Worldwide Partner Conference

Liveblogging Microsoft's Financial Analyst Meeting (Morning Session): It's a Beautiful Day?

Kara Swisher in News on July 29, 2010 at 8:24 am PT

BoomTown took the corporate All Things Digital jet–aka Virgin America, seat 10A–up to Redmond, Wash., today to attend Microsoft’s annual Financial Analyst Meeting, which also includes a passel of media drones like me. I liveblogged the event all day, which was essentially a cavalcade of top execs from the software giant taking the stage and showing off their wares. Before it started, U2′s “Beautiful Day” was playing over the sound system, which it was not up here in the Pacific Northwest this morning–it was kind of cold and gloomy, a la “Twilight”–but hopefully sparkly for Microsoft execs.

Google’s Chrome OS: “It Just Works”

John Paczkowski in News on November 19, 2009 at 9:51 am PT

Speaking at Microsoft’s Worldwide Partner Conference in New Orleans this past July, Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer said of Google’s forthcoming Chrome OS, “Who knows what this thing is?” Today, he found out. The operating system, a direct challenge to Microsoft Windows, was on display at a media gathering at the company’s HQ this morning, and in the words of Sundar Pichai, Google’s vice president of product management, it is intended to make computing a “delightful” experience.

Do You Have a Reservation at the Virus Bar or Are You Here for the All-Day Workshop on Printer Drivers?

John Paczkowski in News on July 15, 2009 at 3:08 pm PT

Apple and Microsoft have long competed for market space. And soon they’ll be competing for retail space as well. In remarks at Microsoft’s Worldwide Partner Conference today, COO Kevin Turner said Microsoft has settled on a location for the retail stores it announced earlier this year: Right next to Apple’s stores. There goes the neighborhood, right?

Ballmer on Google Chrome OS: "Who Knows What That Thing Is"

John Paczkowski in News on July 14, 2009 at 11:05 am PT

Microsoft might worry more about Google’s new Chrome OS if it knew what it was. At the company’s Worldwide Partner Conference in New Orleans today, CEO Steve Ballmer said he was mystified by the dual-OS strategy Google seems to have adopted with Chrome. “Who knows what that thing is,” he said.

Ballmer on Google Chrome OS: “Who Knows What That Thing Is”

John Paczkowski in News on July 14, 2009 at 11:05 am PT

Microsoft might worry more about Google’s new Chrome OS if it knew what it was. At the company’s Worldwide Partner Conference in New Orleans today, CEO Steve Ballmer said he was mystified by the dual-OS strategy Google seems to have adopted with Chrome. “Who knows what that thing is,” he said.

Windows Marketplace for Mobile: 600 Apps Down, 64,400 to Go…

John Paczkowski in News on July 14, 2009 at 10:44 am PT

As Apple marks the one-year anniversary of its App Store with a bit of celebratory smack talk, Microsoft has provided a few more details about its forthcoming rival offering: Windows Marketplace for Mobile store. At its Worldwide Partner Conference in New Orleans this morning, the company said it will begin accepting applications for the store on July 27 with an eye toward opening it by the end of the year.

Microsoft Announces Google Apps Killer Technical Preview

John Paczkowski in News on July 13, 2009 at 9:08 am PT

It was more than a decade ago that Microsoft’s Outlook email client first became accessible over the Web. Now the rest of the company’s flagship Office suite is following suit. At the opening of its Worldwide Partner Conference in New Orleans this morning, Microsoft announced a “technical preview” of Office 2010 and revealed that some of its key applications–Word, Excel and PowerPoint–will be available over the Web in 2010. For free.