Google vs. Microsoft
Google has long been a favorite company of mine. I simply think that "they get it". One of the main reasons I love the company so much is their ability to charge exactly zero for the great majority of the products. How is Microsoft going to be able to take over a market when their main competitor is giving product away for free?
Jeff Matthew's of Jeff Matthews Is Not Making This Up fame explored this in an excellent post a few days back. The Evil Empire Stirs
BetaNews is reporting today that Apple's iPod and iTunes have overtaken Sony to become number one in the Japanese music market. Within four days of launch, iTunes Japan sold more than one million tracks, the fastest start of any of the company's twenty regionalized stores ... Read
The Wall Street Journal reports this morning that front page ads sell out up to 18 months in advance on Yahoo, MSN and AOL. Premium placement ads on MSN can fetch up to $1,000,000 for a 24 hour placement. Henry Blodget, of securities fraud fame ... Read
I have to say that I built a great deal of my career and wealth off of Microsoft. Without Microsoft, I'm not exactly sure what I'd be doing for a living today but I do owe them a great deal.
Unfortunately, Microsoft suffers from the same malaise that other mega corporations experience. Microsoft has simply lost it's innovative and cutting edge.
Why didn't microsoft invent the iPod?
Why didn't microsoft invent Tivo?
Why didn't microsoft invent a better search engine?
Why didn't microsoft invent a better browser?
Why does microsoft ALWAYS rip off someone else then advertise at how "innovative" they are?
I could go on but I think the answer is fairly simple: They have billions in cash and the people that work there simply want a fat paycheck with stock options.
I know microsoft is a "dead" company. I recently bought an iPod Nano (my first apple product) and I was simply blown away at how cool this gadget is! Apple's iPod got me into an Apple store where I checked out other cool products that I now want to buy: Apple Notebook, Bose Speaker for iPod, and 23" LCD display. As soon as my current laptop dies, I'm switching to Apple.
I feel that I've graduated from cheap commodities to quality products. I do feel a little guilty since I still make a living off microsoft....
