Microsoft is losing its grasp on the technology markets
By Triston McIntyre
The Xbox 360 is a disaster of resources and destroyed customer loyalties, Windows Vista is a name murmured only in hushed tones, and some of Microsoft’s highest ranking execs are jumping ship. Microsoft is a sinking ship, and is losing passengers to every one of its competitors.
Does it not strike anyone else as odd that the bigwigs of the Xbox team, and even Bill Gates himself, have left their posts? When I say the Xbox 360 is a disaster, I’m simply pointing to evidence that, as suggested by an “inside” source in a recent article, Microsoft released the 360 anticipating a 1 in 3 failure rate, and figured Bill’s big bank account could weather the storm.
Customers who have experienced a failed Xbox, or multiple ones, are frustrated with Microsoft’s nonchalant “We’ll just replace it again for you” attitude, and are turning to competitors Nintendo and Sony for more stable gaming options. Customers grow tired of Microsoft’s “We’re the biggest and we know it” mentality, and if sales don’t reflect that mentality now, they surely will.
Microsoft is consistently being wounded and weakened in the software realm with the failure of Windows Vista. Only once before has a company been so quick to begin publicly discussing a new operating system so soon after the current iteration’s release, and that was Microsoft’s reckless blunder in Windows ME. I find it interesting that, back then, Microsoft’s grip was much stronger, and competitors were much smaller, so Microsoft didn’t really suffer.
The situation has changed. Apple is making great strides in achieving a much larger market share with its OS X Leopard coupled with Mac computers; many consumers are even beginning to adopt free open source operating systems like Linux simply to avoid the mess that is Vista.
Does it not strike anyone else as peculiar that Bill Gates is stepping down? The expression “quit while you’re ahead” comes to mind. It seems Bill, who is a fairly intelligent bloke, is cashing in his chips before his name is sullied with more corporate debacles. Let’s not mention Peter Moore, man behind the Xbox, who has also quite abruptly relinquished his position.
The future isn’t looking bright for Microsoft. What is looking bright, however, is the future of the technology markets. With Microsoft losing its grip, other companies who bring a lot of innovation to the table can begin to compete, and with that, we can once again hope to see advancement. Not poorly manufactured gaming machines and faulty operating systems based on outdated programming.
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February 1st, 2008
Since he founded the company over 30 years ago, retiring isn’t so surprising. If it was a can’t stand the heat situation, he would have quit during the antitrust procedures. While I’m no fan of MS, it did accelerate wide scale adoption of microcomputers by standardizing on the back of IBM hardware. You’re too young to remember the slap together, wild and inconsistent late 70’s early 80’s for PCs. Microsoft is more than Xboxes and OS software. The only good aspects of a Dictatership is the ability to make the trains run on time. If you think Apple isn’t a closed system trying to have full control and ram it’s standards down our throats, think again. OSS is choice and freedom. Apple gives the freedom of the free range chicken.
February 1st, 2008
Triston, I really think you are a freaking idiot. This is the 3rd article of yours I read, and they were all full of shit. You are a joke.
February 1st, 2008
keep your crappy opinion to yourself, Stop trying to spread crap about a decent company that has given me and many others a good alternative to other game consoles. I have enjoyed my gaming experience for many years now thanks to MS. So they messed up here and there it happens. Do you really think they knew about the problems before hand and just let them go? NOT! They did a great job in getting replacement units out in a timely fashion also. As for Vista… Well it does not work as well as hoped. You can’t always hit a home run, but they have hit many in the past you must admit.
February 1st, 2008
Facts only to follow:
Honestly, microsoft is in no way hurting. Vista is doing well and the home computer sector is showing surprising growth. 70% of all new computers purchased have Vista. Secondly, true the 360 has had its problems but to say that the platform is anything but a success is trully unfounded and show bias of a interesting nature. Yes, Microsoft is in a time of trans. but you are obviously wishing for the worst.
Facts are Facts: Truth Sayer out.
February 1st, 2008
UR dumb and sound retarded so you’re retardedly dumb.
February 1st, 2008
Interesting how CNet just did an article praising Vista and from the people I know using Vista they all like it. Apple still owns to 8% of the market they have always owned. Fact is it’s still a windows world and Microsoft will be a round a lot longer than you will.
BTW When a new CEO comes in he cleans house and all the folks that think they they should have gotten the job leave too. Peter Moore got canned. Running EA Sports was a big step down.
February 1st, 2008
You know, while I may not agree as adamantly as you, I must say that I as a longtime Windows user was absolutely astonished at the length of time Microsoft has allowed these issues with the 360 to persist, without not only addressing them (as they’ve done with the warranty move), but to stamp them out completely. It’s ludicrious that such a high failure rate…on any device…in any market…is still being manufactured… It definitely makes you stop and wonder about Microsoft sometimes.
February 1st, 2008
M$ has really done a disservice to all in IT for decades. Shackling OEMs to pay a royalty on every PC sold, even without Windows is shameful. Then bullying governments and innovators (Netscape, Real) until all parties give up or run out of money to defend themselves is unforgivable. Now they bypass all consumer reporting agencies in manufacturing substandard devices and services because they can. Not many have been around long enough to read between the lines like this article. Short term memories breed the ignorance that keeps M$ in business.
February 1st, 2008
Attention! The above blog is the desperate attempt of a Sony Fanboy using the same tricks Sony has used for years. Fake it until you make it. Sinking ship? Hold your BS3 in your hands and stand in front of a mirror. All these frantic posts by weirdos trying to dis Microsoft and the Xbox 360 always make me laugh. They are getting meaner and meaner showing how angry they are at themselves and Sony for messing up this go around and they are projecting this anger towards their biggest and best competitor. Hysterical!
February 1st, 2008
are you kidding me? you obviously have some personal grudge against MS. it’s funny you claim gamers will simply switch sides due to the faulty 360’s. It didn’t happen with the faulty ps2. but i’m SUUUUURE that’s different…right? face it; the 360 is the quintessential gamers console as proven by the fact it created over 20 million gamers from nothing in less than 7 years.
February 1st, 2008
What a shitty article……..
February 1st, 2008
“keep your crappy opinion to yourself, Stop trying to spread crap about a decent company that has given me and many others a good alternative to other game consoles. I have enjoyed my gaming experience for many years now thanks to MS. So they messed up here and there it happens. Do you really think they knew about the problems before hand and just let them go? NOT! They did a great job in getting replacement units out in a timely fashion also. As for Vista… Well it does not work as well as hoped. You can’t always hit a home run, but they have hit many in the past you must admit.”
Bullcrap. MS KNEW fully well what they were doing, and it WASN’T the “right” thing. 360 had more pre-launch manufacturing woes, than the original xbox, which ….i’d have to say….had a LONGER lifespan than the 360 in terms of manufacturing quality. If you haven’t read the whistle-blowers interview about this 360 nightmare, check out N4G.com’s website for it, and read what the former development team leader has to say about what went on behind the doors. MS had plenty of time to make a decent system, but got anxious to kill Sony’s release date. This is what happens when you rush anything out that works only 70% of the time.
February 1st, 2008
Damn. I was worried the tone of my post was a bit strident. I guess the Xbox opinion brought everyone out of Mom’s basement. Vista is far from OK. Will MS continue to make large profits? Of course. Does that mean they can ignore the much lower percentage of Vista adopters v.s. XP. Probably not. Vista doesn’t really bring much to the table over XP.
February 1st, 2008
you guys are a fucking joke, faulty ps2? or the best console ever created?? keep paying money to get online…. to pay money for…….wallpapers and games pics… LMFAO
February 1st, 2008
To “me”: the ‘faulty’ PS2 had the standard approx 2% failure rate; it cannot be compared to the >30% failure rate of the X360. While the blog may seem biased towards other competitors, there’s much more rampant “fanboyism” in the following posts here. Are you guys on MS’s payroll or something?
February 1st, 2008
It’s a shame people can’t see what M$ is doing to the market! They have produced a game system with the knowledge that it has the potential to fail. How can a company not know that their product is crap before it is released to the public!!!! The most tragic fact is that the system is still on the market.
M$ has intimidated and paid off so many companies know one will force them to recall their shitty system! … Oh well Mr. Gate$ is happy that the dumb a$$ public keep his pockets FAT.
February 1st, 2008
For the record, I would like to say I don’t even own a PS3 or PS2…I’m a 360 fan, and am not considering a console switch. I have had mine replaced, however.
February 1st, 2008
Well all you XBOT a**holes can cry all you want about this article, but the fact of the matter is that its ALL TRUE, This article is not false information, the author is not BSing. Its all true, the XBOX360 is a piece of S*** because it DOES break all the time. Microsoft is STIFFING all you loyal XBOTS every time you buy that crap. The worst part of this is that you encourage Microsoft to continue their business habits. Like manufacturing rush products, charging for services that SHOULD be free, trying to to monopolize the digital market, oh and my favorite DROPPING FULL SUPPORT for the previous XBOX after releasing the 360. Wow that alone must be the stupidest-backstabbing worst move done by them, that means that poor fellows that purchased an XBOX at around the time the 360 came out, basically threw away their hard earned money to the trash. This is where SONY impresses, you see its been 8 years since the release of the PS2 and more then a year since the release of the PS3, YET they still support all of those who purchased a PS2 in the recent months, they dont just abandon you like MICROSOFT, forcing you to purchase “THEIR LATEST EFFORT”.
This bunch of idiots defend Microsoft like they have never been raped by that company before, well every time you send your Crap360 for repairs , just remember how much of a jack ass you are for giving your money to them.lol.
February 1st, 2008
the 360 is the quintessential gamers console as proven by the fact it created over 20 million gamers from nothing in less than 7 years.
What does that even mean? Does this guy not know that in Sony’s first go they sold over 110 million consoles (PS1). On the second go they sold over 120 million consoles (PS2). This time around they’ll probably break 100 million again. You can call me crazy, but it will probably happen. Blu-ray is going to win the format war. When that happens it’s open season for the PS3. It will drop down to $199 in 3-4 years time and it will have a 120GB hard drive (or more). By this time HD-TVs will be everywhere and Blu-ray movies will cost the same as DVDs do now.
February 1st, 2008
wow look at the 360 fanboys go. as far as that hold my PS3 in the mirror thing i think i will and enjoy knowing it hasn’t failed on me yet.
February 1st, 2008
Also, does anyone even know the status of the 360 outside of the US? It’s being outsold in Japan 30k:4k per week. In Europe the PS3 is outselling the 360 by about 20k per week. The US gap will close this year when games like MGS4, Gran Turismo 5 and Resistance 2 come out. Gran Turismo 5 is a huge title. The combined sales of GT1-4 is over 47 million. That’s about 12 million per game.
The PS3 is at about 10 million sold. 360 is around 16.5-17 million sold. I expect the PS3 to be around 22 million by years end with the 360 coming in at around 24 million total. MGS4, GT5, GTA4 (non-exclusive), Killzone 2, Little Big Planet, and Home will cause a huge boom for the PS3 this year. From there the platform will surge on its Blu-ray capabilities (just like the PS2 before it with DVD capabilities). It’ll reach 100 million after 8-10 years on the market.
February 1st, 2008
every1 on the top need to wipe the microsoft cum out their ass.
HAHA
Dont listen to the triston.. and you SHOULD get a ps3 mate.
xbox 360 will never be a great console. Microsoft made sure of that.
February 1st, 2008
Wow, this is the dumbest blog i’ve ever read. What color is the sky in your world? Sony fanboys trying to scare a few people into buys PS3… Sometimes i think the net shouldn’t be free because bottom feeders like this gets to post pure lies.
MS going down, yeah thats why they just offered 44B for yahoo.
Get a grip, 360 will not own the gameing market but they will at least be second. They have already started making profits where as Sony is still in the red and big time.
Quit smoking whatever it is you are smoking and come back to reality.
February 1st, 2008
And I thought that the PS3 fanboys were freakin babies…but I stand corrected. Blatant name-calling abound…what are you guys, six years old? I personally don’t care for flame-bait posts…but at least I think they should be an even number each of MS and PS3 centric articles… Since there are so many bashing the PS3 and Sony…this article is only fair. Deal with it.
February 2nd, 2008
Why are we discussing PS3 in this article? I guess I’ll bring in Wii’s Super Smash Brothers to bring about a point.
One of the things about Microsoft products is that Microsoft MIGHT be in it for profit–it really hasn’t been designing an operating system with usable features. Windows 3.1, Windows 98, maybe Windows XP–There were many, many useful features available. Whether you guys like XBox/Vista or not, you’ve got to admit that Microsoft doesn’t seem to be collecting ideas/surveys from people as to what THEY want in a Microsoft program–this may (I said may, which is an opinion, so don’t pester me) bring down Microsoft little by little. (Linux can have what people want)
Super Smash Brothers should be a top selling game because Nintendo decided to ask people what THEY wanted.
February 2nd, 2008
It always amazes me at how much more intelligent 360 fans sound compared to PS3 droids. The comments here in defense of MS are absolutely correct, no one loves MS, but give me a break, the author clearly has an agenda, and frankly the posters sound like they have a far more firm grip on reality than the idiot who wrote that garbage. It wasn’t MS who screwed its customers with 10 price drops and 20 SKUs in 4 months, it was not MS who charged 600 bux for a bunch of empty promises and the yet to be seen “power of the cell”, and it is not MS who STILL has not delivered even basic features in their XBL interface that customers are begging for.
February 2nd, 2008
well finally someone has realized that Microsoft is not the end all be all of everything electronic. Its truly sad to hear all the Xbots and MS freaks who think that MS is a god. Are you kidding? The problem is that they are just so big that its going to a while to kill them. Well to be honest MS will probibly never die but they will certianly not be in the position they have been for all these years. Its sad too that so many Americans believe that MS is the best product when in reality they are theives and provide crap products. As the writer says: all those junk Xboxes kind of proves that. Yes, call me a PS3 fanboy or something because YES I own a PS3 but aside from not wanting to be ripped off for a game console that is going to break and have to pay for online gaming, or maybe it was the free blu-ray player (which essentially has won the HD format war already btw) but because I disagree with everything MS stands for. They started out fine but now they are too big for their own good. They act like they are masters of all domain and the consumers are going to show them otherwise. Trash the PS3 all you want and call this a PS fanboy article all you want but the truth of the matter is if you felt the need to post some nasty PS bashing comment on this article that means only one thing….YOU ARE SCARED OF THE COMPETITION. MS is going to pay for their misgivings…and then you will have to face the fact that they are not as flawless as you have been led to believe all these years.
February 2nd, 2008
so far i have not had any problems with vista. i dont understand why so many people complain and ditch vista?? To me is a really good os but like any new operating system it needs some updates.About the 360 is all good!!! The best system outhere and has the best games and so far my launch system is still working..
February 2nd, 2008
so far i have not had any problems with vista. i dont understand why so many people complain and ditch vista?? To me is a really good os but like any new operating system it needs some updates.About the 360 is all good!!! The best system outhere and has the best games and so far my launch system is still working..
February 2nd, 2008
Well you guys can say what you want to becuase when you speak of free online gaming you have to speak to the masses when im on xbox live alone in halo3 sometimes there are 65,000 gamers playing halo 3 and thats bandwith that someone has to pay for and you have to dedicate servers to manage the load that the system comes under every day so lets not say the word free here because the xbox live service is the most advanced feature to online gaming in the world right now and trust me if a ps3 begged MS lent PS their service to use from their PS3 for a week so 360 and Ps3 Gamers can play across platforms with games that they both support you wouldnt want to change that and you would willingly pay to play.
February 2nd, 2008
you all have got to be kidding me….ms does have some probs with the 360 but they r fixing it thats what companies do we all know this…..and to all whom mentioned the ps2 and sony let me say this…..dont for get how sony lies all the time……..ex.p21 we will focus on multi gaming and sytem link support 100% one year later they scrapped the project leaving millons with multi taps and link cables just sitting at home.EX.ps2 we will focus online a great online exp heres the hdd for the $199 system only to scrap that about 6months after that was released the online failed oh!sorry the only game to play is socom…i love socom but and i have my $199 back please you promised the online would be aroung for years but its not and it sucked…ps3.EX.sony says that the online will be better than ms starting from day one……..all i can see when i play my ps3 is that its free….the online is crap where are the movies and music you said would be there sony from day one were are all the game that would come out with the system from day one you said there would be 100 but i only had one good game rfom and maybe moto storm……heavnly sword was crap i beat the game in 3hrs what the f23k….but this game came from sony who ve been working ont the game for almost 4yrs on a 50 gig disk and the game is only 8 gigs unpressed with 2gigs of music which sony promised that this game would be 25 gigs and almost 20 gigs of music that could be copied the the harddrive in the ps3 but i guess sense its the almitghty sony ill just that this lie go back to my crappy online be cause its free and play the same games that come on a system with a better online with movies music vid downloads every wednesday…IE movie or game and updates for my games wow thanks sony for not charging atleast 20 bucks amonth
because this is were companies get the money to put updates for the games i buy and would like to keep playing for a longer time than just once…..now dont get me wrong i have both and then some but to all whom ask why ms gets more updates demos and then some for their online services its because they charge for it.just like wowc which i do play and cant because its very addicting….that why they charge to keep the updates and services coming…come on people i understand sony said it would be free but just wait either they will start a charge or the indivivual that support online play will charge at some point….the gamers need to understand that it costs to the online going when micro trans are not coming through…..so when you think of 49.99 just think that money goes to alot of things to make ms online for the 360 better……you cant get wb tv shows on for free they need something out of the deal first…..thanks for reading jesus
February 2nd, 2008
Playstation is a solid brand…..so is nintendo but ime not much a fan of the wii or ds as i was ther previos consoles.But the 360 is high on failior rate…unlike PS3….looks and sounds ugly….unlike PS3….makes you cash out on somthig that should be free…unlike PS3….it con only use soft and hardwear from its own brand…unlike PS3.and thats not the end of it no….PS3 gives more fore yore mony.twice the memory.blu ray(its gona win!).no baterys.blu toth.free online….ime not saying the PS3 is gona win(but chances are getting bigger by the day!)but its a beter console by far.
February 2nd, 2008
I know for fact that N4G is Sony (insiders told me…).
This article is a PAID Sony FRAUD that gets published here in order to be linkend on famous (for being “socially” run by Sony fan boys and undercover Sony PRs) N4G website.
N4G is Sony’s answer to MS I Love Bees viral campaign….only turned sour.
They created an entire news network to make people believe their propaganda.
To me N4G should be shut down by the FBI…
February 2nd, 2008
I know for fact that N4G is Sony (insiders told me…).
This article is a PAID Sony FRAUD that gets published here in order to be linkend on famous (for being “socially” run by Sony fan boys and undercover Sony PRs) N4G website.
N4G is Sony’s answer to MS I Love Bees viral campaign….only turned sour.
They created an entire news network to make people believe their propaganda.
To me N4G should be shut down by the FBI…
February 3rd, 2008
Your bias is so obvious it obfuscates everything you write. You might want to review Microsoft’s most recent financial reports as it shows how financially successful Vista is. And where is the reference to Halo 3 which became the most successful entertainment title of all time.
Tech Blorge embarrasses itself by letting you continue to associate yourself with its site in any way shape or form.
February 3rd, 2008
then microsoft die and GOD saw that it was good
AMEN
February 3rd, 2008
What is wrong with every one on this site, why do people like printing lies and also some people beleive them, are you still children I have a PS3 and I would have to be silly to think that MS is having any problems. How can a company that has just offered 44Billion $ be in trouble. There are some sad people on this site…
February 3rd, 2008
matt, stop being such a fanboy fag
enjoy your RROD piece of crap
February 4th, 2008
Triston McIntyre, please stop filling this site with absolute bull shit. Really, if you must know, the Playstation 3 is also a piece of crap like the purposed XBox 360 in this article. It melted when Sony first tested it (thats 10 grand of equipment at the time that melted) and Blu-ray was so faulty that even the slightest piece of dust rendered the disk unuseable. I could go on to Sony stealing Nintendo’s idea, and a bunch of bad things about the Wii, but this post is to tell you to stop telling the world a bunch of bullshit. If you wish to grow up, please e-mail me at ahodacsek@gmail.com
February 5th, 2008
I love how no one responded to my posts because no one knows what to say because well let’s face it…it’ll probably happen. It’s OK 360 fanboys, your console will probably still win America.
Oh and I forgot Resistance 2 and Final Fantasy XIII (it’s supposed to come out this year but a game like this won’t be out til it’s ready) on my list of exclusives.
February 19th, 2008
While this is a blog and should be taken with a grain of salt it is true that M$ has treated the industry with the same regard it did with users of operting systems in the 70s. M$ doesn’t have that monopoly anymore, they only thrive well when consumers have no other choice but to use their products. That’s no longer the case. Gamers have a choice and they are proving it to M$ with their wallets.
Blu-ray will be the final nail in M$’s coffin. Where else can you get a bluray player for 300 bucks? The hardware is solid, the network is solid, the selection in games is starting to ramp up more every day. All M$ has left is it’s the LIVE service and that has been dying slowly since Xmas 07. If you simply can not live without your precious achievemnts and gamerscore then stay a M$ client, they need people who enjoy abuse and disrespect to keep them afloat.
360 fanboys are so desperate to defend their precious that they can’t see clearly. The 360 was a mistake, it was launched too soon and still isn’t up to par 5 versions later. The M$ business model of grabbing as much cash as quickly as possible worked. In that first year of ‘next gen’ consoles they sold like mad, but there was no competition. People desperate to play ‘next gen” lined up to get a 360 a year before the technology was ready and are still paying for their mistake to this day.
Fanboys will only see what they want, and they don’t want to hear anything but their console is best. The 360 is already topping out, true gamers will have to play PC or PS3 if they don’t want a scaled back version of the new titles due out. The 360 can not handle it with no hard drive, and all games are made for that cash grabbing arcade version so all 360 owners will suffer from that versions limitations. 64MB memory card? That’s the limitation of the 360, all games must be designed to not use a hard drive. This is what M$ calls next gen. See you all on PSN very soon ;)
Blogs are always bullshit, it’s his opinion with an attemtp to make it appear as news. It’s not news.
Regards,
Former 360 gamer, saved by the PS3
February 23rd, 2008
man all i know is that the 360 rrods all the time
so glad i got a ps3 now
better machine all around standard hd so devs can really tap its power. Free online and its built to last.
Vista made me try linux now I recomend ubuntu to all my friends what a solid os
and ya the rats are leaving the ship cause its sinking…
M$ will be around for a while but the majority of us will move on.
February 24th, 2008
I’ve have a 360 for over a year & haven’t had any problems yet. The games on 360 are much better than on the PS3 at least for now(Gears of War,Halo,Halo Wars) .Gates left the company because he is old, not because things were tough & he just quit.I do however,have a problem with MS basically locking out any other company from selling desktops/software with anything but Windows.To charge/extort their customers into paying for a new “upgraded” OS every 3 years or so should be a crime. I remember reading right after Vista was released that they were busy working on the next OS upgrade.So they are charging the public for an OS they know if temporary before they even release it like with Windows ME.
February 24th, 2008
I’ve have a 360 for over a year & haven’t had any problems yet. The games on 360 are much better than on the PS3 at least for now(Gears of War,Halo,Halo Wars) .Gates left the company because he is old, not because things were tough & he just quit.I do however,have a problem with MS basically locking out any other company from selling desktops/software with anything but Windows.To charge/extort their customers into paying for a new “upgraded” OS every 3 years or so should be a crime. I remember reading right after Vista was released that they were busy working on the next OS upgrade.So they are charging the public for an OS they know is temporary before they even release it like with Windows ME.