“But there is no doubt that Apple is thriving. Why? Because they are good at providing an experience that is narrow but complete, while our commitment to choice often comes with some compromises to the end-to-end experience. Today, we’re changing the way we work with hardware vendors to ensure that we can provide complete experiences with absolutely no compromises.”

- Steve Ballmer, CEO Microsoft

That was one month ago and I thought just maybe, 90% of the world’s computer users might have the chance of having a similar computer experience to my own. Three weeks later, $300mil to convince everyone that “Vista is cool” with the help of New York’s favourite Jew just doesn’t seem to instill a sense of hope.

“1. Invest in the right opportunities;”

- Steve Ballmer

Dear Steve,

Please go back and read the first point in your FY09 ‘Strategic Update’ then look at how much money you’re going to piss away. Be bold. Save your money and put it towards development for Windows 7, or whatever you want to call it. Let people know it will probably take a couple of years to develop. Ask them to be patient (like they haven’t already). Create just one complete user experience.

When you release your new OS, and here’s where you have to be brave, give each paid Vista user a free copy. A small token of appreciation for your users’ patience through difficult times. And then keep making it better. Perhaps then you can take the fight back to Apple in terms of quality, rather than brute weight of poor choice no choice numbers.

Think about it.

Yours sincerely,

Oz, GOD Landofoz

Now, long time readers will know of Donnie’s love of a good whiteboard post. (For a quick refresher, see here, or perhaps here). Well, the guys over at UPS must have loved those posts! Their new advertising campaign… features a guy writing stuff on a whiteboard! They’re ripping you off Don-Don! We should sue them for royalties or some such thing! To check out the UPS rip-offs, either click on the link below to view the vid through Goo-Tube, or alternatively visit the UPS site.

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Branding and marketing moves very quickly these days. Just check the Queen bee’s last post on Flash Beer and Boony. Apparently the Flash Beer commercial got over 40,000 hits in the first few hours it was unleashed online. Unbelievable! This lead me to another advertising campaign I’m very fond of.

It just so happened I was wondering around town today again in one of my “should I or shouldn’t I” moods. I’ve been contemplating buying a new Mac for sometime now and while it’s only a matter of time, I watched the Mac TV commercial in the Mac store and noticed something I had previously missed ignored.

If you don’t know which campaign I am talking about, it’s the one that features a typical, dorky, chino wearing guy – The PC and a noticeably younger, relatively laid back, creative wannabe – The Mac, both arguing with each other who is better etc etc. (Pictured above) (more…)