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Microsoft talks up tablets, shows off new phones
SEATTLE |
SEATTLE (Reuters) - Microsoft Corp set out its ambitions to dominate the consumer electronics market on Thursday with Windows-powered tablet computers and smartphones designed to beat back advances by Apple Inc and Google Inc.
New tablets will be available as soon as they are ready to ship and phones will be on the market this autumn, CEO Steve Ballmer said, setting up a key test of Microsoft's ability to capture the imagination of tech-savvy consumers.
"We're coming full guns," said Ballmer at the company's annual presentation to analysts at its Redmond, Washington headquarters. "We're going to sell like crazy; we're going to market like crazy."
Microsoft has been irked by Apple selling more than 3 million iPads since the launch in April and is working with PC makers Acer Inc, Dell Inc, Toshiba Corp and others to develop so-called tablet or slate devices running the Windows operating system.
"We've got to push right now with our hardware partners," said Ballmer. "They (the new devices) will be shipping as soon as they are ready. It's job No. 1 urgency around here. Nobody's sleeping at the switch."
The new tablets will run on Intel Corp chips, said Ballmer, dampening talk that a recent agreement with British chipmaker ARM Holdings Plc heralded a shift toward that company's chip design, which powers the iPad and most smartphones.
A new range of Intel chips expected early next year will give the whole market for tablets a boost next year, Ballmer said, adding that both Windows phones and tablets will have "aggressive" marketing support from Microsoft.
Microsoft employees showed off the new phones running Windows Phone 7, made by handset makers Samsung Electronics Co Ltd and LG Corp, but did not allow photographs of the devices, which are still at the prototype stage.
No handset makers have announced a date for commercial launch. Ballmer said only that they would be coming to market this autumn.
The devices have large touch screens, incorporate a Zune music player, e-mail programs and link up with content from Xbox Live, Facebook, and other networks.
Ballmer acknowledged Microsoft has lost ground in the phone sector.
"It's probably fair to say we've got a lot of work to do," said Ballmer. "It isn't all going to happen overnight."
When asked what would happen if the new Windows phone software was not a success, or a repetition of the ill-fated Windows Vista, Ballmer answered: "It won't be," adding that there was no contingency plan.
(Reporting by Bill Rigby; editing by Tim Dobbyn and Andre Grenon)
Sure, they will be shipping as soon as they are ready. Will someone shut Mr Ballmer up.
Phones are not cars or airplanes. There is no reason to show a prototype when everyone are already selling millions of smartphones. Does Mr Ballmer actually have a clue? This guy must be brain dead. I bet Bill Gates is crying his eyes out at night.
Microsoft has had years to come out with a tablet but they sit back and wait until Apple creates the market. Now they want to get in. They have tried tablets and phones before and failed.
Apple will loose again how they lost 20 yrs ago… Without an open system where you can install whatever you want and no restriction, Apple will loose again. When there will 3-4 hardware manufacture of tablets there will be competitions and Apple will have to decrease the price. When first MAC was release 20yrs ago was the best… but after Microsoft allow to any manufacture to install the OS who win? Look at android OS now there is more selling Android OS smart phone than Apple. Google is not doing money on OS, but there will a point where will be more software and cheaper for Android than iPhone OS…
a friend of mine has a phone with windows 6.5, and I can that neither of us would ever own another windows based phone. it is possibly the worst piece of software I have ever experienced, and microsoft should be embarassed
The “three screens in a cloud” model is actually damn impressive. I’m not interested in a ‘product to love’. I want a set of tools, and so does the far more lucrative business market. Props to Ballimer. If you like money, buy shares ;)
Microsoft’s own Windows is highly flawed. Everything they make will be based on it. It will always have problems. And even Microsoft knows it. That will always be their Achilles Heel. Vistas suck and Windows 7 sucks worse considering what they are touting. And sorry… all the smart people are now sick of Windows and are moving to Apple computers. Open system does not make a system superior. OK? Just look at the miserable Windows. Utterly miserable software to say the very least. Wait, Windows is open? Really? Software is king, not hardware. Hardware is all equal these days. And I hate retarded arguments. Google’s success will actually eventually put Microsoft out of business, not Apple. OK? And only really thick skulled people hate Apple. I suspect that these people who hate Apple simply cannot afford Apple products.
PC Windows based tablet will beat Apple’s iPad or future generation of iPads? ha ha ha ha ha… now, that’s humor. Windows is struggling to survive… it has only stayed around this long only due to pure tenacity and stubbornness of Bill Gates and Microsoft. Windows suck royally. It sucks incredibly!!! Windows based tablet will beat up iPad huh?
AHA HA HA HA HA HA…
