niches and demographics but in reality it is Windows-based PCs that continue to dominate the market. With just weeks to go before Windows 7 is released to the general public Apple is becoming increasingly desperate, as its new ‘Get a Mac’ adverts demonstrate.
Microsoft has officially announced it will be dropping the ‘E’ range, the special versions of Windows 7 planned to ship without a Web browser. The decision means the company is also able to confirm a Family Pack offer.
The chances are most of us have had a pirated copy of Windows at some point or another. They’re not exactly hard to come by. The problem is probably greatest in China at the moment, with piracy of all kinds out of control. The good news is that four people have been convicted of pirating Windows XP in China. The bad news is this is just the tip of a very large iceberg.
It was revealed in February of this year that Microsoft was to open its own retail stores across the United States. Although there had been speculation about just a move for a good while. The first two Microsoft retail stores are due to open soon in Scottsdale and Mission Viejo. And Microsoft is now hiring employees for those two stores.
There we were thinking the Windows 7 Web browser issue was over. But apparently not. Microsoft has proposed a ballot screen for Windows 7 users so they can each individually select their browser of choice during installation. Fair does, surely. Not so say the people in charge of Mozilla, the community behind Firefox.
The row between the European Union and Microsoft may have caused extensive hassles, but it could be good news for British Windows users. The Internet Explorer squabblings appear to be the reason for a surprisingly low price for the full retail version of Windows 7 in the country.
Among the thousands of articles about Windows 7 during its lengthy development process, it’s perhaps inevitable two writers would take the same approach. With pro- and anti- articles this week, it’s time to see whose “seven good reasons” to switch from XP to Windows 7 stands up best.
With the deal between Microsoft and Yahoo, which sees Bing become the search solution for both companies, sights can now be set firmly on Google. But all the behind-the-scenes work counts for nothing if Google is quite simply a lot better at delivering results than Bing. But does it? A blind search should solve the riddle and settle the Bing vs. Google argument.
Microsoft has filed a secretive motion in the ongoing court case involving its incorporation of XML files in Word. The motion appears to be an attempt to buy more time to either negotiate a settlement or take the case to appeal.
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