Posted in Microsoft

How MS can better compete against Google

Here’s the link to the article:

http://www.makeyougohmm.com/20051228/2791/

I agree with most of it, especially “One of the biggest problems Microsoft has is they keep making us wait too long. It seems no matter what they are working on, they are always working on something.” and “For all its strengths, Google has this edge: they are seen as a now company, not a yesterday or coming soon company.”

I understand that by announcing upcoming products early, it creates a buzz and lots of anticipation and after looking at Office 12 demo, i am sure it will mostly meet those high expectations. However, as it is suggested in the article, there should be new cool products coming out left and right almost every week related to search.

I also agree with interoperability with other platforms and browsers.
I have lot more suggestions and my own opinions, which i will try to express to anyone who is willing to listen to me, once i get to MS. (counting down days baby… :))

But for the most part, nice article.

HAPPY NEW YEAR to everyone.

Tejas Shah

Posted in Microsoft

Microsoft: Things i am excited about

I will be joining Microsoft in January. Here’s my list of things i am most looking forward to or mostly excited about:

1) An opportunity to work with some of the best and smartest people in the industry from various backgrounds

2) Learn lot of new things

3) I will be there when Vista will be introduced*, how exciting is that? (Assuming i am not dead by that time or fired)

4) I will be looking outwards from within a search company that is trying to make a come back in search.

5) ITS MICROSOFT.

It is THE Microsoft.

i will come down now… 1… 2… 3… breath… breath… i am cool…

how did i get here again? I am not dreaming right?  Feel free to slap me anytime now…
Tejas

Posted in Uncategorized

Where is the EASY button?

Christmas is next weekend.  I still have to go shopping.  Here’s the thing:  i can’t shop.  I don’t shop for myself, how am i to shop for others?

I went to mall this morning and oh my goodness, i had a panic attack.  I had no idea what is good and what is not.  In other words, i have no shopping sense.  I would really love to give gift cards to everyone, but than it is being considered as not putting thought into the gift and taking easy way out.

Where is the EASY button? 🙂

Tejas

Posted in Online Marketing

Google to buy Opera

This rumor came out late on Friday afternoon that Google was in talks with Opera.  According to Subhash Mittal, Google would be doing this because Opera has good market share in mobile browsing market.

On the other hand, as it is well known that Google is working on its own OS and browser.  It would be really interesting to see when Google introduces its these new products, considering the fact that Microsoft is coming out with Windows Vista OS next year.  I wonder if Google will introduce it right before Microsoft is to launch its new OS and IE 7.0, just to take the focus away from Microsoft.

And the battle continues…

Tejas

Posted in Online Marketing

AOL’s deal with Google

What a disappointment? AOL has ended negotations with Microsoft and decided to continue/expand its advertising partnership with Google.

It would have been great if AOL had ended relationship with Google and agreed to go with Microsoft. Google’s 10% profit comes from its advertising with AOL. This could have changed the market place a quite bit.

How Microsoft can “kill” Google.

Tejas

Posted in Microsoft

Giant is waking up slowly but surely !

Yup, i am talking about Microsoft.

Its about time Microsoft wakes up and enters the search/internet market. MS has sooo much catching up to do as far as search is concerned. I read an article yesterday that due to advertising campaign that took place over superbowl and other campaigns MS’s market share increased to 14.4% from 12.3%, meaning spending about $72 for each new user. Since MS is late entrant to the market, it must provide some features that are necessary other competitors are not providing. For example, this is my personal idea (do not steal it, if you anyone does pay royalty for it), for directions MS could provide the directions it is providing right now, but should add this cool new feature to it. MS’s directions should point out a street name, before a turn is to be taken. I think it would be really cool feature and it could look something like this:

1: Turn RIGHT (South) onto Precinct Line Rd 0.9
2: Turn LEFT (East) onto W Airport Fwy (Previous Traffic Light: Main Street) 0.1
Map Image
3: Take Ramp (LEFT) onto SR-121 [SR-183] towards TX-121 3.3
Map Image
4: Keep LEFT onto SR-183 [Airport Fwy] towards TX-183 / D/FW Airport South Entry / Irving 12.8
5: Keep LEFT onto SR-482 Spur towards TX-482-SPUR / TX-114 / Grapevine
6: Merge onto SR-12 Loop [W Northwest Hwy] 7.2
7: Turn RIGHT (South) onto Shady Brook Ln (Previous traffic light: 75-North)

This will be very helpful to the people who are travelling to the new location and people who take directions are the ones who are going some place they are unfamiliar with. (Don’t steal my idea).

In addition, it is very difficult to maintain competative advantage in this industry due to strong competitors and ease of imitating the technology. The only way to remain ahead and competative is to innovate and that is exactly what Google is doing. By coming up with even making the smallest modifications to its existing product lines Google is getting free press and there is no publicity like free publicity. I am sure MS is also aware of this theoretical perspective.

So MS could steal some more marketshare from Google by offering features that are already available on Google and add some more sizzle to it. I am sure MS is already aware of this as well.

Another news MS is making today is by partnering with MCI to offer pc-to-phone servcie to its messenger users. The way internet giants are partnering up with phone companies, before we know it, there won’t be any need for land lines.

Tejas