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View Full Version : Foley on Microsoft: Give Me a Blank Check, Microsoft!


Kris Kumar
02-03-2006, 05:30 PM
<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://redmondmag.com/columns/article.asp?editorialsid=1218' target='_blank'>http://redmondmag.com/columns/article.asp?editorialsid=1218</a><br /><br /></div>What will you do if Microsoft gave you a blank check and you could use it anyway you wanted, as long as it helps add value to the company. This is one of the ideas that Mary Jo Foley, editor of Microsoft Watch, has on her mind:<br /><br /><i><b>Steal some Apple designers for your Xbox and Smartphone teams.</b> Regardless of how technically savvy Microsoft gets on the consumer front, it just can’t command the same level of cool as Apple. Do a Google search and go on a poaching run. Siphon off some of those iPod and iMac designers and turn them loose.</i><br /><br />I love the idea, what about you?

Rocco Augusto
02-03-2006, 06:45 PM
What will you do if Microsoft gave you a blank check and you could use it anyway you wanted, as long as it helps add value to the company. This is one of the ideas that Mary Jo Foley, editor of Microsoft Watch, has on her mind:

Steal some Apple designers for your Xbox and Smartphone teams. Regardless of how technically savvy Microsoft gets on the consumer front, it just can’t command the same level of cool as Apple. Do a Google search and go on a poaching run. Siphon off some of those iPod and iMac designers and turn them loose.

I love the idea, what about you?

i don't think i could keep an all white smartphone clean very long ;)

Mike Temporale
02-03-2006, 07:44 PM
But the device design is really HTC's (and other OEM's) doing. So I think my answer would be to offer HTC a nice little bonus to get a little more creative. :D

cmorris
02-03-2006, 09:45 PM
Wow, she has got to be one of the worst tech journalists out there...

As Mike points out, the design is up to OEMs, so maybe that advice should go to Motorola, HTC, Samsung, etc.

And last I checked the Xbox 360 design seemed to be garnering pretty postive feedback (even "apple-like"!). The system software in particular (Xbox 360 Dashboard) I'd say is even beyond anything that Apple has put out.

As for not commanding the same level of cool, well let's just say not everyone wants to be "cool".

Rocco Augusto
02-03-2006, 10:56 PM
...not everyone wants to be "cool".

thats because we're already cool

Kris Kumar
02-04-2006, 02:09 AM
I was thinking of the software-coolness, ease of use and stability. ;-) Think Different. (http://images.google.com/images?q=think+different+apple&amp;hl=en)

Rocco Augusto
02-04-2006, 02:17 AM
what i would like to see is microsoft implement some OS feature that will let you do voice dialing without making a voice note. like on the mpx220. that was the only thing i LOVED about that phone. i would just say "open calendar" or "call mom". i wouldnt have to program in voice tags for everything i wanted, it was just speak and go