Microsoft Surface is a profit black hole, despite higher revenue
Yesterday, Microsoft released its earnings report for Q2 FY2014 (that is Q4 CY2013), revealing revenue of $24.52 billion and net income of $6.56 billion (78 cents per share). The Redmond, Wash.-based corporation has managed to beat the average analyst consensus of $23.68 billion and 68 cents per share respectively, as my colleague Joe Wilcox noted.
Aside from the strong overall results, there was another part of the earnings report which has caught our attention -- Surface sales. Revenue from Microsoft's Windows RT and Windows 8 tablets reached $893 million during the quarter. That is $493 million more than in the first fiscal quarter of the year. Good news, right? Surface is finally starting to take off, after all. Well, an SEC filling puts a damper on any enthusiasm, as Microsoft actually lost money on its tablets in Q2 FY2014.
Microsoft invites tech enthusiasts and IT professionals to 'geek out with Surface'
Yesterday I wrote a story in which I said Surface vs iPad shows how little Microsoft and Apple have really changed. The catalyst was a blog post in which Microsoft went into technical details on the improvements it’s made to the newest iteration of Surface. Something I said Apple would never do.
Today, Microsoft again shows how it’s targeting more technical users with a new blog post titled Geek out with Surface and win! The opening paragraph sums up, for me, the sort of people who the new Surface is now being primarily aimed at.
Apple inflicts major Surface damage on Microsoft -- probably doesn't even care
Yesterday was unquestionably the day of the tablet. Nokia unveiled the Lumia 2520, its first Windows RT 8.1 slate, Apple announced the iPad Air and iPad mini with Retina display, and Microsoft’s Surface 2 and Surface Pro 2 went on sale.
It was unfortunate timing for Microsoft. On a day when Steve Ballmer and co. would have hoped people would be talking about Surface, they were salivating over Apple instead. The fruit logo company inflicted more damage on Microsoft than just drawing focus for a day however.
Microsoft: Surface 2 and Pro 2 'close to selling out' -- but are they really?
While we don’t have any accurate sales figures regarding the original Surface Pro, we do know that the slate’s cut down sibling, Surface RT, tanked badly on launch, forcing Microsoft to slash the price in an effort to shift at least some of the huge amounts of stock it was left sitting on.
But rather than give up on Surface, last Monday Microsoft announced new versions of its RT and Windows 8 Pro devices and, according to the tech giant, these new models are doing much better, with pre-order stock of the Surface 2 (64GB) and Surface Pro 2 (256 GB and 512GB) "close to selling out".
Microsoft donates Office 365 to nonprofits, Surface team celebrates
Okay, it was an easy joke, I confess, but thanks to recent Surface sales, the concept is perhaps not too far from the truth. One division at Microsoft which delivers a large part of corporate revenue is Office. The latest version, Office 2013/365, blurs the lines between desktop and web app, and is powering an increasing number of large businesses and government offices.
Now, hot on the heels of caving to developers yesterday by releasing Windows 8.1 to TechNet and MSDN subscribers, the software giant announces yet another altruistic gesture, this time donating Office 365 to non-profit organizations. "Today we are donating to nonprofits and NGOs access to Microsoft’s best-in-class cloud-based productivity and collaboration tools, enabling them to spend fewer resources and time on IT and focus on their missions addressing global issues, such as disease eradication, education and literacy, and environmental sustainability,” says Jean-Philippe Courtois, president of Microsoft International.
Promises, promises -- more stores will sell Microsoft Surface
The biggest problem with Microsoft Surface is you probably can't buy it. The model running Windows RT is available in just 20 countries, and Pro even fewer (say, how do you like them Canada and United States). Today, Microsoft promised expansion into new geographies starting in late March, and, get this, taking several months. I can't imagine why tell us all now, other than perhaps to remind everyone that Surface exists and to keep those wanting one hanging on instead of buying something else.
Surface RT is currently available online or in stores: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, China, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland, United Kingdom and United States. Microsoft added 13 on February 14. The months long expansion will bring the tablet to Japan, Mexico, New Zealand, Russia, Singapore and Taiwan.
Surface RT sales are probably quite good, you just don't know it
The "Microsoft tablet is a failure meme" was old from the start. Every day there's some new blog based on rumor or innuendo assuring everyone who pays attention that Surface is doomed and sales are this side of worse than terrible. There is so much nonsense punditry, I don't know where to start. DigiTimes has unnamed channel sources saying Microsoft cut orders for the tablet by half. The report got widespread attention, despite the publication's record for getting this kind of story wrong. Along come the analysts. DFG slashed shipment estimates to between 500,000 and 600,000 from between 1 million to 2 million. Number was way too high to start. Now Tim Worstall, a Fellow at Adam Smith Institute, whines that Surface RT is way overpriced. It's not.
If Microsoft's tablet has a sales problem -- and let's strut that I-F again -- distribution is the reason. The product isn't overpriced or flawed. Microsoft only sells Surface through the company store; that's online and (by my count) 66 retail shops. Sixty stores are in the continental United States, five in Canada and another in Puerto Rico. There are only a limited number of places anyone can buy the tablet, which limits how many the company can sell. What matters more is how many Microsoft sells per store. Pundits crying "fail" are nincompoops of the nth degree. If any of them bothered to look at Apple Store, they would understand.
Microsoft Surface with Windows 8 Pro arrives in January
When Microsoft announced the Surface product family a few months ago, I was immediately drawn towards Surface Pro, and not Surface with Windows RT. Imagine my disappointment when Microsoft went silent again after the revelation of the company's first entry in the tablet market. Essential information like price or availability were missing at that point in time, and it was shortly before launch of the device that Microsoft revealed anything meaningful.
There was no word on the Surface Pro though, until now. Tami Reller, Windows and Windows Live Division chief marketing officer, reveals at the Credit Suisse Annual Technology Conference 2012 that Surface Pro will launch in January 2013. Today, Microsoft also revealed pricing: $899 (64GB); $999 (128GB).
At last, Microsoft Surface with Windows 8 Pro priced on German site
Microsoft Surface with Windows 8 Pro is a pricing mystery. The Redmond, Wash.-based corporation revealed the price for the ARM-powered branded tablet, but left its more powerful counterpart --the one equipped with Windows 8 Pro-- unpriced. But recently, information on the latter surfaced on a German website.
Microsoft Surface with Windows 8 Pro was introduced to the Notebook.de "Surface tablet" lineup, and it is currently available for pre-order in two storage options. Pricing for the entry-level model that comes with 64GB of internal storage starts at EUR809 including VAT (Value Added Tax), and the version with 128GB of internal storage runs for 909EUR including VAT. The 64GB Microsoft Surface with Windows RT runs for EUR699 on the same German website.
Surface is Project Origami's revenge
Surface isn't just about the future. The tablet is also about the past, and Microsoft bringing to market a vision quashed by its hardware partners. In 2012, Surface is all about Apple and Microsoft securing a fast foothold in the emerging cloud-connected device category. But the tablet also encompasses something sought six years ago: Project Origami.
It's no coincidence that Project Origami's launch was, until yesterday, the last time Microsoft held a super-secretive media event that generated big buzz. Surface and the other share much in common, and not just buzz. Before there was iPad, Microsoft developed Ultra-Mobile PC -- or what Project Origami came to be branded. The idea: To bring to market a sub-$500 touchscreen computer. The software giant sought this product category four years before iPad stormed the media tablet market. Surface is Project Origami's revenge, against Apple and Microsoft's hardware partners.
KeyBudz Covert Mount offers ultimate protection for your Apple AirTag
If you want to track your valuables without worry, the KeyBudz Covert Mount for AirTag is a top-tier solution. Crafted from fiberglass-reinforced copolymer, this mount can withstand extreme environments, including submersion in water and harsh temperatures. Designed for adventurers and everyday users alike, this durable accessory promises to keep your AirTag secure in the toughest conditions.
What truly sets the Covert Mount apart is its IP-68 waterproof rating. This rating means the mount can be submerged underwater for over 60 days while maintaining a firm grip on various surfaces, thanks to the included 3M VHB adhesive. The adhesive ensures a reliable, permanent hold on a range of materials, including metals, glass, plastics, and painted surfaces. Whether you're attaching it to your bike, electric scooter, skis, or even construction equipment, the Covert Mount has you covered.
Log files: What are they, why do they matter and how to protect them?
Log files come with many challenges. Firstly, they exist as enormous volumes of data. Almost everything that a user does is recorded, meaning that they quickly pile up, and not all of them are useful.
Secondly, they aren’t all uniform as they come in various shapes and sizes, serving various purposes. Event logs, system logs, access logs and server logs are just some of the various types that are collected and stored. This large volume of data means that processing and analyzing logs for use can be time-consuming and complex.
Is your network future-proofed for the age of AI?
The internet was a massive, revolutionary invention. A once-in-a-lifetime breakthrough. And yet, it was not an overnight sensation in terms of consumer adoption. This may surprise some people today. From the early web browsers in 1992 to the explosion of dot-coms in 1998, it took roughly six years for the general public to truly embrace the world wide web. Fast forward to today, and the landscape has dramatically shifted.
Consider the recent phenomenon of ChatGPT, the large language model chatbot launched by OpenAI in late 2022. Within a year, consumer adoption of this AI technology reached a fever pitch. For a while, it was all anyone in tech and business circles could talk about. In fact, they still are. This highlights a critical difference in our current technological era, which is that innovation is happening and being adopted at an unprecedented pace.
As promised, Incase is reviving a range of discontinued Microsoft peripherals in the coming weeks
It is now almost a year-and-a-half since Microsoft decided to kill off a range of PC accessories. Large numbers of Microsoft-branded mice, keyboards and other peripherals were dropped as the company switched focus to Surface-branded kit.
Earlier this year, it was revealed that Onwards Brands would take over many of the discontinued items, rebranded as "Incase Designed by Microsoft" products. Now the company has confirmed that the first batch of products will be available before the end of the year, including the Sculpt Ergonomic Mouse.
LibreOffice 24.8 unveils new features and improvements across entire suite
The Document Foundation has released its second major build of LibreOffice for the year with the release of LibreOffice 24.8, the second to sport the new YYYY.MM versioning method.
Highlights include a new Quick Find deck in LibreOffice Writer’s Sidebar, numerous new spreadsheet functions in Calc and the ability to view and edit a slide deck’s notes beneath the slide in Normal view in LibreOffice Impress.
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