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smoledman

macrumors 68000
Original poster
Oct 17, 2011
1,943
364
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/ht...on_the_barnes_noblemicrosoft_partnership.html

So basically Microsoft wants in on e-Publishing and textbooks. Well, the only way I see this working out is if Microsoft makes a textbook creation tool as good or BETTER then Apple's and that saves it to an ePub file instead .ibook. Yet once again, Microsoft gets caught with their pants down with everyone laughing. Ballmer has to go.
 

\-V-/

Suspended
May 3, 2012
3,153
2,688
"E-readers" and "E-books" have been around long before Apple ever got into the market. Microsoft isn't copying Apple. Books are going the way of the digital world and it's another means of profit for Microsoft. They're a business... and as a proper business should, they're always looking to make more profit. If they succeed, good for them... more competition is better for the end user. If not, well they tried. I'm curious to see how this partnership works out.
 

McGiord

macrumors 601
Oct 5, 2003
4,558
290
Dark Castle
Why would that be copying Apple?
Apple made its hardware, and offer its own book store.
Microsoft is leveraging what Barnes & Noble already established, a totally different business model.
 

smoledman

macrumors 68000
Original poster
Oct 17, 2011
1,943
364
Why would that be copying Apple?
Apple made its hardware, and offer its own book store.
Microsoft is leveraging what Barnes & Noble already established, a totally different business model.

Except why didn't Microsoft do this deal 6 months ago? No, they saw the Apple event in January, **** their pants and panicked into a deal. No vision.
 

\-V-/

Suspended
May 3, 2012
3,153
2,688
Except why didn't Microsoft do this deal 6 months ago? No, they saw the Apple event in January, **** their pants and panicked into a deal. No vision.

Yes, I'm sure that's exactly what they were thinking. :rolleyes:
 

smoledman

macrumors 68000
Original poster
Oct 17, 2011
1,943
364
Yes, I'm sure that's exactly what they were thinking. :rolleyes:

That's how it appears to the outside observer. Perception is king and the current "street" perception of Microsoft is they are a follower, not a leader.
 

Rodimus Prime

macrumors G4
Oct 9, 2006
10,136
4
That's how it appears to the outside observer. Perception is king and the current "street" perception of Microsoft is they are a follower, not a leader.

More that is how it looks to rapid fanboys and girls. People who get out from behind the fanboy view see it for what is really is, business. This tends to follow suit with a lot of microsoft other offers.

In terms of education MS blows Apple out of the water big time in the deals it gives to students and has for a long time. This is just more in line with that part.
 

smoledman

macrumors 68000
Original poster
Oct 17, 2011
1,943
364
More that is how it looks to rapid fanboys and girls. People who get out from behind the fanboy view see it for what is really is, business. This tends to follow suit with a lot of microsoft other offers.

In terms of education MS blows Apple out of the water big time in the deals it gives to students and has for a long time. This is just more in line with that part.

Yet 1/3 of all American high school students own an iPhone. Probably 80% own an iPod. Apple has captured the hearts & minds of the kids.
 

boss.king

macrumors 603
Apr 8, 2009
6,134
6,804
Except why didn't Microsoft do this deal 6 months ago? No, they saw the Apple event in January, **** their pants and panicked into a deal. No vision.

Admittedly I only skimmed the article, but from what I read it doesn't say when they entered into talks about the deal. For all we know it could have been in their agenda for a while.

Not necessarily.

I'd be willing to bet that for the most part it's the parents who foot the bill. Although I'm not really sure how Americans teens are an indicator of anything. They'd be among the last people I talk to if I need knowledge or advice on literally anything.
 

roadbloc

macrumors G3
Aug 24, 2009
8,784
215
UK
eBooks have been around for years, how on earth is this copying Apple? True, Microsoft are probably too late to the game with Amazon taking up the majority of the eReader marketshare, but it isn't copying anyone, it's copying everyone.

Personally, I don't see the point in Microsoft entering this market, but who knows, they might succeed and it might be a big money earner for them.
 

steveza

macrumors 68000
Feb 20, 2008
1,521
27
UK
Admittedly I only skimmed the article, but from what I read it doesn't say when they entered into talks about the deal. For all we know it could have been in their agenda for a while.
Agreed. Deals like this one can be complex with all sorts of rights issues along the way. This isn't something that was put together in a couple of months.
 

ani4ani

Cancelled
May 4, 2012
1,703
1,537
Except why didn't Microsoft do this deal 6 months ago? No, they saw the Apple event in January, **** their pants and panicked into a deal. No vision.

MS have been offering a eReader software for 10 years or more! Readers were available for CE and XP years ago. They have supported schools and Education for more than 30 years. Nothing to do with vision, just good business

So when Amazon launched the Kindle and Apple then saw an opportunity, this was vision?
 

Tinyluph

macrumors regular
Dec 27, 2011
191
0
Except why didn't Microsoft do this deal 6 months ago? No, they saw the Apple event in January, **** their pants and panicked into a deal. No vision.

Probably because they were in the middle of suing Barnes & Noble.
 

Rodimus Prime

macrumors G4
Oct 9, 2006
10,136
4
eBooks have been around for years, how on earth is this copying Apple? True, Microsoft are probably too late to the game with Amazon taking up the majority of the eReader marketshare, but it isn't copying anyone, it's copying everyone.

Personally, I don't see the point in Microsoft entering this market, but who knows, they might succeed and it might be a big money earner for them.

I thought part of it dealt with a settlement between MS and B&N lawsuit.
Some how I could see this being a win win for those two. MS gets B&N network and agreements they already have in place and B&N gains MS backing and deeper pockets.
 

PlaceofDis

macrumors Core
Jan 6, 2004
19,241
6
eh, what microsoft copies, or what they do or don't do really isn't going to have an effect on apple. right now its google that apple is more worried about and rightly so.
 

Abstract

macrumors Penryn
Dec 27, 2002
24,835
847
Location Location Location
I bought eBooks off Amazon before Apple started selling them, or perhaps before I knew that Apple sold them too.


Based on that anecdotal evidence, Apple should really stop copying Amazon. They're just making themselves look bad. And eBook reading device? Come on, Apple. We all know where you stole that idea from.


Think differently.
 

KnightWRX

macrumors Pentium
Jan 28, 2009
15,046
4
Quebec, Canada
Microsoft doesn't care about eReaders, eBooks, Apple's strategy or whatever. The only reason for this deal is this :

http://yro.slashdot.org/story/11/11/15/171201/barnes-noble-names-microsofts-disputed-android-patents

B&N refused to sign Microsoft's racketering NDA and disclosed the BS patents it was leveraging against Android (yes, the vFat long filename patent for one!). Microsoft is now hoping to buy their silence so they can continue getting royalties from Android OEMs through NDAs and threats.

This is what this is about. Open your eyes people, it's not about Apple.
 

LethalWolfe

macrumors G3
Jan 11, 2002
9,370
124
Los Angeles
Microsoft doesn't care about eReaders, eBooks, Apple's strategy or whatever. The only reason for this deal is this :

http://yro.slashdot.org/story/11/11/15/171201/barnes-noble-names-microsofts-disputed-android-patents

B&N refused to sign Microsoft's racketering NDA and disclosed the BS patents it was leveraging against Android (yes, the vFat long filename patent for one!). Microsoft is now hoping to buy their silence so they can continue getting royalties from Android OEMs through NDAs and threats.

This is what this is about. Open your eyes people, it's not about Apple.
I was about to mention that. The lawsuit was starting to look bad for MS and if B&N won it could open up a flood gate so basically MS paid off B&N. Win/Win for both as B&N needs the money and MS needs to keep its patents.

Lethal
 

danahn17

macrumors 6502
Dec 3, 2009
384
0
Yet 1/3 of all American high school students own an iPhone. Probably 80% own an iPod. Apple has captured the hearts & minds of the kids.

High school students are also notoriously fickle groups of consumers. Apple is in today with them... but who knows what they will decide is cool next year?

Just look at their fashion, hairstyles, slang, favorite brands, style of music, etc... over the past 5-10 years.
 

maflynn

macrumors Haswell
May 3, 2009
73,419
43,308
Microsoft doesn't care about eReaders, eBooks, Apple's strategy or whatever. The only reason for this deal is this :

http://yro.slashdot.org/story/11/11/15/171201/barnes-noble-names-microsofts-disputed-android-patents

B&N refused to sign Microsoft's racketering NDA and disclosed the BS patents it was leveraging against Android (yes, the vFat long filename patent for one!). Microsoft is now hoping to buy their silence so they can continue getting royalties from Android OEMs through NDAs and threats.

This is what this is about. Open your eyes people, it's not about Apple.

The link you provided is from 2011 and B&N is in bed with MS at this point. While I'll not disagree with your point in what Barnes and Noble was trying to do last year everything changed when MS gave them 300 million dollars.
 

KnightWRX

macrumors Pentium
Jan 28, 2009
15,046
4
Quebec, Canada
The link you provided is from 2011 and B&N is in bed with MS at this point. While I'll not disagree with your point in what Barnes and Noble was trying to do last year everything changed when MS gave them 300 million dollars.

I know it's from 2011. You're not pointing out anything. You think lawsuits get resolved in a matter of weeks ? ;) If it had been recent, I wouldn't have had to spent quite a few minutes digging it up (Google seems to not like to display old stuff anymore).
 
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