Acer slates Microsoft's hardware push - Reuters UK
LONDON |
LONDON (Reuters) - Acer, the world's fourth largest PC maker, has dismissed Microsoft's chances of becoming a rival to Apple by building its own devices and urged its software partner to focus on its new operating system instead.
Microsoft announced on Monday that it would design and sell its own "Surface" tablets to showcase Windows 8 and take on Apple and Google in devices that are capturing more and more of the computing market.
It kept PC makers largely in the dark about its plans, according to sources, marking a radical departure from its previous close collaboration with its hardware partners.
Oliver Ahrens, Acer's senior VP and president for Europe, Middle East and Africa, said Microsoft was trying to copy some of Apple's strategy, but he was doubtful it would succeed.
"I don't think it will be successful because you cannot be a hardware player with two products," he said in an interview, adding that the former darling of the tech sector would also have to adapt its brand to compete with Apple.
"Microsoft is working with two dozen PC vendors worldwide, including the local guys, whereas Apple is alone, it can more or less do what it wants," he said. "Microsoft is a component of a PC system. A very important component but still a component."
He was also worried that Microsoft would shift resources to building a consumer hardware brand and retail operation, and in the process take its eye off the ball in making sure Windows 8 was a success for the PC industry.
"Instead of enhancing the user experience for Win 8 (...) they open a new battlefield," he said.
"I worry that this will lead into a defocus internally for Microsoft, and then we have to suffer because we are working with their products."
OLYMPIC PERFORMANCE
Taiwan-based Acer, which ranked fourth in PC shipments in the first quarter, has had its own problems after failing to adapt to changes in the market including in particular the rise of Apple's iPad last year, but Ahrens said the group was now getting back on track.
He said Windows 8, which does not yet have a launch date, was "extremely important" for Acer, and it would have four or five devices tied in with its launch, including tablets and a high-definition slimline "Ultrabook" notebook.
Ahrens said the new products would be supported by an advertising campaign focused on the user experience rather than the specifications of the machines, which has been the traditional approach of PC makers.
"Acer wants to be more about value than volume," he said, adding that the company needed to do higher end products to lift the status of the whole brand.
Acer, an Olympics sponsor, will also be in the spotlight next month as the PC provider to the London games.
"Everything is run by Acer - the scoring systems, the internal IT," said Acer UK managing director Neil Marshall. "It will demonstrate that we have the commercial ability to deliver this type of project."
Ahrens said the second quarter, which ends in nine days, would see about a 50 percent rise in revenue in the Europe, Middle East and Africa region, as the group continued its recovery from the lows of a year ago.
The region accounted for 37 pct of revenue in the first quarter, according to a company presentation.
"Q3 will be more challenging because it's a transition quarter from Windows 7 to Windows 8," he said.
(Editing by Anthony Barker)
This shadow play must stop - Hindustan Times
First, key ally and JD(U) chief Nitish Kumar has come out all guns blazing against the possible candidature of Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi as prime minister in the next elections. He has openly asked for a ‘clean and secular’ face for a potential National Democratic Alliance (NDA) prime minister. He has gone as far as to say that the NDA would not have lost power had the former prime minister AB Vajpayee sacked the Modi government following the Gujarat riots. While Mr Modi has not reacted to this, it must be deeply shocking to both him and the party that Mr Vajpayee’s former aide Brajesh Mishra has also publicly said that the former prime minister had indeed wanted to sack Mr Modi but did not want to overrule the party.
So it is unfortunate that at this juncture, the RSS chief has come out asking why a Hindutva face should not run the country. It is rare that the RSS so openly involves itself in politics, given that it has always maintained that it is a cultural organisation.
It is, however, no secret that it calls the shots when it comes to the party posts. However, given that the Indian Constitution is a secular one, it is not appropriate for anyone to talk of a Hindutva face. The Hindutva card was used to great advantage at one time. Now it seems to be one of diminishing returns. It is also one which will make the NDA’s allies deeply uncomfortable. The RSS has done the party a singular disservice by raising this issue. The concept of a Hindutva proponent for the top job has not got the endorsement of anyone in the top BJP leadership in the past.
Mr Bhagwat has put Mr Gadkari in a bind since the latter owes his position to the RSS but at the same time also cannot be seen to endorse its views publicly. Following the rapprochement with Mr Modi during the BJP’s recent executive meet, Mr Gadkari would have been hoping for a breather. But then with the controversy over the exit of Sanjay Joshi from the party, that was not to be.
The crisis of leadership in the BJP has meant that it has hardly been able to play its role as the principal opposition party. There are several issues on which it could have tripped up the government. It has not been able to do so effectively. It is now up to Mr Gadkari to step up to the plate and show who is really in command of the party.
Dizzee Rascal says new album has a 'filthy' track on it - BBC News
Dizzee Rascal is opening for the Red Hot Chili Peppers this weekend
Dizzee Rascal has revealed a track on his forthcoming album is "filthy" and will "cause offence".
The grime artist has been working in LA on his still untitled fifth studio album and follow-up to Tongue N' Cheek in 2009.
One of the tracks recorded is with Good Charlotte guitarist Benji Madden.
Dizzee promises it is a "stand out track" and something fans haven't heard before.
"I can't say too much. But I will tell you something, it will offend some people," the rapper said.
"It will also make some people laugh and make them want to party and whatever, but it is filthy."
AwardsThe 27-year-old was speaking after being honoured by the Official Charts Company at UK Music's summer reception.
He became the first male artist to be presented with all five of his official number one awards, which were between 2008 and 2010.
Kylie Minogue was the first female artist to be honoured in the same way when she picked up a collection of her seven number one awards a couple of weeks ago.
When asked if making it to number one was still a priority, the rapper replied: "I hope for top five at this point.
"At worst case you just hope for something that smashes live shows because that's the main thing I like to do - make music that people can go mental to."
Nitish's attack brings RSS and Modi closer - MSN India
Mumbai: The chasm between the RSS and the Janata Dal (United) over the issue of Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi is getting wider by the day.
On Wednesday, RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat slammed Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar over his statement that the prime ministerial candidate in the 2014 parliamentary elections should be 'secular'.
Bhagwat, who was in Latur addressing a gathering of RSS volunteers, claimed that Nitish was playing vote-bank politics. "Nitish Kumar has said NDA's prime ministerial candidate for 2014 elections should be secular. What do you mean by a secular Prime Minister? Why not a Hindutvawadi Prime Minister?"
Bhagwat claimed that Nitish has made the statement for his own personal gain. "Leaders like Nitish Kumar should not make such statements for their own vote banks and personal gains," he said.
Coming down hard on Nitish Kumar, the RSS chief asked, "Will Nitish decide what sort of person makes a good Prime Minister?"
He added, "Hinduism is the religion of humanism. You are right and we are also right. Hinduism follows this broad philosophy."
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