Microsoft copying Apple again

[smoledman]

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/htm...rtnership.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-/]

"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]

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]

Originally Posted by McGiord

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, shat their pants and panicked into a deal. No vision.

[\-V-/]

Originally Posted by smoledman

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

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

[smoledman]

Originally Posted by \-V-/

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

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]

Originally Posted by smoledman

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]

Originally Posted by Rodimus Prime

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.

[AppleScruff1]

Originally Posted by smoledman

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.

You mean the wallets of their parents.

[Comeagain?]

Originally Posted by AppleScruff1

You mean the wallets of their parents.

Not necessarily.

[smoledman]

Originally Posted by AppleScruff1

You mean the wallets of their parents.

Walter White FTW!

[boss.king]

Originally Posted by smoledman

Except why didn't Microsoft do this deal 6 months ago? No, they saw the Apple event in January, shat 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.

Originally Posted by Comeagain?

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]

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]

Originally Posted by boss.king

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]

Originally Posted by smoledman

Except why didn't Microsoft do this deal 6 months ago? No, they saw the Apple event in January, shat 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?

[McGiord]

Originally Posted by smoledman

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

Is that copying? No, trying to catch up, but it is not copying.
Any Patents involved?

[Tinyluph]

Originally Posted by smoledman

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

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

[Rodimus Prime]

Originally Posted by roadbloc

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]

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]

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]

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/...ndroid-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]

Originally Posted by KnightWRX

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/...ndroid-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]

Originally Posted by smoledman

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]

Originally Posted by KnightWRX

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/...ndroid-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]

Originally Posted by maflynn

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).