January 12th, 2009

Yes or no: Is Microsoft going to keep making Zunes?

Posted by Mary Jo Foley @ 11:03 am

Categories: Apple, CES 2009, Corporate strategy, Zune

Tags: Microsoft Zune, Microsoft Corp., Mary Jo Foley

Comments by Microsoft execs last week during the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) made murky Microsoft’s future plans for the Zune. And follow-up over the weekend on the Zune Insider blog didn’t clarify matters any.

Users want to know whether Microsoft plans to stay in the Zune hardware business. Will Microsoft make any more Zune players? Will the company issue future Zune firmware updates? How long will Microsoft support existing players if it exits that business? No one will go on the record and provide clarification.

Instead, Microsoft officials are saying things like this:

“We’ve been saying for some time that our strategy for Zune is to provide a great entertainment experience across multiple screens and devices.  Software and services have always been at the core of this strategy - this is nothing new.  Today, this means a great Zune experience on the PC and portable Zune devices, and as we have said before we think it makes sense to extend that experience to other devices in the future,” blogged Paul Davidson, Lead Video Producer, Zune Video Marketplace.

It’s already known that Microsoft is planning to move Zune services to mobile phones. That’s what the Zune Mobile announcement that many were expecting at CES but now is unlikely before next month.

Poster Christopher Coulter expressed many users’ frustration with Microsoft’s failure to be clear about Zune’s future:

“How to keep conspiracy theories alive and drench all marketing fires, answer things in a haze cloud of PR nothingness. Don’t ever directly state anything, use codewords such as ‘extend’ and ‘today” followed by a “future’.

“Just one clear answer that you aren’t going to abandonware an entire hardware platform. Not so hard to do. Right?”

Would you care if Microsoft abandons the Zune hardware market — if it continues to provide Zune subscription and sharing services on other devices?

Update: On January 13, a Microsoft Zune spokesman claimed Microsoft “is not getting out of the hardware business at all.” Too bad it took Microsoft almost a week to comment on Ballmer’s and Microsoft’s President of Entertainment and Devices’ Robbie Bach’s less-than-straightforward comments about Zune’s future.

January 9th, 2009

Microsoft to wait until February for Win Mobile show-and-tell

Posted by Mary Jo Foley @ 7:30 am

Categories: Apple, CES 2009, Mobile services ("Pink"/"Rouge"), Windows Mobile

Tags: Microsoft Windows Mobile, Mobile, Microsoft Corp., Microsoft Windows, Advertising & Promotion, Operating Systems, Handhelds, Software, Marketing, Hardware

The New York Times got Microsoft to admit what many of us have been guessing for the past week-plus: Microsoft isn’t going to show or talk about what’s next for Windows Mobile until next month at the Mobile World Congress show in Barcelona.

Too bad. The Consumer Electronics Show would have been a better launch pad, especially given that Palm’s Pre news ended up — to many –  stealing the show. Would a little sneak peek of Windows Mobile 6.5 or Zune Mobile have hurt anyone? (Other than the folks who decided Windows 7 Beta would offer a bigger bang?) And instead of touting education research — why didn’t CEO Steve Ballmer roll one of those stalwart Microsoft futures videos that used to be part of major show keynotes with hints about what’s to come on the Win Mobile 7 and 8 fronts?

I know the Microsoft brass believes that secrecy is preferable to preannouncements. But especially in the consumer space, if you don’t give customers something to get excited about, they are way quicker to switch to someone who will.

Microsoft needs to stop approaching Windows Mobile like Windows client. And it shouldn’t assume that it will be able to bootstrap Windows Mobile using Windows — like it is doing with Windows Live. I’m not convinced that the majority of phone users will care that Windows Mobile integrates better with Windows than Apple/Palm/RIM/Nokia does.

I recently offered five  suggestions as to how Microsoft might make Win Mobile a more credible combatant in the mobile OS wars. Got of your own to add?

January 8th, 2009

Poll: Is Windows 7's ship date immaterial to you?

Posted by Mary Jo Foley @ 12:27 pm

Categories: CES 2009, Channel, Corporate strategy, OEMs, Office 2010/Office 14, Resellers, System builders, Vista, Windows 7, Windows client

Tags: Microsoft Windows 7, Microsoft Windows Vista, Microsoft Corp., Business User, Mike Nash, Microsoft Windows, Operating Systems, Microsoft Windows Vista (Longhorn), Software, Mary Jo Foley

When I saw a Microsoft Windows exec quoted this week as saying that Microsoft still is unwilling to go on record saying Win 7 will be ready in time for holiday 2009, I was more than a little incredulous. Hasn’t the “we’re protecting you for your own good” information-disclosure campaign around Windows gone on long enough?

I understand Microsoft doesn’t want to repeat the slip-date madness in which it became entangled with Vista. I’ve heard execs repeat time and time again that the Windows team wants to eliminate overzealous expectations. And there’s the pesky little matter that Microsoft doesn’t want to totally kill the market for Vista by announcing Windows 7 will be released to manufacturing in the coming months.

I get it that somebody out there could find a true showstopper bug that derails Windows 7 from the fast track. And of course, Microsoft would much rather ship Windows 7 “months early” rather than even one day late.

But these caveats aside, enough with the gratuitous secrecy stuff. I genuinely thought CEO Steve Ballmer might use his Consumer Electronics Show (CES) pulpit this week to tell users: “We’re confident enough at this point to tell you we are going to ship Wnndows 7 in calendar 2009″ (instead of the “by early 2010″ date that remains the official corporate line). But no.

After all, 2009 is the ship target the Softies have been whispering to enterprise customers  for months. Business users are being told by their reps that Windows 7 is on target to be released to manufacturing this summer. And Microsoft isn’t denying a Tech ARP report that it is considering kicking off its Tech Guarantee free upgrade program for Windows 7 around July 1 of this year.

Windows 7 is, for all intents and purposes, done. It is now officially feature-complete. The seemingly one and only beta goes to the public January 9. After that, it’s fit and finish Release Candidate time, followed by RTM.

Next, I began wondering if there could be any conceivable reason Microsoft –or any of its PC partners –  would decide to intentionally delay Windows 7’s release?

Read the rest of this entry »

January 7th, 2009

Microsoft at CES: Zune Mobile, no; Win 7 Beta 1, yes

Posted by Mary Jo Foley @ 8:42 pm

Categories: CES 2009, Corporate strategy, Facebook, Research, Search, Windows 7, Windows Live, Windows Mobile, Windows Server 2008 R2 /("Windows 7 Server"), Windows client, Windows server, Xbox, Zune

Tags: Microsoft Windows 7, Mobile, Steve Ballmer, Microsoft Zune, Microsoft Corp., Beta, Microsoft Windows, Operating Systems, Advertising & Promotion, Software

Microsoft’s rumored Zune Mobile platform was a no-show during CEO Steve Ballmer’s Consumer Electronics Show (CES) keynote on January 7. In fact — somewhat surprisingly –  Windows Mobile got next-to-no minutes of fame during Ballmer’s  one-hour-plus worth of consumer-product highlights.

Instead, Microsoft focused on Windows 7. As expected, Ballmer told attendees of the Las Vegas convention that private beta testers could begin downloading Windows 7 Beta bits this evening. The fact Microsoft is labeling this build “beta” and not “beta 1″ is further proof that there will be only one Windows 7 Beta, rather than the two (or sometimes more) that the Windows team has typically fielded in the past.

Any member of the public who is so inclined will be able to download the Windows 7 Beta bits on Friday, January 9, Ballmer said. The bits will be downloadable via http://www.microsoft.com/windows7.

Microsoft also is making Windows Server 2008 R2 (a k a Windows 7 Server) available to testers on January 8.

As to what comes after the Windows 7 Beta, Ballmer shared no new information about when to expect the Release Candidate or final RTM code.

Also as expected, Microsoft announced a new bundling deal with Dell, via which Dell will offer Live Search as the default search engine “on a majority of its new consumer and small-business PCs globally.” Dell also committed to preload Windows Live Essentials, Microsoft’s consumer software/services bundle, on these same PCs.

Ballmer also took the covers off a new five-year deal with Verizon Wireless, whereby U.S. subscribers “will be able to use Live Search to search for local business and shopping information; access maps and directions; perform general Internet searches; and find ring tones, games, wallpaper and other online mobile products and services.”

Facebook and Microsoft also have inked a pact via which Facebook users can share their content and photos with Windows Live.

Other CES announcements from Microsoft:

* Microsoft has renamed its “Boku” video-game development environment for kids as “Kodu.” Kodu becomes an Xbox Live Community Game to be launched this spring.

* Microsoft and Netflix later this month will offer software that will allow Windows Mobile customers to update and view their Netflix movie queue.

* Microsoft is productizing its Songsmith music-making technology that came out of Microsoft Research. (I’m not sure sure if this is the product I heard about years ago that was codenamed “Monaco” and described to me as Microsoft’s GarageBand competitor.)

For those who’ve been following the months of pre-CES rumors, there wasn’t much new announced tonight. And for folks who’ve been dabbling with earlier test builds and/or torrented builds  of Windows 7, there wasn’t a whole lot new in Ballmer’s keynote demos, either.

If you watched locally or remotely, what was your take? Did Ballmer’s keynote fall as relatively flat as Phil Schiller’s MacWorld one yesterday?

January 7th, 2009

Live-blog: Ballmer kicks off CES 2009

Posted by Mary Jo Foley @ 5:53 pm

Categories: Apple, CES 2009, Corporate strategy, Vista, Windows 7, Windows Live, Windows Mobile, Windows Server 2008 R2 /("Windows 7 Server"), Windows client, Xbox, Zune

Tags: Steve Ballmer, Microsoft Windows, Operating Systems, Software, Mary Jo Foley

Here’s the feed for our  live-blog of Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer’s keynote address on January 7, 2009, the opening night of this year’s Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas.

I’ll be providing running commentary, along with Paul Thurrott and Tom Warren (of Windows SuperSite and NeoWin.net, respectively).

If you’re not in Vegas, a Webcast feed of Ballmer’s address is available. Starting around 6:00 or 6:15 PT, our real-time Friendfeed chat room will be open and live. Join us for some armchair keynote-backing!

(Note: The site will continue to say access denied until we open the locked doors of our Friendfeed CES chat room.)

January 7th, 2009

MSDN and TechNet users: Get ready for your Win 7 Beta 1 bits

Posted by Mary Jo Foley @ 2:59 pm

Categories: CES 2009, Corporate strategy, Windows 7, Windows client

Tags: Microsoft Developer Network, Microsoft Corp., Beta, Microsoft TechNet, 64-Bit, Blogging, Microsoft Windows, Network Technology, Processors, Semiconductors

Straight from the (French) Microsoft blogger’s mouth: “C’est cette nuit.”

Tonight’s the night.

Expect Microsoft to make the official, sanctioned Windows 7 Beta 1 bits available to Connect testers, Microsoft Developer Network (MSDN) and TechNet subscribers for download some time after the CEO Steve Ballmer Consumer Electronics Show (CES) keynote begins (6:30 p.m. PT).

If you really can’t wait for tonight’s “private” Beta 1 build — or the imminent public one –  the 64-bit version is on torrents now. I’m not suggesting anyone do anything illegal — like download it from there. But I’ve heard it’s been done at least a few times with the 32-bit Win 7 version that was leaked just after Christmas.

Join us for our live-blogging coverage of Ballmer starting around 6:15 tonight. (If you’ve sent a request to be admitted to Friendfeed room we’ve set up, we’ll let you in starting just after 6.)

January 7th, 2009

January 7: Join our Ballmer CES live-blog keynote coverage

Posted by Mary Jo Foley @ 8:04 am

Categories: Apple, CES 2009, Corporate strategy, Vista, Windows 7, Windows Live, Windows Mobile, Windows Server 2008 R2 /("Windows 7 Server"), Windows client, Zune

Tags: Consumer Electronics Show, Microsoft Windows 7, Steve Ballmer, Microsoft Corp., Microsoft Windows, Sales Strategy, Microsoft Windows Vista (Longhorn), Apple Mac OS X, Operating Systems, Software

Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer kicks off the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas tonight at 6:30 p.m. PT.

I’ll be joining Paul Thurrott of WinSupersite fame, plus Tom Warren of Neowin.Net, in a live-blogging fiesta on Friendfeed tonight. We were so impressed by how well VentureBeat did with their real-time Friendfeed live blogging from MacWorld yesterday that we decided to take a page from their book and got a room ourselves. (It’s locked right now but will be open to anyone who wants to watch/comment around 9:15 p.m. ET tonight.)

Come and be part of our running commentary on what Ballmer does — and doesn’t — reveal. There have  been quite a few predictions about what’s on tap. My personal watch list:

• Windows 7 Beta 1 and Windows 7 Server Beta 1 to go to both private and public testers this week
• Microsoft and Dell ink a search deal that replaces the Google toolbar with the MSN toolbar (using Live Search)
• The final release of Windows Live Essentials (the Live software+service apps) is finally ready
• New market numbers on Vista vs. OS X holiday sales … which make Vista look good less lame
• Promises about Windows Mobile 6.5 (but nothing code-wise until later this year)
• Zune Mobile? (I’m increasingly doubtful that Microsoft is going to use CES as the launchpad for this; maybe Mobile World Congress in Barcelona instead….?)
• Something futuristic that wasn’t quite enough to make Robert Scoble cry… but still managed to impress him

A Webcast feed of Ballmer’s keynote will be available. But if you want to share your two cents with other Microsoft watchers while listening, please join us for real-time coverage this evening.

January 7th, 2009

Microsoft preps to push IE 8; makes blocking tool available

Posted by Mary Jo Foley @ 7:28 am

Categories: CES 2009, Corporate strategy, Internet Explorer

Tags: Microsoft Windows, Microsoft Internet Explorer, Microsoft Corp., Tool, Web Browsers, Internet, Mary Jo Foley

As it has done with previous Internet Explorer (IE) releases, Microsoft has made available an IE 8 blocking toolkit to allow users to keep Microsoft’s browser from being downloaded automatically on their Windows machines.

In a January 6 posting to the Microsoft IE blog, company officials noted that Microsoft is planning to push the final IE 8 release via its Automatic Update (AU), Windows Update (WU) and Microsoft Update (MU) update systems. To keep the release from being pushed, customers can download the blocker toolkit from the Microsoft Download Center.

Unlike some previous versions of the toolkit, there is no expiration date on the latest blocker. The toolkit can be configured by running the registry file on client machines or via Group Policy, according to the IE 8 blog posting.

Once the final IE 8 bits are ready, Microsoft is planning to mark them as a top priority for distribution, officials said via the blog entry:

“The IE8 update will be released as the highest priority update for each operating system. For Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008, it will be listed as Important. For Windows XP and Windows Server 2003, the update will be listed as High Priority. Delivery of IE8 via AU will begin after we make IE8 available from the Microsoft Download Center. Of course, users can always decline to install IE8 through AU when it is offered.”

Microsoft hasn’t provided a final release target date for IE 8, other than to say some time in 2009. Late last year, company officials acknowledged Microsoft would not be releasing the final version of IE 8 before the end of calendar 2008, as some company officials had claimed previously. Instead, Microsoft is planning to distribute in the first quarter of 2009 one more public test release, Release Candidate 1, before it rolls out the final IE 8.

I’m not sure if we’ll see RC 1 of IE 8 this week. While Microsoft is expected to release the official version of Windows 7 Beta 1 to private and public testers over course of the next three days, the build of IE8 that is part of Windows 7 Beta 1 is still Beta 2, company officials said on January 7. (The refreshed partner test build of IE 8 that Microsoft released privately in December was designated as “RC1″ but isn’t the official RC1 release, the Softies have said.)

When I asked earlier this week, Microsoft officials wouldn’t comment on when IE 8 RC1 would go live.

January 6th, 2009

Public betas of Windows 7 client and server could hit this week

Posted by Mary Jo Foley @ 10:19 am

Categories: CES 2009, Corporate strategy, Windows 7, Windows Server 2008 R2 /("Windows 7 Server"), Windows client, Windows server

Tags: Public Beta, Microsoft Windows 7, Server, Microsoft Windows, Operating Systems, Software, Mary Jo Foley

It’s not much of a secret at this point, but CEO Steve Ballmer is expected to announce official availability of the closed Windows 7 Beta 1 release during his Consumer Electronics Show keynote address on January 7. The official (non-Torrented) Beta 1 bits should be available to pre-approved Windows 7 Beta 1 testers later Wednesday night or early on January 8.

Ditto with Windows 7 Server, a k a Windows Server 2008 R2. The private Beta 1 release of that product is scheduled for late January 7/early January 8, I’m hearing.

I’ve gotten a number of questions from readers this year already about the expected public betas of these products. I’ve made some discreet inquiries.

The public (the one and only) beta of Windows 7 client and server could be released simultaneously with the private Beta 1 builds this week, according to some of my sources. What’s the point of a simultaneous public and private beta? The private testers’ feedback will get top priority; the public beta will be more of a milestone marker than anything else.

One source of mine said the Windows Server 2008 R2 code definitely will be available to the public this week, but was less sure about client. He said he thought the public beta of Windows 7 client might lag by a week or so.

Update: Nope. It’s going to be sooner, not later. The latest word: The public beta of Win 7 client is due to hit Friday, January 9, according to a source familiar with Microsoft’s plans. The public beta of Win 7 Server is due to hit a day earlier, January 8, the source added.

Microsoft officials declined to comment as to when testers — public or private — should expect to get the new Windows 7 client and server builds.

Bottom line: If the tipsters are on their game, anyone who wants to test Windows 7 client and Windows 7 server should be able to do so starting this week…. And if you’re a consumer in the market for a new Windows PC but want the flexibility to upgrade to Windows 7 for free, it sounds like you should wait until July 1, 2009, to make your purchase….

January 5th, 2009

Macs vs. PCs: Is it still a 'tax' if users happily pay a premium?

Posted by Mary Jo Foley @ 12:15 pm

Categories: Apple, CES 2009, Channel, Corporate strategy, OEMs, Resellers, Systems integrators, Vista, Windows 7, Windows client

Tags: Mary Jo Foley

It’s the eve of MacWorld Expo and Microsoft officials are out talking up the idea of the “Apple tax” again.

The Windows team last mentioned the Apple tax concept during Microsoft’s Professional Developers Conference (PDC) in late October. Then, as now, the Softies’ contention is that Apple’s higher prices — coupled with fewer natively ported apps — is making Macs less appealing to customers and partners.

“Apple had an excellent ride through October, but Windows is turning the corner now,” Brad Brooks, the Microsoft Corporate Vice President of Windows Consumer Marketing, told me during a phone interview on January 5.

Brooks hinted that new market data which will go public during the Consumer Electronics Show later this week will prove Microsoft’s claims. But he had no numbers to share today. Microsoft also is touting this week a chart that it plans to update once Apple makes any new MacWorld announcements that is designed to show that Windows PCs best Apple systems at every price point in terms of cost and functionality, Brooks said.

(Click on the chart below to see Microsoft’s Apple Tax spec sheet.)

To my mind, there are a couple of key questions here. First, when — if ever — will Apple’s user base object to paying a premium? When you ask Mac users why they willingly shell out hundreds of dollars more for their systems — knowing full-well that some of the software they might want to run isn’t available for Macs — their answers run the gamut. I’ve heard everything from “I just want no parts of Microsoft,” to “Macs are more secure and easy-to-use,” to “an iMac looks way cooler sitting on my new coffee table than any PC would.”

Will there be a point when these reasons won’t justify the costs? What will happen once Apple attempts to grow its user base beyond the unquestioning, loyal core to include folks who will look at things like dollars and cents as being more important than a recessed plug?

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