After nearly a full year of wrangling, Yahoo and MSFT have completed their search deal. With massive investments in R&D and marketing, and now the Yahoo deal secure, I was thinking about whether, after 7 frustrating years, MSFT is ready to really compete in the largest, and most pivotal Internet space.
Let me start with a bias...I think that the 'best' product, offering the most value, usually wins. Best, of course is an ambiguous definition. Nonetheless, as both services are 'free', cost is measured via opportunity cost. All things being equal, however, an incumbent market share leader usually beats competitors who offer only similar value. As in war, an invading force requires an overwhelming advantage to dislodge an opponent.
A common expression when trying to position a new product vs an entrenched competitor is to say 'gee, our product is like theirs, but on steroids'. Obviously, this is now a dated expression, taken from the days when steroids had a connotation of bringing speed, strength, virility, and other good stuff with no downside. But, the expression masks something, a lack of sustainable differentiation. If anything, merely an incremental advancement that does not stand the scrutiny of the market. I have a hard time recalling products 'on steroids' dislodging market leaders. It takes much more innovation, or fundamentally changing the value curve to do so. Google did it to Yahoo, and Yahoo did it to AOL. Curious, I wanted to do a quick test to see if Bing is bookmark worthy.
Let me share a totally random and singular (unscientific)comparison; here's the top five results, with the top 3 irrelevant for me, when searching 'Bing is Google on steroids' in Bing:
Mexican Steroids - Web - CyberDefender
www.4-men.org/ steroids / mexican-steroids.html [Found on Google, Bing, Ask.com]
ws.infospace.com/cyberdefender_EDC/ws/redir/qcat=Web/qcoll=relevance/qkw=Mexican%20... ·
Steroids - definition of Steroids in the Medical dictionary - by the ...
... Google Bing? ... Steroids. A group of drugs that includes the corticosteroids, similar to hormones produced ...
medical-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/Steroids · Cached page
steroids definition of steroids in the Free Online Encyclopedia.
... Google Bing? ... steroids, class of lipids lipids, a broad class of organic products found in living systems encyclopedia2.thefreedictionary.com/steroids · Cached page
Search Wars: Forget Bing, Google Has More to Worry About from Twitter
Stealing any thunder Microsoft might have managed to generate for Bing , day 2 of the Google I/O ... Google Wave, Email on Steroids! — Inventor Spot - Inventions, Innovations, and ...
techblips.dailyradar.com/article/search_wars_forget_bing_google_has_more_to_worry_about ·
Five Reasons Why Microsoft’s BING Outshines Google – Geeks.com
Five Reasons Why Microsoft’s BING Outshines Google . By Bryan Lambert - Sunday, June 14, 2009 ... With Bing you get image and video results on steroids. For instance, with the image ...
www.geeks.com/techtips/2009/Five-Reasons-Why-Microsofts-BING-Outshines-Google.htm · Cached page
And from Google, using the identical 'Bing is Google on steroids:
Five Reasons Why Microsoft's BING Outshines Google – Geeks.com
Bing is what Google was 10 years ago, fresh, innovative, and (dare I say it) cool. ... With Bing you get image and video results on steroids. ...
www.geeks.com/.../five-reasons-why-microsofts-bing-outshines-google.htm - Cached - Similar -
19 Comments - User Centric Releases Results of Eye Tracking Study ...
usercentric google versus bing eye tracking study .... It would be very earlier to compare Bing with Google however no doubt Bing seems ...
www.billhartzer.com/.../user-centric-results-of-eye-tracking-study-google-versus-bing/ - Cached - Similar -
Bing Launch Has Google Scared | Internet Marketing News
It is very unlikely that Bing will be able to knock Google from the top of the ... Yotify- Google Alerts on Steroids - 1995 views; Find High Pagerank Blogs ...
www.emarketing-newsletter.com/bing-launch-google-scared.html - Cached - Similar -
Google Wave, Email on Steroids!
Google Wave is what email would be like if it were on steroids! ... "Bing" on the other hand is another story! So there you have it. Google once again leads ...
inventorspot.com/articles/google_wave_28263 - Cached - Similar -
What the Bing is this? Live Search Makeover Review | FlipCurve - 9:24am
Jun 4, 2009 ... Bing honestly feels a little like Google on steroids, which I feel will lead to either a love it or hate it response. ...
flipcurve.com/.../what-the-bing-is-this-live-search-makeover-review/ - Cached -
In this random example, the Bing juice just didn't go far enough. Google on steroids, hardly. A homerun? Hardly.
Showing posts with label msft. Show all posts
Showing posts with label msft. Show all posts
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
Shifting sands
MSFT has done a historic job of utilizing the combination of applications (Office) and its Windows brand to build an industry defining company over the past 30 years. It's competitors were primarily in the applications camp (e.g. Lotus), the infrastructure business (Novell...once led by Eric Schmidt), or the hardware space (IBM). Its business strategy of utilizing the interplay between the two to defend its flanks, while commoditizing the overall price users paid for computing was brilliant and added value for its 'users' while maiming its competitors.
For the first time in many years there are now real storm clouds on the horizon for MSFT. Not anemic growth due to a customer saturation, or self-infliced mediocre products. But a real core competitive challenge.
GOOG's unrelated, but coincident announcements of removing the Beta from its mail client and the same day announcing it's entering the OS business via an 'open source (Linux based), free, lightweight' code base which will be initially targeted towards buyers of netbooks, represents an attempt to trap MSFT in a competitive pincer movement which combines the attributes of a technology shift to the cloud, a platform change to lighter computing (netbooks), and a differentiated business model (freemium).
I am sure there will be some initial confusion about where Android begins and this OS, named Chrome OS ends. GOOG says the following (in essence we are throwing both into the market and will let it decide which will do better:
"Google Chrome OS is a new project, separate from Android. Android was designed from the beginning to work across a variety of devices from phones to set-top boxes to netbooks. Google Chrome OS is being created for people who spend most of their time on the web, and is being designed to power computers ranging from small netbooks to full-size desktop systems. While there are areas where Google Chrome OS and Android overlap, we believe choice will drive innovation for the benefit of everyone, including Google."
In the past, MSFT was at its best when its core was challenged. Time for a Mojo test.
For the first time in many years there are now real storm clouds on the horizon for MSFT. Not anemic growth due to a customer saturation, or self-infliced mediocre products. But a real core competitive challenge.
GOOG's unrelated, but coincident announcements of removing the Beta from its mail client and the same day announcing it's entering the OS business via an 'open source (Linux based), free, lightweight' code base which will be initially targeted towards buyers of netbooks, represents an attempt to trap MSFT in a competitive pincer movement which combines the attributes of a technology shift to the cloud, a platform change to lighter computing (netbooks), and a differentiated business model (freemium).
I am sure there will be some initial confusion about where Android begins and this OS, named Chrome OS ends. GOOG says the following (in essence we are throwing both into the market and will let it decide which will do better:
"Google Chrome OS is a new project, separate from Android. Android was designed from the beginning to work across a variety of devices from phones to set-top boxes to netbooks. Google Chrome OS is being created for people who spend most of their time on the web, and is being designed to power computers ranging from small netbooks to full-size desktop systems. While there are areas where Google Chrome OS and Android overlap, we believe choice will drive innovation for the benefit of everyone, including Google."
In the past, MSFT was at its best when its core was challenged. Time for a Mojo test.
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Abbot and Costello buy a computer
My buddy Scott sent me this funny parody of A&C buying a computer, we are not sure the original source to credit (the oldest internet posting I found is 2 years old and did not cite a source), I will happily cite one, if/when I find it.
While hysterical, I think a deeper message is how MSFT is increasingly being relegated to a role as a bridge between the mainframe, computer scientist computing world, and the intuitive digital generation.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
If Bud Abbott and Lou Costello were alive today, their infamous sketch,
'Who's on First?' might have turned out something like this:
COSTELLO CALLS TO BUY A COMPUTER FROM ABBOTT :
ABBOTT: Super Duper computer store. Can I help you?
COSTELLO : Thanks. I'm setting up an office in my den and I'm thinking
about buying a computer.
ABBOTT : Mac?
COSTELLO : No, the name's Lou .
ABBOTT : Your computer?
COSTELLO : I don't own a computer. I want to buy one.
ABBOTT : Mac?
COSTELLO: I told you, my name's Lou .
ABBOTT : What about Windows?
COSTELLO : Why? Will it get stuffy in here?
ABBOTT : Do you want a computer with Windows?
COSTELLO : I don't know. What will I see when I look at the windows?
ABBOTT : Wallpaper.
COSTELLO : Never mind the windows. I need a computer and software.
ABBOTT : Software for Windows?
COSTELLO : No. On the computer! I need something I can use to write
proposals, track expenses and run my business. What do you have?
ABBOTT : Office.
COSTELLO: Yeah, for my office. Can you recommend anything?
ABBOTT : I just did.
COSTELLO : You just did what?
ABBOTT : Recommend something.
COSTELLO : You recommended something ?
ABBOTT : Yes.
COSTELLO : For my office?
ABBOTT : Yes.
COSTELLO : OK, what did you recommend for my office?
ABBOTT : Office.
COSTELLO : Yes, for my office!
ABBOTT : I recommend Office with Windows.
COSTELLO : I already have an office with windows! OK, let's just say I'm
sitting at my computer and I want to type a proposal. What do I need?
ABBOTT : Word.
COSTELLO : What word?
ABBOTT : Word in Office.
COSTELLO : The only word in office is office.
ABBOTT : The Word in Office for Windows.
COSTELLO : Which word in office for windows?
ABBOTT : The Word you get whe n you click the blue 'W'.
COSTELLO : I'm going to click your blue 'w' if you don't start with some
straight answers. What about financial bookkeeping? You have anything I
can track my money with?
ABBOTT: Money.
COSTELLO : That's right. What do you have?
ABBOTT : Money.
COSTELLO : I need money to track my money?
ABBOTT : It comes bundled with your computer.
COSTELLO : What's bundled with my computer?
ABBOTT : Money.
COSTELLO : Money comes with my computer?
ABBOTT : Yes. No extra charge.
COSTELLO : I get a bundle of money with my computer? How much?
ABBOTT : One copy.
COSTELLO : Isn't it illegal to copy money?
ABBOTT : Microsoft gave us a license to copy Money.
COSTELLO : They can give you a license to copy money?
ABBOTT : Why not? THEY OWN IT!
(A few days later)
ABBOTT : Super Duper computer store. Can I help you?
COSTELLO : How do I turn my computer off?
ABBOTT : Click on 'START'..........
While hysterical, I think a deeper message is how MSFT is increasingly being relegated to a role as a bridge between the mainframe, computer scientist computing world, and the intuitive digital generation.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
If Bud Abbott and Lou Costello were alive today, their infamous sketch,
'Who's on First?' might have turned out something like this:
COSTELLO CALLS TO BUY A COMPUTER FROM ABBOTT :
ABBOTT: Super Duper computer store. Can I help you?
COSTELLO : Thanks. I'm setting up an office in my den and I'm thinking
about buying a computer.
ABBOTT : Mac?
COSTELLO : No, the name's Lou .
ABBOTT : Your computer?
COSTELLO : I don't own a computer. I want to buy one.
ABBOTT : Mac?
COSTELLO: I told you, my name's Lou .
ABBOTT : What about Windows?
COSTELLO : Why? Will it get stuffy in here?
ABBOTT : Do you want a computer with Windows?
COSTELLO : I don't know. What will I see when I look at the windows?
ABBOTT : Wallpaper.
COSTELLO : Never mind the windows. I need a computer and software.
ABBOTT : Software for Windows?
COSTELLO : No. On the computer! I need something I can use to write
proposals, track expenses and run my business. What do you have?
ABBOTT : Office.
COSTELLO: Yeah, for my office. Can you recommend anything?
ABBOTT : I just did.
COSTELLO : You just did what?
ABBOTT : Recommend something.
COSTELLO : You recommended something ?
ABBOTT : Yes.
COSTELLO : For my office?
ABBOTT : Yes.
COSTELLO : OK, what did you recommend for my office?
ABBOTT : Office.
COSTELLO : Yes, for my office!
ABBOTT : I recommend Office with Windows.
COSTELLO : I already have an office with windows! OK, let's just say I'm
sitting at my computer and I want to type a proposal. What do I need?
ABBOTT : Word.
COSTELLO : What word?
ABBOTT : Word in Office.
COSTELLO : The only word in office is office.
ABBOTT : The Word in Office for Windows.
COSTELLO : Which word in office for windows?
ABBOTT : The Word you get whe n you click the blue 'W'.
COSTELLO : I'm going to click your blue 'w' if you don't start with some
straight answers. What about financial bookkeeping? You have anything I
can track my money with?
ABBOTT: Money.
COSTELLO : That's right. What do you have?
ABBOTT : Money.
COSTELLO : I need money to track my money?
ABBOTT : It comes bundled with your computer.
COSTELLO : What's bundled with my computer?
ABBOTT : Money.
COSTELLO : Money comes with my computer?
ABBOTT : Yes. No extra charge.
COSTELLO : I get a bundle of money with my computer? How much?
ABBOTT : One copy.
COSTELLO : Isn't it illegal to copy money?
ABBOTT : Microsoft gave us a license to copy Money.
COSTELLO : They can give you a license to copy money?
ABBOTT : Why not? THEY OWN IT!
(A few days later)
ABBOTT : Super Duper computer store. Can I help you?
COSTELLO : How do I turn my computer off?
ABBOTT : Click on 'START'..........
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