Steve Ballmer Delivers Microsoft's Final CES Keynote

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While many people expected Microsoft's last appearance at CES to feature some big announcement, the company was probably worried about getting jinxed by the curse of CES. ;)

It was Microsoft's last keynote at CES, and Ballmer was joined on stage by actor Ryan Seacrest who helped host the event. But there was no surprise appearance from Bill Gates, as some had expected, and not much in the way of big news -- perhaps a reminder of why Microsoft has decided to give up the CES stage.
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Worst press conference ever. Ryan Seacrest being an annoying douche, the boring as all fuck woman droning on and on and on about nothing, the painfully stupid choir, and really just everything else. Such a horrible conference. At least Nvidia's was somewhat interesting, if only because I really want Ninja Core to become a meme.
 
Gates needs to come back out of retirement Jobs style in a bad way.
 
Q-BZ said:
I'd rather have boring and see a stock actually do something over the last decade, as one example.
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Which is just the stock market's detachment from reality. Microsoft's financials are still cream of the crop. The thing is everyone has been predicting for that last decade that Microsoft is going to go out of business, that they irrelevant and don't matter and nothing could be further from the truth.

A new CEO might be in order to get the stock going but the strategic direction of Microsoft is I think spot on. One core OS, Windows, for all devices using the same UI and runtime for front end applications. And now you see Microsoft doing stuff like Kinect and getting into it the hands of developers with more of that to come. And a whole NEW revenue stream in the Windows Store, the potential there is off the charts. The future of Microsoft hasn't really ever been better. Yes, there's more competition but now without the most anti-trust shackles and people not worried as much about Microsoft's desktop monopoly there's a real opportunity for Microsoft to catch everyone off guard.
 
heatlesssun said:
Which is just the stock market's detachment from reality. Microsoft's financials are still cream of the crop. The thing is everyone has been predicting for that last decade that Microsoft is going to go out of business, that they irrelevant and don't matter and nothing could be further from the truth.

A new CEO might be in order to get the stock going but the strategic direction of Microsoft is I think spot on. One core OS, Windows, for all devices using the same UI and runtime for front end applications. And now you see Microsoft doing stuff like Kinect and getting into it the hands of developers with more of that to come. And a whole NEW revenue stream in the Windows Store, the potential there is off the charts. The future of Microsoft hasn't really ever been better. Yes, there's more competition but now without the most anti-trust shackles and people not worried as much about Microsoft's desktop monopoly there's a real opportunity for Microsoft to catch everyone off guard.
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There you go again, heatlesssun, with the Metro UI steamroller of evangelizing. :p
 
CrimsonKnight13 said:
There you go again, heatlesssun, with the Metro UI steamroller of evangelizing. :p
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I'm not the one doing it, this is clearly the path of Windows on all devices. If you are an app developer or have any interest in developing for Windows, it's something you're going to need to learn about. The Windows Store is a clean slate practically that a lot of people are going to make a lot of money with more than likely. I have no idea if Windows 8 is going to take off or not but the potential to make money if you're developer is clearly there. But if it does take off, the earlier you get there the better.

Just food for thought.
 
He should give that (in?)famous "Developers, developers, developers" speech from many years ago. :D
 
heatlesssun said:
I'm not the one doing it, this is clearly the path of Windows on all devices. If you are an app developer or have any interest in developing for Windows, it's something you're going to need to learn about. The Windows Store is a clean slate practically that a lot of people are going to make a lot of money with more than likely. I have no idea if Windows 8 is going to take off or not but the potential to make money if you're developer is clearly there. But if it does take off, the earlier you get there the better.

Just food for thought.
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Just one problem (actually two). The first is that one GUI for all types of devices DOES NOT WORK, with touchscreen focused GUIs like Metro in particular a nightmare to do serious work on. They appear to have taken this into account some by allowing you to drop back to a more traditional desktop, but I for one think that GUI is going to be hellish to work with in many cases.

The second is that you're actively cheerleading them constantly without disclosing that you're also developing for these devices. Call me crazy, but that doesn't seem like the most ethical thing to me.

Also, weren't you spouting off about how Windows Phone 7 was destined for big things towards the start of last year? How has that worked out exactly?
 
As it stands now, Microsoft IS irrelevant. They haven't done anything in years, and yes, their stock reflects this. It's done nothing! It's flatlined for the past decade! If you consider that cream of the crop, I wouldn't want to see your portfolio!

Does it have to be this way, though? Of course not! Their CEO is bringing them down and it shouldn't at all be happening. They're a good company with plenty of money and there's no reason they should be so stagnant.

For now, it's great they've left CES. They contribute nothing to it, and they apparently realize it's a waste of time for them and everyone else. Once they start doing something significant again, come on back!

Oh, being a life support company for Windows does not count as doing something significant. They're upholding status quo.
 
defunctdoormat said:
As it stands now, Microsoft IS irrelevant. They haven't done anything in years, and yes, their stock reflects this. It's done nothing! It's flatlined for the past decade! If you consider that cream of the crop, I wouldn't want to see your portfolio!

Does it have to be this way, though? Of course not! Their CEO is bringing them down and it shouldn't at all be happening. They're a good company with plenty of money and there's no reason they should be so stagnant.

For now, it's great they've left CES. They contribute nothing to it, and they apparently realize it's a waste of time for them and everyone else. Once they start doing something significant again, come on back!

Oh, being a life support company for Windows does not count as doing something significant. They're upholding status quo.
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Oh they've certainly made some interesting moves and released some good products, but I think their stock price more reflects peoples' doubts that they are likely to experience significant growth.

From what I've seen over the last half decade or so with them, I'd say that is a reasonable assumption as they're still extremely dependent upon Windows and Office profits, despite getting a small amount of profit from Xbox 360 and related services at this point.
 
Microsoft is NOT irrelevant. They brought the gaming systems into the living room and made it a media center/gaming machine. They have become the dominant gaming machine in the industry, dethroning the mighty Nintendo.

Is Steve Ballmer the best choice for CEO of the company? I don't think so. Put a nerd back in there like Steven Sinofsky, and you can bring Microsoft back. It went from a nerd company into an IBM like business company. They grew up. They need to get a nerd back in there instead of a car salesman (I don't like Ballmer). They have so many projects that get scrapped because they aren't "enterprise quality", but years later they hit the market by someone else and make it big... The way Microsoft is run, it's shitty for the employees (for some of them that I've spoken with) but great for managers.

Windows Phone 7 is an EXCELLENT device. I think this year Microsoft, Nokia, HTC and the carriers are putting a lot more advertising and incentives to get this thing out. $200 million in the first half of 2012 alone.

MetroUI has no place in a mouse/keyboard environment. It's difficult to use. Put it on a touchscreen and you are golden. I can navigate my phone (WP7) or tablet (Win8) easy and better than I can an Android powered device. It's easy to understand, navigate and it 'just works'.
 
Ur_Mom said:
Microsoft is NOT irrelevant. They brought the gaming systems into the living room and made it a media center/gaming machine. They have become the dominant gaming machine in the industry, dethroning the mighty Nintendo.
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As someone who follows gaming pretty closely this is pretty drastically overstating their case. Atari and Nintendo had brought gaming systems to the living room decades before and Microsoft continued a logical progression for network connectivity going all the way back to the Intellivision PlayCable.

More importantly you're grossly overstating their dominance in the industry. They still trail Nintendo in LtD sales and are barely ahead of Sony who started out a year late and $200 too much.
 
Runningflame570 said:
As someone who follows gaming pretty closely this is pretty drastically overstating their case. Atari and Nintendo had brought gaming systems to the living room decades before and Microsoft continued a logical progression for network connectivity going all the way back to the Intellivision PlayCable.

More importantly you're grossly overstating their dominance in the industry. They still trail Nintendo in LtD sales and are barely ahead of Sony who started out a year late and $200 too much.
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Not as part of a media center, though (gaming, easily by Atari and Coleco and Nintendo). Yes, Nintendo was launched not as a gaming system, but an entertainment system. Gaming systems were dead. But, bringing so much media besides games, the Xbox is in the lead by a longshot. Personally, I attribute it to the success of the mod-scene and XBMC success on the original Xbox. I don't think anyone thought it would be so popular.

A lot of people bought a PS3 for the Blu-ray. Now that BR machines are sub $100, they are going for those instead of a PS3.
 
Runningflame570 said:
Just one problem (actually two). The first is that one GUI for all types of devices DOES NOT WORK, with touchscreen focused GUIs like Metro in particular a nightmare to do serious work on. They appear to have taken this into account some by allowing you to drop back to a more traditional desktop, but I for one think that GUI is going to be hellish to work with in many cases.

The second is that you're actively cheerleading them constantly without disclosing that you're also developing for these devices. Call me crazy, but that doesn't seem like the most ethical thing to me.

Also, weren't you spouting off about how Windows Phone 7 was destined for big things towards the start of last year? How has that worked out exactly?
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It's growing faster than Android was on it's first year, iirc. Though that may just be Android that paved the road for another ecosystem.


And I still cannot believe people are still bitching about a Dev preview (not even beta, not RC, nothing.... Dev Preview build designed for a specific Tablet PC and to give devs... not pissy users, a heads up and head start on development for the Metro UI) and how "it ruins their workflow."


Seriously? Is this going to turn into another "I hate how Win7 has a more effective BUT STILL NEW AND DIFFERENT THAN WHAT I LIKE taskbar /fuckallwhodon'tagreewithme" trend?


Runningflame570 said:
As someone who follows gaming pretty closely this is pretty drastically overstating their case. Atari and Nintendo had brought gaming systems to the living room decades before and Microsoft continued a logical progression for network connectivity going all the way back to the Intellivision PlayCable.

More importantly you're grossly overstating their dominance in the industry. They still trail Nintendo in LtD sales and are barely ahead of Sony who started out a year late and $200 too much.
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I know, right? MS has only lead month to month console worldwide sales for the past 11 months straight... (dunno about dec2011, though). Though I probably contributed to 5 xbox360 units (family + 3 broken/repaired), and 3 PS3 (2 broken/repaired; anyone who bought anything but a PS3 on launch for BluRay.... was a big fucking idiot. Nothing more to be said on PS3 sales [and their much lower game sales]).
 
Ur_Mom said:
Not as part of a media center, though (gaming, easily by Atari and Coleco and Nintendo). Yes, Nintendo was launched not as a gaming system, but an entertainment system. Gaming systems were dead. But, bringing so much media besides games, the Xbox is in the lead by a longshot. Personally, I attribute it to the success of the mod-scene and XBMC success on the original Xbox. I don't think anyone thought it would be so popular.

A lot of people bought a PS3 for the Blu-ray. Now that BR machines are sub $100, they are going for those instead of a PS3.
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Again, this was a logical progression. The PS1 and CDX had CD-player functionality because the hardware allowed it, 3D0 also added in movie support (albeit shoddy) which the PS2 improved upon. Dreamcast added in web browsing and online multiplayer.

Heck, Nintendo had web browsing, online multiplayer, music and demo downloads, and other functionality back in late 1999.

While I will credit Microsoft as the first to bring these together in a compelling way (without expensive add-ons at least), it was only logical to do so and things had been heading that way for years.
 
I think the most shocking thing coming from this announcement is that Ryan Seawhatever is an actor...:confused:
 
Runningflame570 said:
Again, this was a logical progression. The PS1 and CDX had CD-player functionality because the hardware allowed it, 3D0 also added in movie support (albeit shoddy) which the PS2 improved upon. Dreamcast added in web browsing and online multiplayer.

Heck, Nintendo had web browsing, online multiplayer, music and demo downloads, and other functionality back in late 1999.

While I will credit Microsoft as the first to bring these together in a compelling way (without expensive add-ons at least), it was only logical to do so and things had been heading that way for years.
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If that is the case, almost NOTHING would be considered innovative as it is all a natural progression. Even computers, which are considered innovative, started with an abacus - it was just natural progression that got them where they are today. I'm not denying that others have done similar things (and weren't successful, IMO), but Microsoft made it a reality and highly successful. I didn't see a 3D0 in an entertainment center with such depth and penetration as the Xbox has.
 
Ur_Mom said:
If that is the case, almost NOTHING would be considered innovative as it is all a natural progression. Even computers, which are considered innovative, started with an abacus - it was just natural progression that got them where they are today. I'm not denying that others have done similar things (and weren't successful, IMO), but Microsoft made it a reality and highly successful. I didn't see a 3D0 in an entertainment center with such depth and penetration as the Xbox has.
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There is a fair bit of difference between taking previously existing commodities (CD player, web browser, online in games) and integrating it into one device and inventing entirely new categories.

Computers required numerous entirely new inventions before they became practical on a widespread basis and the reason you don't see 3D0 is because it was way before its time and the price matched it. This is also why you didn't see the NeoGeo AES take over. Microsoft more or less created a locked down Windows PC with the original Xbox (hardware and APIs), so adding integrated online didn't exactly require a "Eureka!" moment on their part.

As for the argument about PS3 sales being for Blu-Ray players it's largely specious. Their sales have increased considerably every year and for the large majority of that time Blu-Ray players have been cheaper. For the last year or so they've trailed 360 LtD by approximately 10%.
 
Ur_Mom said:
Microsoft is NOT irrelevant. They brought the gaming systems into the living room and made it a media center/gaming machine. They have become the dominant gaming machine in the industry, dethroning the mighty Nintendo.
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The X360 is a great product. But is Microsoft relevant as a brand?

I don't know if I could answer "yes" to that question.
 
wonderfield said:
The X360 is a great product. But is Microsoft relevant as a brand?

I don't know if I could answer "yes" to that question.
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Remove every Microsoft product from every business and home. So maybe the "brand" isn't over hyped and super cool but it would be hard to be more relevant.
 
wonderfield said:
The X360 is a great product. But is Microsoft relevant as a brand?

I don't know if I could answer "yes" to that question.
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To tell you the truth, I don't know if I could, either. I've been comparing them more to IBM these days (more business, less risky) than to Google (more risky on products, focused on the big picture). IBM made that mistake long ago, and Apple nearly one. Microsoft went from barely anything to "a computer on every desktop". Now that has been accomplished (more or less), they are lost as to where to go. They aren't really taking any risks to go elsewhere. They are following in others footsteps. Sure, they get a hit with Xbox and Kinect (which are great and brought so much together in one place... My Dad wants one and not for games), but do they really come out with anything that makes you go "Holy shit, dude.". Apple doesn't do that anymore (after the iPod, it's all been the same). Microsoft isn't doing that. I've seen some amazing things from the Microsoft labs, but they will never see the light of day due to them being "too risky" and may not get their return on investment.

IBM didn't think the computer belonged in the home. Commodore and Apple did. Apple nearly killed the IBM PC market. Where is IBM now? Microsoft and tablets are the same way - everyone else already did it, and they have to come up with something KILLER to get on top. Otherwise, they lose.
 
Ur_Mom said:
IBM didn't think the computer belonged in the home. Commodore and Apple did. Apple nearly killed the IBM PC market. Where is IBM now? Microsoft and tablets are the same way - everyone else already did it, and they have to come up with something KILLER to get on top. Otherwise, they lose.
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True Microsoft has been pretty conservative for a long time now, but name a company in recent times that's taken the kind of gamble with its flagship product as Microsoft is with Windows 8. They are betting the farm on Metro, the UI of their not so hot selling phone.

It's a HUGE risk. It's not like Vista, just come out with a patched version. If Metro doesn't catch on it's really hard to go back considering that the Windows Store and the new apps are all about Metro. But as you indicate they need something killer in the tablet space, and x86 Windows tablets could be freaking awesome if the quality, batter life and price is there, all very much questions without any real answers. And even what Windows 8 ARM tablets offer beyond Metro apps is still very murky.

But at any rate Microsoft will have to do everything in its power to make Windows 8 a hit, they simply have no choice but to make it work. It will be a very interesting year for Microsoft starting next month with the Windows 8 Beta and Windows Store Beta. This is a watershed moment for them. Can Windows 8 be all things to all people and be a hit? Will it be a the biggest flop in the history of Microsoft, possibly even IT? Or something in between? The thing is that at this point no one really knows and that's actually part of why this is so interesting.

The only thing I can predict with some certainty is that the Windows 8 Beta will probably be the most widely downloaded beta OS in history.
 
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