You're not supposed to see this video. Unless you work at Microsoft. It's a fake Chrome ad that's part of Microsoft's ongoing "Scroogled" campaign against Google, but it was supposed to remain internal. It appeared first on a blog called iCosmoGeek and has now been picked up by the Los Angeles Times. The Times says it has confirmation from Microsoft that the video was made for internal purposes. The video plays up many of the same charges that Microsoft has been making throughout the Scroogled campaign -- tracking users to target ads, not respecting users' privacy and so forth. [...]

Related Topics: Channel: Industry | Google | Google: Business Issues | Google: Chrome | Google: Critics | Microsoft | Microsoft: Business Issues | Top News

Microsoft and Google are involved in a battle over the YouTube app for Windows Phones, and Microsoft has followed a cease-and-desist letter from Google by questioning Google's commitment to interoperability and working together. As The Verge reported today, Google sent Microsoft a cease-and-desist letter demanding that Microsoft remove the YouTube app from its Windows Phone Store because Microsoft's version of the app doesn't include Google's ads. Microsoft has responded today in a statement shared with Marketing Land that says Google hasn't given Microsoft access to the necessary APIs t [...]

Related Topics: Channel: Industry | Google | Google: Business Issues | Google: YouTube | Legal: General | Microsoft | Microsoft: Business Issues | Microsoft: Windows Phone | Top News

In a new series of ads, Microsoft is trying to cast doubt on the reliability and productivity of Google Docs. The spots featuring Saturday Night Live alum Rob Schneider (and in one case, retired baseball great Pete Rose) argue that Google Docs is too much of a "risk" and "not worth the gamble." Of the two ads posted below, the basketball-themed spot is much better, although still heavy handed. In a blog post Microsoft compares the experience of opening an Office doc in a Microsoft web app vs. on Google Docs. The company argues that Google Docs creates uncertainty and unpredictabi [...]

Related Topics: Channel: Consumer | Google: Business Issues | Google: Google Drive | Microsoft | Microsoft: Business Issues | Microsoft: Outlook

Microsoft has effectively renewed its search vows with Yahoo a second time, pledging once again that Yahoo will indeed earn a high "revenue per search" that was promised back when the alliance was made in 2009. That's not going to happen. When the latest extension expires in a year, the expected RPS still won't be reached. Microsoft will either renew again or Yahoo will walk away, if it can. All About RPS Yahoo Extends Microsoft Search Deal & Revenue Guarantees is our story on Search Engine Land today that covers how Microsoft is extending a part of its deal with Yahoo about "revenue pe [...]

Related Topics: Channel: Industry | Features & Analysis | Internet Marketing Industry | Microsoft: Business Issues | Top News | Yahoo: Business Issues

After launching new looks for Windows and Office last year, Microsoft is working toward rebranding additional products, including Bing, Skype and Xbox. During a presentation at the Norwegian Design Council Design Day event on April 17, creative directors from Wolff Olins played a video that revealed what appears to be a new Bing logo. "Other brands are coming along too," said Wolff Olins creative director Todd Simmons during his joint presentation on re-imagining Microsoft's brands with fellow creative director Albert Shum, "Bing, Skype, Yammer, Xbox...everything is under development as wel [...]

Related Topics: Branding | Channel: Search Marketing | Microsoft: Bing | Microsoft: Business Issues

Earlier today, Microsoft reported $20.49 billion in fiscal quarterly revenue (Q3 13). That figure was just shy of analysts' consensus estimates of $20.5 billion; however, earnings-per-share beat estimates. Despite the "miss," revenues were up across the board, even in the Windows division though PC sales are in decline. (At the time of this report, the earnings call had yet to take place.) There was very little mention of the performance of Windows 8 or Windows Phones in the earnings statements and related material. Here's the breakdown by Microsoft division: Windows Division: reve [...]

Related Topics: Channel: Industry | Microsoft | Microsoft: Bing | Microsoft: Business Issues | Microsoft: Mobile | Microsoft: Windows | Microsoft: Windows Phone | Top News

FairSearch is taking its anti-Google battle to the domain space. The organization -- which is backed by the likes of Microsoft, TripAdvisor, Nokia and other Google competitors -- announced today that it has filed objections with the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) over Google's application to own three new generic top-level domains (gTLDs): .search .fly .map Those are three of the more than 100 new gTLDs that Google has applied for as part of ICANN's expansion of the domain space. Here's the crux of FairSearch's objection: FairSearch recently filed [...]

Related Topics: Channel: Content Marketing | Domaining | Google | Google: Business Issues | Google: Critics | Microsoft: Business Issues | Top News

The European Commission has made good on its promise last week to fine Microsoft for failing to continue to offer Web browser choice on its PC software through 2014. The Commission imposed a fine of €561 million ($731 million) for not upholding its agreement to offer alternative Web browsers to Windows users. In 2009, Microsoft agreed with the Commission to offer a browser "choice screen" (featuring IE, Firefox, Chrome, etc.) on its Windows PC software to enable consumers to make a browser selection and not simply "choose" IE by default. That choice screen reportedly disappeared in Febr [...]

Related Topics: Channel: Industry | Google: Business Issues | Google: Critics | Google: Legal | Legal: Antitrust | Microsoft | Microsoft: Business Issues | Microsoft: Windows | Top News

Microsoft has decided it no longer needs to run attack ads on TV, in print and through social media to push its "Scroogled" message against Google's Gmail service. "Everyday Americans" apparently have gotten the word. If so, that's not being reflected in signatures to the Microsoft-backed petition against Gmail. At First, The Petition To Nowhere Last month, I covered how after the first week of its existence, Microsoft's petition was seeing a drop-off in signatures. My story, Microsoft’s “Scroogled” Campaign Against Gmail Wins 0.002% Of Users, has the background. Here's the key cha [...]

Related Topics: Channel: Industry | Google: Critics | Google: Gmail | Microsoft: Business Issues | Microsoft: Outlook | Top News | Uncategorized

Negative political ads work; that's why we continue to see them. But negative search engine and email ads? Apparently, not so much. Microsoft is reportedly ending buying TV, newspaper and social media ads promoting its "Scroogled" campaign, which was launched in November to attack Google's all-paid-inclusion shopping search results. Earlier this year, the Scroogled campaign expanded to take on Gmail privacy. NOTE: See our postscript below. Microsoft confirms that ad buys are stopping but says the "campaign" will continue -- presumably the web site. The theme of the overall campaign was [...]

Related Topics: Channel: Industry | Google: Critics | Microsoft: Business Issues | Top News

It's been a week since Microsoft went on the attack against Gmail, launching its "Scroogled" campaign portraying Gmail as a privacy monster that reads your emails for ad targeting purposes. How's that been working out? To date, the Microsoft-backed petition against Gmail's practices has gained about over 6,000 signatures -- equal to about 0.002% of Gmail's user base. The Petition To Nowhere At the Scroogled site, Microsoft invites people to sign an online petition. In the week it has been up, it's gathered about 5,600 signatures: That's hardly an overwhelming response, especially consider [...]

Related Topics: Channel: Industry | Features & Analysis | Google: Business Issues | Google: Critics | Google: Gmail | Google: Privacy | Legal: Privacy | Microsoft: Business Issues | Microsoft: Outlook | Microsoft: Privacy | Top News

If at first you don't succeed, get negative once again, seems to be the game plan at Microsoft. Having attacked Google Shopping with a "Scroogled" campaign last November, Microsoft is back again. This time it goes after Gmail as an evil service that invades your email privacy, armed with polling data showing consumer concern -- and perhaps one valid point about an easier opt-out. The Microsoft Survey & Consumer Disapproval Microsoft commissioned a survey of over 1,006 adults in the US from Feb. 1-4, asking about email services that target ads based on the content of your email. You kno [...]

Related Topics: Channel: Industry | Features & Analysis | Google: Business Issues | Google: Critics | Google: Gmail | Legal: Privacy | Microsoft: Business Issues | Microsoft: Outlook | Top News

Microsoft Corp announced quarterly revenues this afternoon. Investors received the news with a mixed reaction (the stock is down in after hours trading). The company posted growth in most areas but offered little visibility on the success of Surface or Windows Phones. Microsoft said it made $6.38 billion in net income on revenue of $21.46 billion. Like Apple this week, revenues missed expectations. However earnings per share beat analysts' consensus estimates. As reflected immediately above, the following are the divisional revenue results: Windows Division: $5.88 billion (24 per [...]

Related Topics: Apple | Channel: Mobile Marketing | Microsoft: Business Issues | Microsoft: Windows | Top News

Hold on to your wallets folks, a new crop of mobile devices is imminent. Just in time for the ramp up to holiday shopping, Apple is expected to announce its long-anticipated 7-inch iPad Mini (or whatever it will be called) tomorrow. That event is also rumored to include an interim refresh of the flagship 10-inch iPad in addition to other a couple of other PC-related hardware announcements. Right on the heels of Apple's tablet unveiling Google and Microsoft are holding dueling press events a week from now. Microsoft's Windows Phone 8 event will be held in San Francisco and Google's Android m [...]

Related Topics: Apple: iOS | Channel: Mobile Marketing | Google: Android | Microsoft: Business Issues | Microsoft: Mobile | Microsoft: Surface | Top News

Post PC era indeed. Microsoft announced quarterly results yesterday and, although they were massive, they were flat or down compared with a year ago. Overall Microsoft reported revenue of $16.01 billion. Windows software sales were down 33 percent compared with a year ago. They came in a $3.24 billion vs. $4.87 billion in 2011. Microsoft attributed this in large part to the transition to Windows 8 and delayed enterprise and consumers purchases in anticipation of the launch. Microsoft's other cash cow business, Office, declined a much less severe 2 percent to $5.5 billion (from $5.63 bill [...]

Related Topics: Channel: Search Marketing | Microsoft: Bing | Microsoft: Business Issues | Microsoft: Mobile | Microsoft: Surface

When the markets open this morning, Google will -- for the first time -- be valued higher than Microsoft. Google's stock closed Monday at $761.78 per share, then dropped 68 cents per share in after-hours trading. That gave Google a market cap of a little more than $249 billion. Microsoft's stock closed Monday at $29.49 per share and then gained a penny per share after hours. Microsoft's market cap currently sits at a little more than $247 billion. As the New York Times reports, Google's Monday surge also put its market cap above Walmart, making Google the third-most valuable compa [...]

Related Topics: Channel: Industry | Google: Business Issues | Microsoft: Business Issues

Bing's social sidebar is now showing Klout information, but this is happening for more than the typical partnership deal. Microsoft is now an investor in Klout. From Klout's blog post today: To build towards that future, I am proud to announce that Microsoft has made a strategic investment in Klout and that we have signed a multi-year agreement where Bing will become one of Klout’s most significant partners. No terms beyond that are given. Klout recently underwent a redesign to help reposition it as a type of social resume service. I'd say Klout has been struggling with the perceptio [...]

Related Topics: Channel: Search Marketing | Klout | Microsoft | Microsoft: Bing | Microsoft: Business Issues | Top News

For 25 years, Microsoft's brand has been associated with a bold, black, sans-serif font. Most people probably don't even remember any other version of the software company's logo. But now, Microsoft is modernizing, with a colorful, softer-looking logo, which features a symbol for the first time in the company's history. [caption id="attachment_19681" align="aligncenter" width="461"] The Old Logo[/caption] [caption id="attachment_19674" align="aligncenter" width="600"] The New Logo[/caption] That symbol, a square made up of four smaller squares of different colors, is reminiscent of Mi [...]

Related Topics: Channel: Industry | Microsoft: Business Issues

Microsoft posted their fourth-quarter 2012 earnings for the year today, boasting 7% increase in overall revenue and a 12% increase in operating income. Microsoft, for the first time in a long time, reported a net loss of $492 million due to a large acquisition. The online service department, which consists of Bing, saw a 12% increase in advertising revenue, which Microsoft says was driven by "improvement in search." Revenue for the online service division grew 8% for the fourth quarter and 10% for the full year. While Bing organic U.S. search market share was 15.6% for the month of June 201 [...]

Related Topics: Channel: Industry | Microsoft: Business Issues

Microsoft is betting big on the social enterprise. As we and others reported a couple of weeks ago the company is acquiring Yammer, which has been described as "Facebook for Enterprises." Microsoft said earlier today that it was buying Yammer for $1.2 billion in cash. Yammer will become part of the Office division and current CEO David Sacks will continue to run the team and the product, which will continue to have a stand-alone identity. Sacks will report to Kurt DelBene, head of Microsoft's Office Division. Over time Microsoft will integrate Yammer more deeply into a variety of its p [...]

Related Topics: Channel: Industry | Microsoft | Microsoft: Business Issues