Intel and Microsoft: reversal of fortune?

For the most part Intel and Microsoft fortunes have been attached at the hip. When was the last time Intel reported better expected earnings while Microsoft failed? Just curious …

Microsoft ebook reader

Given all the hoopla around ereaders, can Microsoft be far behind with a product?

Dvorak gets religion

Dvorak questions Microsoft’s futureVia DeWitt:

• Years ago in the pre-Internet era, AOL was the talk of the town, so Microsoft had to copy it with MSN. No money was made; no strategic advantage was gained.
• Netscape was the rage for a while, so Microsoft threw together a browser and got in that business. The browser was given away for free. No money was made; the strategy got the company in trouble with government trustbusters.
• During the early days of the Internet, new online publications appeared. Microsoft decided to become a publisher too, rolling out a slew of online properties including a computer magazine and a women’s magazine. They were all folded.
• Computer books became popular; Microsoft began Microsoft Press. After an early splash and success, the company soon lost interest and the division now languishes.
• Teddy Ruxpin became a hot toy. Microsoft rolled out a couple of robotic plush toys, including the creepy Barney the Dinosaur who sang “I love you and you love me.” The company soon lost interest and dropped the whole thing.
• AOL-TV appeared, along with other device-centric TV-delivery mechanisms in the 1990s. Microsoft created a Microsoft-TV division as well as a device. It soon lost interest.
• Adobe Photoshop became a huge success, so Microsoft hired Alvy Ray Smith to develop photo-editing software. Smith quit when the company lost interest in the idea.
• Yahoo and Google showed that a search engine could be a money maker, so Microsoft copied that idea; it now has Bing.
• Cloud applications are currently trendy, along with notions about software as a service. Microsoft decides to go into that business.
• The Apple rolled out a MP3 player, the iPod. Microsoft came up with its own MP3 player, the Zune. The company also says it wants to stream music.

Blogging was big in the 2000’s so Microsoft started Spaces. It lost interest.
Social networking was hot so it started Wallop. It lost interest.
YouTube was cool so it started SoapBox. It lost interest.
Flash was taking over the web so Microsoft launched Silver-something. Interest TBD
Wii kicked Xbox’s ass so it presents something called Project Natal. Interest TBD
Apple stores are cleaning up so it pursues Microsoft stores. Interest TBD
Apple iPhone had touch so Microsoft built a table. Interest TBD
Twitter garners a lot of attention so Microsoft introduces something called Vine. Interest TBD
Google introduced Google Health so Microsoft creates health Vault. Interest TBD

The problem is that Microsoft still thinks it can leverage its monopoly as it did to crush Netscape, Novell, Sun, Lotus, and compete with the likes of Oracle during the 1990s. It is yet to prove any core competence outside its desktop platform and has no credibility with its web offerings.

Oh yeah, some more. Let’s not forget Microsoft Virtual Earth following Google Earth, Microsoft book scanning following Google’s Library project.

Yogi Bear would be proud

Yellow Yellow is a bear that’s figured out how to get into the BearVault:

The BearVault 500 withstood the ravages of the test bears at the Folsom City Zoo in California. It has stymied mighty grizzlies weighing up to 1,000 pounds in the backcountry of Yellowstone National Park.

Some canisters fail in the testing stage when large bears are able to rip off the lid. But wildlife officials say that Yellow-Yellow, a 125-pound bear named for two yellow ear tags that help wildlife officials keep tabs on her, has managed to systematically decipher a complex locking system that confounds even some campers.

In the process, she has emerged as a near-mythical creature in the High Peaks region of the northeastern

It is not certain exactly how Yellow-Yellow plundered campers’ Italian sausages and granola bars, but she apparently depresses one tab with her teeth, turns the lid, uses her teeth on the second tab, and then opens it. At the Adirondack Mountain Club’s High Peaks Information Center here, where campers can rent canisters, an example of a defeated BearVault is on display: a bear’s teeth have left deep gouges in the hard plastic lid, as though it were putty.

Go, Yellow Yellow.

Analyst food fight over Pre performance

Cut out you two. Now, which one of you has a higher stake in Palm ?

Pali Research says sales of the Palm Pre are slowing. RBC’s Mike Abramsky says they aren’t and claims 325,000 to 375,000 have been sold to date, ahead of his expectations.

Citing some decidedly unscientific poll data, Jesup and Lamont analyst Kevin Dede suggests the device is plagued by build-quality issues and a high exchange/return rate, potentially 40 percent. Abramsky says it’s between two and three percent and calls BS on the build-quality issue.

375,000 is a large # of Pres irrespective.