To Ballmer, Grabbing iPad's Market Is 'Job One Urgency'

Barence writes "Microsoft's Steve Ballmer has vented his frustration at the success of the iPad and said developing a Windows alternative is 'job one urgency.' 'Apple has done an interesting job of putting together a synthesis and putting a product out, and in which they've... they sold certainly more than I'd like them to sell, let me just be clear about that,' Ballmer told analysts. The Microsoft boss said the company plans to deliver a range of tablet formats in the next year, some based on Intel's next-gen Oak Trail processor. 'It is job one urgency around here. Nobody is sleeping at the switch. And so we are working with those partners, not just to deliver something, but to deliver products that people really want to go buy.'" In Microsoft's vision, slates will run a derivative of Windows 7.

Re:Anger.

[rubycodez]

Shocking news. Microsoft exec upset by the success of a member of the competition that Microsoft cannot buy out

Re:Anger.

[DurendalMac]

Chairs are flyin'.

Re:Anger.

[Anonymous Coward]

Ballmer is just upset he doesn't belong to the club [tinypic.com].

Just do the opposite.

[140Mandak262Jamuna]

In Microsoft's vision, slates will run a derivative of Windows 7.

Apple just put out something that is so well integrated and Microsoft decides to start with a derivative? OMG! Calculus MS101 fighting Calculus MS102! Is it normal or am I talking at a tangent here?

Ballmer Kong

[Junior J. Junior III]

http://pixelatedgeek.com/2009/09/steve-ballmer-as-dk/ [pixelatedgeek.com]

I really want someone to make a Donkey Kong rom hack with chairs instead of barrels and Ballmer instead of DK.

Re:I don't get it.

[Threni]

To be honest, they're better off buying HTC, or releasing their own version of an Android tablet. They're far less likely to fuck it up if they do that,

Re:Sigh

[Scrameustache]

When will people finally realize that Apple doesn't have huge sales thanks to any miraculous quality or innovation, but thanks to sheep-like following and buy-everything-they-make attitude of their fans?

You misspelled "Microsoft". How's you Zune, btw? Did you squirt anything good lately?

Re:Anger.

[QuantumRiff]

Shocking news: Microsoft working on a project very similar to one developed by Apple.

Re:It's going to be called the KANT

[Anonymous Coward]

KANT -

Kinda like Apple's New Technology

That sounds like a TUNA
noT
qUite
aN
Acronym

Re:Anger.

[Anonymous Coward]

Kinda makes me want to run out and buy an iPad.

Re:Anger.

[Darth Snowshoe]

Right click under computer, then select properties. Click that. Cycle the tabs and select the hardware tab. Hit the radio button for 'all users'. Click on the box for 'environment variables'. Tab to your account in the accounts pop-up and do a double-click. Now select 'touch screens' from the control panel. Do an alt-F7 for DCP. Next, enter your admin password at the fill form. Now pop back to 'properties'. Hit apply but don't close the form yet....

Re:Anger.

[jcinnamond]

I've lost count. Probably five times at least

You need to work on your counting skills.

Re:Anger.

[MrMarket]

Imagine a world in which one of those companies just disappeared tomorrow, tell me which one do you think would have the much more drastic effect on the world...

MSFT. Imagine a world without blue screen of death.

Re:Anger.

[frank_adrian314159]

If inflating an iPod Touch (or iPhone for that matter) to the extent that the device no longer fits in your pocket is innovation, then I guess that's fine.

It is. I can now wear it around my neck, just like Flavor Flav does with his clock.

Re:Bullshit

[russotto]

To resolve the QT code infringement lawsuit, as well as the look-n-feel lawsuit, MSFT agreed to give Apple $150M and continue to make Office for the Mac.

The best part of that was the Apple press event where Jobs pulled a Lando and revealed Apple's savior... Bill Gates (via satellite).

Re:Anger.

[Anonymous Coward]

Maybe they should focus on more core aspects of their business such as developers developers developers developers developers developers developers developers developers developers developers.

Re:Anger.

[nizo]

Imagine it? Hell I dream about it every night!

Re:Anger.

[WrongSizeGlass]

It is. I can now wear it around my neck, just like Flavor Flav does with his clock.

If you make it display the time it will actually be multitasking: being cool and being a clock.