The deteriorating economy and cutback in consumer spending will hurt Apple (NSDQ: AAPL) and Microsoft (NSDQ: MSFT) — at least that’s the way MSFT CEO Steve Ballmer sees it. In a 
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Ballmer is the 2nd best thing that ever happened to Apple (Jobs returning #1),
Mr. Ballmer is an amazing source of humor in this turbulent world of technology. As a publisher I subscribe to my competition, and as a technology user I try to acquire as much information on current offerings in order to make an informed decision. At last check, the Iphone was $199 from AT&T. It's closest WinMo competetitor, in my opinion, the HTC Touch Diamond was available for $50 more. Of course, I'd prefer a keyboard increasing the price another $50.
I'm by no means an Apple fanboy and have no intention of buying an Iphone. However, it is difficult to bear the blathering of someone who one would think is intelligent, yet refuses to bow to reality.
He said it cost $500 dollars to make, not to buy on a subsidised phone contract.
I was wondering what happened to the McDonald's clown. Now I know: he became a cocaine addict who sweats profusely, and now runs the show at Microsoft. Mr. Ballmer really needs to take a bite of the reality cake at some point.
Yup, Ballmer seems to live in a strange Microsoft world which differs significantly from our own. The Zune itself is not a bad product as such, but stands an even smaller chance of success in the fight against Apple products than OSX does against Windows.
And MS seems completely out to lunch in the mobile OS thing. Everyone else seems to have listened to what users want (and pay for). MS seems to focus on what they think themselves. No, no, wait. They have probably done huge focus group studies with questionnaires and such.
Just like Apple did not do when developing the iPhone. Just like Sony ignored when they invented the Walkman (sold 350 million units).
Ballmer is unstable.