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Apple to Replace Google with Bing as iPhone’s Default Search Engine? [UPDATED]

January 20, 2010 By Alex Jordan Leave a Comment

bingLogo_lg.jpgBusinessweek is reporting that Apple and Microsoft are in talks to replace Google with Microsoft’s Bing as the default search engine on the iPhone. These negotiations reportedly been ongoing for weeks now.

The reason for this switch? The increased encroachment of Apple and Google on each other’s businesses.

“Apple and Google know the other is their primary enemy,” says one of the people, who’s familiar with Apple’s thinking. “Microsoft is now a pawn in that battle.”

If an agreement is met between Apple and Microsoft, we could see Google replaced with Bing on desktop versions of Safari too.

Businessweek does point out that even if Apple and Microsoft come to some sort of agreement, this still may be only a time buying move on Apple’s part, while they work on their “skunk works” search technology.

I don’t buy this for a second. Firstly, the relations between Google and Apple aren’t all that bad as far as we know. The relations between Apple and Microsoft aren’t all that great as far as we know. Thirdly, I believe Yahoo would more than likely be willing to accommodate any of Apple’s demands for a prominent position on a popular platform such as the iPhone.

[UPDATE]: It turns out that Yahoo is now powered by Bing. That means the only two large players in search are Google and Microsoft. That makes this story far more plausible. My apologies for the confusion.

Filed Under Microsoft, Rumors, Software, iPhone

Apple Releases Boot Camp 3.1, Supports Windows 7

January 20, 2010 By Alex Jordan Leave a Comment

Screen shot 2010-01-19 at 7.56.54 PM.pngApple has released a Boot Camp update (Boot Camp 3.1) that now adds support for Microsoft Windows 7, while also taking care of minor issues and adding support for Apple peripherals.

This update adds support for Microsoft Windows 7 (Home Premium, Professional, and Ultimate), addresses issues with the Apple trackpad, turns off the red digital audio port LED on laptop computers when it is not being used, and supports the Apple wireless keyboard and Apple Magic mouse.

Boot Camp 3.1 comes in 64 and 32-bit flavors and requires a genuine copy of Windows, and an Intel-based Mac. In a support document from Apple regarding Boot Camp and Windows 7, Apple noted a list of Mac models that will NOT support Windows 7 on Boot Camp. Here they are:

iMac (17-inch, Early 2006)
iMac (17-inch, Late 2006)
iMac (20-inch, Early 2006)
iMac (20-inch, Late 2006)
MacBook Pro (15-inch, Early 2006)
MacBook Pro (17-inch, Late 2006)
MacBook Pro (15-inch, Late 2006)
MacBook Pro (17-inch, Early 2006)
Mac Pro (Mid 2006, Intel Xeon Dual-core 2.66GHz or 3GHz)

Apple has also released Boot Camp Utility for Windows 7 Upgrade. This utility is needed to upgrade from Vista to Windows 7 and “safely unmounts the read-only Macintosh volume on Microsoft Vista.”

Filed Under Microsoft, OS X, Software

Apple Working on Boot Camp Support for Windows 7 , Microsoft Opens first retail store

October 23, 2009 By Alex Jordan 1 Comment

With yesterday’s release of Windows 7, Apple has posted a support page informing users that official Apple support for Windows 7 running on Macs via Boot Camp will be available later this year.

Apple will support Microsoft Windows 7 (Home Premium, Professional, and Ultimate) with Boot Camp in Mac OS X Snow Leopard before the end of the year. This support will require a software update to Boot Camp.

Several early Intel-based Macs will not be able to run Windows 7. Those machines are the following models:

- iMac (17-inch, Early 2006)
- iMac (17-inch, Late 2006)
- iMac (20-inch, Early 2006)
- iMac (20-inch, Late 2006)
- MacBook Pro (15-inch, Early 2006)
- MacBook Pro (17-inch, Late 2006)
- MacBook Pro (15-inch, Late 2006)
- MacBook Pro (17-inch, Early 2006)
- Mac Pro (Mid 2006, Intel Xeon Dual-core 2.66GHz or 3GHz)

Boot Camp officially only supports Windows XP and Windows Vista, but many users have been able to install Windows 7 with limited difficulty. With Apple officially supporting the feature, many users will find it easier, and have access to documentation for help.

Also, in other Microsoft news, yesterday the Redmond Washington based company opened the first of their new retail stores in Scottsdale Arizona, to coincide with the launch of Windows 7. Take a look at the video below.

Yep, that’s right. The store looks just about like any Apple store you’ve ever walked into. Even Microsoft fans have to admit there are some striking similarities.
Also, note how the grand opening ceremony was cared out- just like the ceremonies held when Apple opens a store.
Again, this goes back to how Microsoft insists on trying to appear “cool”, and appeal to the Apple generation, but then again when has Microsoft implemented an original idea?

Filed Under Microsoft, Software Tagged With boot camp, microsoft store, support, windows 7

Microsoft Luring Apple Retail Employees?

September 22, 2009 By Alex Jordan 1 Comment

Look, they even tried to copy Apple's retail store wood selection.

The Loop is reporting that Microsoft is offering Apple retail store managers “substantially increased” salaries, and in some cases paid moving expenses to leave Apple and work at Microsoft’s retail stores, which are expected to open their doors soon.

People that have spoken to The Loop on condition of anonymity confirm that Microsoft has contacted a number of Apple’s retail store managers to work in their stores. In addition to “significant raises,” the managers have also been offered moving expenses in some cases.

The handful of managers Microsoft has hired away from Apple, have been tasked with hiring as many other Apple retail employees as possible.
As you may know, Microsoft is preparing to open several retail stores near Apple stores, to directly compete with Apple’s growing computer market presence.
This sounds about right. Microsoft will just throw money at the problem, and hope it takes care of itself. That seems to be their business strategy for everything.

Also, does anyone actually know what they are going to sell in these stores? It’s difficult to sell software as a stand alone product, and Microsoft makes no money from PC hardware sales.

So what’s left? Xbox and Zune? Hardly seems worth opening a series of retail stores for just those products.

Filed Under All News, Microsoft Tagged With employees, luring, managers, Microsoft, retail stores

Microsoft Office 2008 Service Pack 2 Now Available

July 21, 2009 By Alex Jordan Leave a Comment

Microsoft has released Service Pack 2 (12.2.0) for Microsoft Office 2008 for Mac. This free update touts speed increases, customer requested features, and most notably a new application.

The new app is called Microsoft Document Connection, and is meant to help users work more easily with shared files on a Microsoft SharePoint site orMicrosoft Office Live Workspace, Microsoft’s Web-based collaboration service. Microsoft Document Connection lets users skip using a web browser to access documents on the aforementioned services.

Other improvements in this service pack include stability improvements for all Office 2008 apps, alongside speed improvements. Additionally, Office Live Workspace has added support for Safari 4.

TidBits has cataloged most of the changes here.

Filed Under Microsoft, OS X, Software Tagged With Microsoft, Microsoft Office 2008, Service Pack 2, Update

Another New “Laptop Hunters” Ad Released

May 14, 2009 By Alex Jordan 1 Comment

This installment of the on-going mud slinging ad campaing by Microsoft features another lady named Lauren and her mother.

Lauren is going to be a law student. I’m very excited for her, but tha’t beside the point. She wants portability in her computer. Alright let’s see what Best Buy has for you.

Just like all the other ads she fumbles through the store, then makes a pit stop at the Mac section complains about it being too expensive. I really enjoy when her mother chimes in with the line “Why would you pay twice the price?” It is obvious just by the tone of voice Lauren’s mom doesn’t know what she is talking about. After complaining Lauren then moves on to what she’s there for, promoting Microsoft. She finally settles for a Dell. At least it wasn’t another HP.

I’m growing tired of this ad campaign and it’s insistance of being “real”, when it’s painfully obvious that these are actors. If not actors, at least pre-planned. The attempts to make Apple look bad are getting increasingly ham-fisted, and come of as patronizing at best.

Filed Under All News, Microsoft Tagged With ads, laptop hunters, Microsoft

Microsoft Releases Another Ad In Their Ongoing “Laptop Hunters” Ad Campagin

May 1, 2009 By Alex Jordan 2 Comments

Microsoft has released yet another update to their increasingly futile “Laptop Hunters” ad campaign. This episode involves a lady named Sheila.

As with all of the other ads in this campaign, Sheila is looking for a laptop. Her being the artist that she is needs, a fast processor, big screen and “something that can cut video.”

Well, there’s your problem. Microsoft is trying to say “we can do artsy things too. No really we can” in this ad. They follow the same format as the other ads. That being, let’s pretend to shop, stop at the Mac section spew some anti-Mac talking points, and then go on to buy an HP.

Needless to say, the Mac’s are in fact geared more toward (not solely, like some portray them) the creative crowd. With iLife on every Mac you buy, Apple makes sure you have at least a basic set of tools to get you started, and Apple’s “basic tools” blow away the basic crap that ships with a Windows PC in regards to ease of use.

Anyway, back to the point. This ad is trying to get rid of the perception that a Mac is a better machine for easily and elegantly handling multi-media. Which is the truth, but Microsoft has to try to sell you on something. Anything.

As usual they stop and point and laugh at the Macs for having a seemingly minor flaw. What’s the problem this time? “For under two grand, this the best Apple. It only has 2 Gigabytes of RAM” then she shrugs. The problem here is that most users are not going to need that much RAM, but for the sake of argument lets say they do. You know how you handle that problem? Pop in another stick of RAM, which is dropping in price rapidly.

That just simply won’t do. She’s got to find the crappiest, loss-leader machine she can find. She settles for a HP HDX 16t, even though she said she’s “open to any brand”. Any brand as long as it’s HP. Only in the last ad did they buy an non-HP PC. Glad to see they go back to buying HPs, because you know, I wouldn’t them to at least look like there not in someone’s pocket. And should I stop her and tell her that’s it’s not an Apple, it’s a Mac made by Apple?

The most disgusting line of the ad? The very last line she utters, “I’m a PC and an artist.” In response to that I have to say this: Serious artists use the best tools they can find.

Microsoft has managed to pander to every crowd it can think of with this ad campaign, first starting with the lady that is too cheap to shell out for a good computer, then the guy “that knows his stuff“, then to the tween with his mother, and then today character, “the artist”.

UPDATE: My friend Taylor Martin summed it up nicely with his own brand of sarcasm.

“I have $2000 and I want fast processor. I’ll accept any brand, but this Apple only has 2GB of RAM, which I didn’t care about earlier when I was rattling things off, and I couldn’t ever upgrade to 4GBs for no money, it simply won’t do. Oh, since I’m open to any brand, im going to get an HP, LIKE EVERY OTHER DAMN PERSON IN THESE ADS!”

Filed Under All News, Microsoft Tagged With ad campaign, laptop hunters, Microsoft

Xbox Executive to Join Apple?

April 30, 2009 By Alex Jordan Leave a Comment

MCV is reporting that Richard Teversham, senior director of business, insights and strategy for Xbox, is leaving Microsoft to take a job at Apple. Teversham is to be taking on an “education-related” role in Apple’s European office. Focused on EMEA (Europe, the Middle East and Africa), Teversham had been at Microsoft for the past 15 years and worked on business aspects of Xbox since its launch in 2002. Here is an excerpt:

Teversham had worked at Microsoft for over 15 years. He held the role of Xbox director for platform and marketing between 2005 and 2007 before becoming strategy boss.

A Microsoft spokesperson told MCV this week: “We can confirm that Richard Teversham, director of business, insights and strategy, has taken a new opportunity outside of Microsoft. A process is underway for recruiting his replacement.”

Your guess is as good as mine as to why Apple is grabing everything it can involving gaming. My point, a year ago Apple aquired PASemi. Then comes new just this past week that Apple is hireing two graphics chip executives and then today Apple plucked a man who worked, for a long time, in the gaming department of their rival. Draw your own conclusions.

Filed Under All News, Microsoft Tagged With gaming, Microsoft, pasemi, Teversham, xbox

Microsoft and Verizon to Launch iPhone Rival in 2010?

April 28, 2009 By Alex Jordan 1 Comment

A Wall Street Journal Report (subscription required) indicates that Microsoft and Verizon are planning to launch an iPhone rival in early 2010. Here is a summary via MarketWatch.

The Microsoft phone, code-named “Pink,” is expected to appear by 2010 and would extend the tech giant’s Windows Mobile cellphone operating system, according to the Journal.

It is said Microsoft will have a third party make the device, however they would still play a in the desinging of the device.

This to me sounds like a trap. One set of rumors is claiming the iPhone is coming to Verizon then another set of rumors is claiming that the Microsoft is bringing something to Verizon. Yes, Verizon could offer both a Microsoft and Apple device, but the timing seems to conflict. Leave it to me and my conspiracies but I feel as if someone is trying to drum up attention for Verizon.

As usual, John Gruber sums it up nicely.

Apple had an OS project code-named “Pink” in the 80s, which eventually turned into Taligent, which burned up a lot of money and effort and went nowhere.

Filed Under Microsoft, Rumors Tagged With iPhone, Microsoft, rival, Verizon

Apple Fires Back at Microsoft’s “Laptop Hunters” Ad Campaign

April 16, 2009 By Alex Jordan Leave a Comment

In an article by Erik Hesseldahl of BusinessWeek, Bill Evans, an Apple spokesperson is quoted as saying “A PC is no bargain when it doesn’t do what you want.”

The article which disected the differences between the $699 HP notebook Microsoft recommended to its TV audience over Apple’s 17″ MacBook Pro, which is like trying to compare Apples and Oranges (ZING). Continuing, Mr Evans also stated “The one thing that both Apple and Microsoft can agree on is that everyone thinks the Mac is cool,” Evans added. “With its great designs and advanced software, nothing matches it at any price.”

The well thought out article goes on to deeply analyze the price differences of the two notebooks and hidden costs. So instead of me listing all of it, you can read a great dissection of the article here.

Filed Under All News, Microsoft Tagged With ad, Apple, laptop hunters, Microsoft
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