Quote of the day re: Apple vs. Microsoft

"Apple is like a great soprano; you go and listen and even if she misses a note you criticize. Microsoft is like Susan Boyles; you're shocked when you hear something great." Gohkam @ Engadget

Baba and the current manufacturing model

Samsung recently came out with – or announced – Baba, an operating system that they will use to 'smarten' their devices and reduce their dependency on the likes of Microsoft and Google.

This made me think for a moment. Is the software/hardware model that Microsoft built and perfect irrevocably broken? Sure Windows 7 has redeemed Microsoft but other parts of the Windows platform has not done well. Windows Mobile/Embedded is being replaced with Androids in areas that Microsoft thought they had the right to win. Even Google has put their own skin in the game, albeit with a well-known hardware partner.

When it comes to mindshare and influence, isn't it better to own the entire ecosystem? What is the benefit of sharing the spotlight with others?

The Microsoft next door

So Microsoft is opening their own branded stores. In many cases, the stores will be opened in close proximity to the incredibly successful Apple Stores.

On the face of it, it's smart. Microsoft has not shied away from going after Apple from a price standpoint and I applaud them for being aggressive.

However the problem that Microsoft has may not be solved by sticking their products in a snazzy casing. Let's face it. It's a Windows World. The majority of computers sold today contain Microsoft technology. One could argue that Microsoft has stores on every corner since retailers big and small sell Microsoft products. It's not for lack of exposure that the Microsoft brand is in trouble. It's lack of trust – Microsoft products are robust but also seen as complicated and insecure. A retail presence doesn't negate the user's experience at home or in the office.

Before Apple Stores were created, Macintosh products were often sold in dirty dingy strip mall stores that had limited appeal. It was a horrible customer experience and a far cry from picking up a tower or a laptop at the nearest CompUSA, where there was a broad selection of both software and hardware. It must have annoyed Apple to have so much work go into the product/industrial design only to have it marginalized in retail.

Personally the only way that I think the Microsoft stores will be successful is if they take on the role of product support. It's no secret that the Apple Stores are now the primary touchpoint between the user and technical support. Being able to take your device in and talk to someone about your problem goes a long way to improving customer satisfaction, an issue in the tech space.

If Microsoft is willing to shoulder the responsibility of tech support, then I think it will be a successful endeavor. But if the sole purpose is to show up Apple and turn the Microsoft store into a product museum, then I wonder what the difference is between a Microsoft store and the beautiful but essentially useless Nokia store in Chicago.

What is the consumer problem that they are solving? I can think of several but I'm not sure they will be solved by a storefront. Time will tell.

Netbook hurting Microsoft

The biggest seller in the computer category is the netbook, small low-powered laptops. I've written about them once before and I have been thinking about getting one forever; the portability just can't be beat.

The only one not excited about the netbook is Microsoft. Turns out these tiny systems are hurting their business more than Apple. Why? Because netbooks sales contribute very little to their bottom line. 

1. Roughly one-third of netbooks ship with Linux. 
   
2. Those that do ship with Windows tend to ship with the low-cost Windows XP, an OS Microsoft has been trying to bin since Vista came out. 
   
3. Most netbooks don't run Office, since the software costs as much as the computer itself. 
   

A more detailed summary can be found here on Macworld via Computerworld.