| Tuesday, December 30, 2003 |
13:25 - Microsoft flails
http://www.usatoday.com/money/industries/technology/2003-12-29-loudeye_x.htm
|
(top)  |
Tim sent me this link at USA Today:
"This will be the year downloadable music ... goes legitimate," says Dave Fester, general manager of Microsoft's digital media division.
Those jumping on board the digital music bandwagon can thank Apple Computer for getting it rolling. Apple opened its iTunes online music store in April and was the first to let patrons download individual songs for 99 cents, without having to commit to a subscription service.
. . .
The software giant aims to topple Apple as the early market leader by spurring the growth of a cross section of digital music suppliers and device makers all using the Windows Media format, it says.
"The best part about Windows Media is that it unlocks choice," Microsoft's Fester says. "You can buy from the store or use the device that gives you the best experience."
I love it. It's brilliant. Like a light bulb in the mouth.
Microsoft can't claim prima nocte on technology. They can't compete on price. They can't compete on premiums. They can't claim an edge on style. They can't even claim ubiquity, usually a given for them.
So what's kinda funny is watching them flail about trying to find an area where they can compete, where they can claim an edge. And the only one they seem to be able to find is "Freedom and choice". Straight from the mouths of the company that has made a business on evangelizing a single, unified, universal platform for everything.
It makes for good watchin'.
While looking through the same section of USA Today, though, I found a couple of other headlines that caught my interest:
Israel vs. Redmond
Gov't suspends purchases of MS software.
Wait, no Pocket PCs?
$1.2 million from Gates Foundation buys schools Palm PDAs
Sounds like Microsoft is throwing punches in the dark, frankly.
|
|
Brian Tiemann
