Ballmer predicts Windows PC 2010 = Macintosh 2008

Posted on July 31, 2009 by Ian Betteridge

More from the analyst’s meeting with Steve Ballmer:

“Ballmer told analysts there would be a new class of “ultra-thin” PCs” — or high-end netbooks –coming this year that would combine the light weight of netbooks with high-power and high-performance of traditional PCs.

‘When I talk to many of our customers, they say ‘I love the Netbook but can I get one with a bigger screen?” Ballmer said.

Those new ultra-thin PCs, the first of which will be coming later this year and, presumably running Windows 7, won’t be as cheap as $299 or $399 netbooks, Ballmer admitted, but they will combine netbooks’ portability, with some unnamed but higher-sounding prices that will make shareholders, analysts and Microsoft happy.”

I don’t know about you, but I think that someone already makes something rather like that. Maybe it would be better to buy now, rather than wait to see what the other guys come up with?

Reblog this post [with Zemanta]
This entry was posted in Apple, Mobile and tagged , , . Bookmark the permalink.
  • http://scintilliarium.com MT

    Whenever I read something Ballmer has said, I am surprised and amazed that he is still employable. I know it’s Microsoft we’re talking about here, but this man is an albatross around their necks of galactic proportions.

  • iphonerulez

    What does this mean of Windows PC 2010 = Macintosh 2008? That Microsoft is just catching up in design of the 2008 Macs? Why is Microsoft so obsessed with what Apple is doing? Apple is just trying to sell easy-to-use, high-quality computers and media devices with good customer service. Apple is working on polishing up its image. Apple is not even trying to compete with Windows in market share. Microsoft seems to be very greedy about having 100% market share. Ballmer continues to say that Apple is nothing, yet Microsoft keeps trying to duplicate what Apple is doing in nearly all aspects. Most of the world would never go to Macs because they can’t afford to, so why is Microsoft getting all antsy thinking that Apple will be taking their place.

  • Ian Betteridge

    iphonerulez: It’s a bit of an old-school joke. When Windows 95 was released, Apple produced a set of stickers which had on them “Windows 95 = Macintosh 89″ – pointing out that they were just about catching up with the ease of use and design of the Mac.

  • Don

    It’s not that Balmer is saying a Windows-based product to come out next year=a Mac product from last year. What this presents is typical Microsoft FUD: Fear, Uncertainty, Doubt.

    They’re trying to plant in consumer’s mind that they (MS) will be coming out with something better in the near future in order to let people know NOT to buy what is out now. Typically, the result has been a loss of sales to other companies (often putting them out of business) and then the vaporware from MS, when it appears, is NEVER as good as the competing product. Often, their vaporware doesn’t appear at all.

    The goal was not to say that MS2010=Apple2008. Rather, it’s to tell people “Don’t buy Apple now because we’re going to come out with something better.” It’s the continuing lie upon which MS has existed and Gates has made a fortune which he’s now–in an attempt to assuage his guilty conscience–trying to give away.

  • Ian Betteridge

    I’m quite certain that StevieB wasn’t saying that – but in predicting “ultra-thin laptops” as the fuuuuuture, that’s what he was unknowingly implying.

  • Ordinal

    I would assume that the entire speech was predicated on the audience simply not being familiar with Apple products – or perhaps, having intrinsically dismissed them as being “too expensive” and “not for them”.

    This seems more like wishful thinking than anything else. I do hear that Microsoft’s latest dismal and annoying ad campaign has been more successful than their previous dismal and annoying ad campaigns, but _wholesale elimination of memories of the Macbook Air_ I think is a bit beyond it.

  • dan

    based on the headline, it appeared that Microsoft was going to start building PCs. but maybe that was just to draw more clicks?

  • http://www.marketing-alchemy.com Michael Linehan

    Yehhhh. The next thing we’ll do will be really good. Uhhh, yeh. That’s the ticket. Honest!
    Steve

  • AdamC

    Whatever stevie said also impact the PCs market too..lol

  • tom b

    yea, that iPhone thingy’s just a fad, too. (snark)