Ballmer: Our E-reader is the Windows PC

Microsoft e-reader? Nonsense! We have Windows!

E-book readers are slowly filling the market, but they've yet to hit critical mass. Amazon appears to be leading the way with the Kindle, but there is still plenty room for competition. Could it be Apple, someday, with its tablet that'll do for books what it did to music with the iPod? Whoever it'll be, it won't be Microsoft.

Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer said last week that the world's largest software maker has no plans to compete in the e-reader market. The reasoning behind this is that Microsoft already has software for what Ballmer says is the most popular e-reader in the world.

"We have a device for reading. It's the most popular device in the world. It's the PC," Ballmer said on Thursday on the sidelines of television show, reported Reuters.

Ballmer added that Microsoft would be open to working with other companies to expand e-reading options to the PC.

"I would love to see companies like Amazon and others bring their books to the PC," Ballmer said. "Hopefully we can get that to happen with Barnes & Noble or Amazon or somebody."

"But no, we are not interested in e-readers ourselves."

Of course, if the market gets big enough, Microsoft might choose to reconsider. After all, just look at the video games and portable music player market.

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Top Comments

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JohnnyLucky , October 12, 2009 11:42 PM

The only problem with using a pc is that I can't get comfortable in bed.
13 Ð

chaohsiangchen , October 12, 2009 11:56 PM

JohnnyLuckyThe only problem with using a pc is that I can't get comfortable in bed.

Not considering the option of using a projector on your ceiling?

Other Comments

15 Ð

JohnnyLucky , October 12, 2009 11:42 PM

The only problem with using a pc is that I can't get comfortable in bed.
-5 Ð

kartu , October 12, 2009 11:55 PM

Sense makes it not...
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chaohsiangchen , October 12, 2009 11:56 PM

JohnnyLuckyThe only problem with using a pc is that I can't get comfortable in bed.

Not considering the option of using a projector on your ceiling?
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HolyCrusader , October 12, 2009 11:58 PM

While I don't applaud Microsoft all that often, I do agree with Ballmer. I have a PC, and I don't mind reading on my 22" LCD Screen. I have an old Palm T|X that vastly more versatile than the Kindle or other e-Readers, and costs less. Most importantly, I can take data from my PC and load it onto my Palm for mobile reading. Granted it's not as big of a screen as the Kindle, but I don't have to worry about Amazon deleting my info
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Honis , October 13, 2009 12:08 AM

With netbooks I can't imagine Microsoft being to worried about the kindle. The kindle only has battery life and its readability in daylight over a netbook which are both hardware issues (ie not Microsoft immediate domain). Acer (i think) was making a duel LCD/e-paper laptop/netbook screen which if brought to market could vastly increase netbook battery life and daylight readability for the same or slightly higher price than a Kindle. It would also be a better productivity tool than the kindle since it can actually run programs.
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SAL-e , October 13, 2009 12:25 AM

In short term e-readers are going to win and MS is going to miss the profits. In long term Ballmer is correct. The PC (netbook, tablet) and e-reader will become one device. The biggest obstacle is stupid copyright laws. And paper books are going to stay with us for very long time. They don't require batteries and Amazon can't take it back once I have payed for it.
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kittle , October 13, 2009 12:26 AM

JohnnyLuckyThe only problem with using a pc is that I can't get comfortable in bed.

Same here.

Plus they dont fit in your carryon luggage, and are extreemly awkward to take on the train, or checkout from a library.
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geoffs , October 13, 2009 12:26 AM

Does Ballmer ever say anything useful or is everything that comes out of his mouth some form of Windows marketing drivel?
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erichlund , October 13, 2009 12:30 AM

Funny he should mention Barnes and Noble. I have a Gigabyte netbook/tablet PC that I use to download and read books from Barnes and Noble. I like their reader a bit better than the Mobipocket version. OK, their essentially the same under the hood, but B&N's has a battery monitor and you can access the touch screen interface in more ways.
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Yoder54 , October 13, 2009 12:45 AM

Yea, I like those pretty blue screens that Windows throws at me once in a while...I just can't figure out if I am reading Moby Dick, or a bad interpretation of an Aleister Crowly dream.
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wildwell , October 13, 2009 1:01 AM

Just when I thought Microsoft was getting their act together. New search engine coop agreement with Yahoo!, more online presence in general; then a remark like this. Ballmer sounds kind of like Nardelli from Chrysler about a year ago, both content with the products and position of the company today instead of thinking about tomorrow.
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xrodney , October 13, 2009 1:34 AM

I dont want to disagree with mister Balmer, but i believe most of us would like to use cheap e-book reader that doesn't weight a "ton" and its batery last at least few days of usage so we can read it in bed or in park.
And that's not even include easier readable e-ink displays much more friendly to the eyes then standard PC displays.
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koga73 , October 13, 2009 1:46 AM

tablet pc > kindle
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geoffs , October 13, 2009 1:58 AM

chaohsiangchenNot considering the option of using a projector on your ceiling?
And think of the advantages that brings to viewing your porn collection.
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anonymous@guest , October 13, 2009 3:52 AM

I'd like an eBook Read similar to the Kindle DX, but with the option to change the battery myself when it can no longer hold a charge. The nice thing about an eBook Reader is you aren't restricted to just sitting in a chair at your desk to use it. You can lay down, go outside or use it where ever you want.

Ballmer just can't see this, probably cause he's not into reading books for enjoyment. To top it off, the Microsoft Reader is a joke.

-

Ballmer: Open Mouth < Input = Foot

ERROR
ERROR
ERROR

- REBOOT
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anonymous@guest , October 13, 2009 4:19 AM

E-readers such as the Kindle stomp all over netbooks for reading documents, for multiple reasons. First, e-ink isn't backlit; when you read from a netbook or PC you are essentially staring at a lightbulb. Much easier on the eyes. It can also be read easily in straight daylight. Second, because it isn't backlit, once the page refreshes, there is NO battery drain. With the wireless off, the battery on my Kindle lasts for well over a week with several hours' use per day. Having to jack in can be a major inconvenience at times, and with a Kindle or other e-ink reader you don't usually have to worry about it.
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the_krasno , October 13, 2009 5:15 AM

What about a netbook? Their are PC's too, they are small and portable and have a large battery life. I would love to see Amazon books on my smartphone, which runs windows.
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BladeVenom , October 13, 2009 6:55 AM

Too bad he didn't have the same philosophy when it came to games. That would have saved Microsoft the billions they lost with two failed consoles. Might have also helped Vista sales.
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ceteras , October 13, 2009 5:21 PM

Sure, those fools can just destroy their eyes reading from backlit displays.
I read a lot on my pc's and it's not comfortable at all.
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dekrow , October 13, 2009 5:47 PM

koga73tablet pc > kindle

apples > oranges

Different products for different applications.

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