Microsoft (MSFT) dominates the markets in which it competes. Microsoft dominates the operating system markets where Windows has 75% of the PC market share. It also dominates he business productivity market where Office has 95% share by our estimates.

Microsoft competes with Apple (AAPL) and open source players like Red Hat (RHT) and Novell (NOVL) that support Linux distributions in operating systems, and with Google's (GOOG) Apps suite of products, Adobe (ADBE), IBM (IBM) and Oracle (ORCL) in business productivity.

Continue reading Two Microsoft Concerns That Could Deflate Our Enthusiasm

Two Microsoft Concerns That Could Deflate Our Enthusiasm originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 02 Mar 2011 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

For years Microsoft (MSFT) was the tech leader. Then, Google (GOOG) came along and Microsoft missed the entire search engine revolution. But Microsoft still dominated in software. Then came Apple (AAPL) with its iPod, iPhone, and iPad. Again, Microsoft missed the small device revolution.

The Wall Street Journal reports that now Microsoft is playing catch-up again. With its next operating system it will use low-powered chips similar to those Apple uses.

Continue reading Microsoft to Feature New Chips With Next Windows

Microsoft to Feature New Chips With Next Windows originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 06 Jan 2011 11:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Do you remember the battle of the pop-ups? Now we have a new, but rather different problem. Advertisers use tracking devices to follow a customer's moves throughout the Internet. The aim is to pinpoint the customer's needs and purchases with the hope of capturing more business.

And as with pop-ups, customer complaints are growing. Customers resent being tracked and consider it an invasion of their privacy. The Wall Street Journal reports that Microsoft has taken the lead by adding a "Tracking Protection" tool that will allow users to prevent being tracked by small text files called "cookies." It will be included in Internet Explorer 9.

Continue reading Microsoft Adds 'Tracking Protection' to Its New Browser

Microsoft Adds 'Tracking Protection' to Its New Browser originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 08 Dec 2010 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Once upon a time, Mac users could brag they were much safer from malicious electronic attacks. After all, in the days before Google (GOOG), when Microsoft (MSFT) was the only uber-player in town, Windows was the perpetual malware target. Phishers, however, aren't discriminating; they're just looking for an account to plunge. So, both Apple (AAPL) and Microsoft users are threatened. Virus writers do tend to focus on the Windows operating system, which owns 90% of the OS market, but phishers are platform independent.

Phishing involves attempts to get a user to reveal information about their accounts. Once the soon-to-be victim clicks that link or fills out a form, the "transaction" is complete -- no operating system interaction necessary. As a result, there really isn't any advantage to using a Mac over a PC.

Continue reading Apple's Macs aren't safe from phishing attacks

Apple's Macs aren't safe from phishing attacks originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 18 Nov 2009 10:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Amazon, Inc. (AMZN) is in the clouds. So are Google, Inc. (GOOG), EMC (EMC) and Cisco (CSCO). Now, Microsoft Corporation (MSFT) is joining them, having announced on Tuesday its new Windows Azure cloud computing system. The new product will be released on January 1, 2010 -- a new solution for a new year.

Azure will deliver an online platform for the software development set to build their own mousetraps and provide plenty of storage space for users. Testing began a year ago, and full live version will be celebrated next year. For the first month, Azure will be free. The charges start in February.

Continue reading Microsoft latest to head into the sky: New cloud solution announced

Microsoft latest to head into the sky: New cloud solution announced originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 17 Nov 2009 16:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Businesses do not see a turnaround in 2010. Even with public figures talking up the economy (and who can blame them, it's practically in their job description) businesses are not listening. If consumers aren't spending, why should businesses?

For example, Intel (NASDAQ: INTC) said the year will close strong, although it still will be down compared to 2008. This end-of-the-year optimism is being driven by a once-in-five-year change in the Windows operating system -- something that should have created booming demand, not a modest uptick.

Continue reading Reason #7: Businesses aren't spending

Reason #7: Businesses aren't spending originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sun, 25 Oct 2009 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ: MSFT), a company in the same competitive league as Apple, Inc. (NASDAQ: AAPL), Google, INc. (NASDAQ: GOOG), Yahoo! (NASDAQ: YHOO), and International Business Machines Corp. (NYSE: IBM), posted its Q4 earnings release after the bell on Thursday. As I was writing this paragraph, shares of the software giant were trading down over 6% in the after-hours session. Looks like the market was disappointed.

To be certain, the results weren't great (of course, no one was expecting them to recall the company's growth story of yesteryear, I'm confident about that, let me tell you). Sales were down 17%. Operating income on a dollar basis dropped 30%. And, on a reported basis, Microsoft's per-share profit, calculated out to be 34 cents, declined 26%. On an adjusted basis, adding back 4 cents for a few items, earnings came in at 38 cents per share. According to my earnings preview, that beat estimates by two pennies.

Continue reading Market sells Microsoft on Q4 news -- warranted or not?

Market sells Microsoft on Q4 news -- warranted or not? originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 23 Jul 2009 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Google (NASDAQ: GOOG), which already has most of the money in the world, seems intent on grabbing Microsoft's (NASDAQ: MSFT) pile by elbowing its way into the operating system business.

Last year Google introduced its own web browser, Chrome, and a platform for smart phones, Android. Now the Wall Street Journal (subscription required) reports that by the end of next year it will roll out an operating system to compete with Windows.

Continue reading Google to launch alternative to Windows

Google to launch alternative to Windows originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 08 Jul 2009 12:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Microsoft Corp. (NASDAQ: MSFT) blamed its crummy numbers on something you may never have heard of -- netbooks. Why should you care? Because netbooks -- $200 to $500 stripped down laptops designed for web surfing -- are growing faster than any market I know of -- 11 million were sold in 2008 and 22 million are likely to fly of the shelf in 2009.

Netbooks are making Microsoft's valuable Windows franchise vulnerable after two decades of dominance. That's because if Microsoft is used to selling Windows to a desktop or laptop maker for $300 or $400 a copy, it is not going to make much headway with a netbook maker who is selling the entire device for $300. The netbook phenomenon will force Microsoft to either come up with a much less expensive operating system or continue to see its Windows revenue -- which fell for the first time in history in the last quarter of 2008 -- shrink.

Continue reading Are netbooks the next big thing?

Are netbooks the next big thing? originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 26 Jan 2009 15:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Mac clones -- good or bad for Apple? originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 15 Jul 2008 18:07:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

This post is part of our Battle of the Brands feature. Let us know which brand you prefer, and check out other Battle of the Brands posts.

Going by ad campaigns alone, you would think that every person -- or, at least every cool person -- had abandoned their Windows PCs and hoisted themselves onto the Macintosh bandwagon. Not so. The truth is that PCs far outnumber Macs in the market. The big-business worlds of finance, law, medicine use predominantly PC, while the areas of video production, web design and art use Mac. These computers do most of the same things (play games and DVDs, word-process, create web pages, store and play music) but they are completely different operating systems. Even though Apple computers now include the Intel processor that makes it possible to use Windows-only applications, it can still be hard to compare products.

But what about the companies themselves? What does the Apple brand signify that the Dell brand does not? And vice versa.

Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL): Providing innovative products and a user-friendly interface, Apple has turned the whole computer thing into a fashion accessory. For someone who used Dell products for years and then switched to Mac, the difference is like night and day. A Mac is so easy to use. With a clean interface, a near-universal compatibility with external products and tools, these computers are a beautiful breeze. And now that Macs include Intel processors, one can switch back and forth between a Windows interface and a Mac interface, making previous incompatibilities (software, games, etc.) now perfectly compatible. And when it comes to customer service (see below) Apple really socks the house.

Continue reading Battle of the Brands: Apple vs. Dell

Battle of the Brands: Apple vs. Dell originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 08 May 2008 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Netscape Navigator on the web's endangered species list originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 02 Jan 2008 16:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Apple market share hard to overlook originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 02 Jan 2008 13:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Microsoft issues first Windows Vista service pack

Microsoft issues first Windows Vista service pack originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 13 Dec 2007 15:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

One of the wonderful things about the Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL) Mac and its operating system was that, because so few people used them, they were not an attractive target for hackers. Apple used that fact to market itself as an alternative to Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT) Windows, which is constantly fending off bugs.

All of that is changing now that computer users actually buy Macs and use Apple's new OS. The FT quotes Patrik Runald, an F-Secure security researcher, as remarking: "Over the past two years, we had found one or two pieces of malware targeting Macs. Since October, we've found 100-150 variants."

Now Apple will have to spend a lot of programmer time working on hacks the same way that Microsoft does.

The Apple hacking army is lead by a group called the "Zlob gang." It appears that they are very good at getting consumers to download software for things like watching video. All the person really gets is a virus.

It is a shame that the Mac is so successful. Now Apple will have to spend endless hours in a chess game with hackers.

Douglas A. McIntyre is an editor at 247wallst.com.

Apple (AAPL) faces hacker threat originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 06 Dec 2007 09:13:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

New information out of IDC research suggests that the Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL) Mac accounted for 6.3% of all PC sales in Q3, up from 5.7% in the same quarter a year ago. This would move the company into third place in the U.S. market.

Steve Jobs intends to do what he can to keep Mac sales growing faster than the PC industry as a whole. According to The New York Times, "on Friday, Apple will start selling the new Leopard version of its OS X operating system, which has a range of features that in some cases match those in Windows Vista and in others surpass them." To keep adding features to the OS, Apple plans to upgrade it every eighteen months or so for several years.

But, upgrades will not be enough to continue to push for more market share. Apple is getting some Mac sales because of the public's purchasing of iPods and iPhone. Still, it is difficult to see business and enterprise customers supporting a new OS along with Windows which not only dominates the PC market but rules the server market as well.

Among consumers, the share battle may get more hard-fought. Hewlett-Packard (NYSE: HPQ) and other big PC companies are going to need to defend their sales with better product and aggressive pricing. Apple has to face new competition in the U.S. markets from Asia operation Lenovo and Acer.

Apple is about to find that getting more share is tough against entrenched competition.

Apple tries to extend Mac success originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 22 Oct 2007 07:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Google's (GOOG) 'gPhone' not a handset, but a software platform originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 09 Oct 2007 16:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

This post is part of our Money Face-Offs feature. Let us know who you think comes out ahead in this head-to-head match-up, and check out our other Money Face-Off posts.

The technology stories of the 1980s have a lot to do with the dawn of the PC era. IBM was about to license its personal computer technology to the open market (leading to the rising popularity of Microsoft) and Apple's computers were a hit-or-miss proposition with consumers as el-cheapo PCs made their entrance and became the dominant force in many homes and offices. Remember 1,200-bps modems and bulletin boards, folks?

Microsoft's arguably illegal tactics made it flourish in the 1990s under CEO and company cofounder William H. Gates, and the debate continues to this day whether the Windows 3.0 and Windows 95 operating systems were in part copies of Apple's MacIntosh operating system. Suggested viewing: Pirates of Silicon Valley.

Apple seemed dead in the water in the mid '90s, and Microsoft was growing by leaps and bounds. Bill Gates became the richest person in the world on paper (which would last more than a decade), and Steve Jobs came back in 1997 to try and resurrect a floundering Apple that had not done much in terms of innovation or growth under then-CEO Gil Amelio. Gates seemed on top of the world; Jobs, not so much.

Continue reading Money Face-Off: Steve Jobs vs. Bill Gates

Money Face-Off: Steve Jobs vs. Bill Gates originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sat, 15 Sep 2007 11:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

A funny things happened yesterday. Shares in Sun Microsystems (NASDAQ: JAVA), which have been trading up for two weeks, took at dope mid-day. The drop was fairly sudden and happened just after noon.

That would have been the same time that Sun announced it would be selling Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT) Windows pre-installed on a number of its servers. According to The Wall Street Journal, Redmond will get a license fee for each server. This was an odd turn of events since Windows competes with Sun's own Solaris system.

Both companies pledged that their server software would interact and work with new virtualization technologies that allow processing to be shared across servers and cuts hardware cost.

What happened to Solaris then? According to Sun, it would become a de facto standard for server operating systems, but the market wasn't buying it. The reason Sun's shares fell is probably because the announcement was a tacit admission that Solaris cannot pull Sun's growth out of the mud.

In the last quarter, Sun's revenue was flat. Of course, Sun does not have to pay Microsoft license fees on Solaris, so margins will be cut each time Windows is shipped on a Sun server. Sun will now have to pay out money for the privilege of using Windows. The market knows that.

But, it is better than hitching the company's wagon to a star that is setting.

Douglas A. McIntyre is a partner at 24/7 Wall St.

Sun's (JAVA) deal with Microsoft (MSFT) is a sign of weakness originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 13 Sep 2007 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Microsoft (MSFT), Wal-Mart (WMT) and Yahoo (YHOO): From 2001 to 2007 originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 11 Sep 2007 11:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.