How Can Microsoft Better Compete Against Google and Apple?

Bitches (and Whores), 
 
With the news of Microsoft being downgraded yet again by firms, shareholders are telling Microsoft to focus on being better versus Google and Apple.   
 
So, as expect gamers, how can Microsoft do well enough? 
 
Keep in mind that Microsoft's stock is at barely 20 dollars a share (and has been for close to 10 years) while Apple is around 300 (expected to go close to 500 soon) and Google's is at 600 a share.   
 
Let's hear some ideas on how to best improve Microsoft!

Boobs, alcohol and Patrick Stewart.

They should make Bing less shitty.

Isn't there a vastly higher number of shares available in Microsoft than Apple and Google?

make more zune products, mini zunes, zune video, actually make laptops instead of say dell laptop make a microsoft laptop. pretty much do what apple is doing with all of their products. they already have a search engine just like google.

As a gamer, i care about microsoft's share value! 
 
...Wut. 
 
Your thread has absolutely no value Kaos. What these companies are worth and what they are actually doing are two very different things. 

" They should make Bing less shitty. "

" Bitches (and Whores) "

Don't be evil. No I'm being serious.

EDIT: Look what I'm saying, they're competing against Apple and Google. The only way they're gonna win against those two is by being the biggest evil bastards around.

So there's my answer, be either less evil and hope people see that and flock to MS, or be the biggest evil bastards around and hope you crush the competition, but will invariably alienate the wider consumer base.

make better products. 
 
trollface.jpg 
 
oh and forget about the zune.  it'll never work.

More Xboxes.

" make better products.  trollface.jpg  oh and forget about the zune.  it'll never work. "

whats funny is that most people don't use google because it works they use it because its whats offered google is every where. I use google not because its my search engine of choice but because its the default that firefox uses when it starts up.

" @Lemoncookie01 said:

" They should make Bing less shitty. "

How is it shitty?   I use it all the time and it works great. "

" @Skytylz: That doesn't matter anymore.  Google and Apple jumped prices in stock like a fucking jet rocket in space from 2005.  Microsoft has been steadily going in a downward flat curve during the same time period.  Shareholders want Microsoft to bail Zune, Xbox, and other entertainment so they can better focus on beating Google and Apple. "

" @zombie2011 said:

" @Lemoncookie01 said:

" They should make Bing less shitty. "

How is it shitty?   I use it all the time and it works great. "

Alright let me rephrase what i said.They should try market Bing more to the public ; it's a waste if no one uses it. "

Microsoft needs to hire less extremely talented Indians and Chinese people and more douchebag white people like apple and google. They also need to embrace elitest, douchebag culture like Apple fans do.

" Isn't there a vastly higher number of shares available in Microsoft than Apple and Google? "

Come up with an original product?

" Isn't there a vastly higher number of shares available in Microsoft than Apple and Google? "

make smart phones that are good. also, stop screwing over xbl costumers. 

Shareholders want them to ditch Xbox? Why? Isn't the Xbox division making money now? I thought I remember someone (Goldman Sachs possibly) recommending MS to relegate Xbox to its own singular division so that it wouldn't be dragged down by other sections of Microsoft.
 
Edit: Apparently the entire Entertainment & Devices division has become profitable -  http://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/30779/Goldman_Sachs_Recommends_Microsoft_Split_Off_Xbox_Business.php

They need to get rid of that idiot Steve Balmer and just most of the higher-ups.  Also they need to be more of a closed and controlling company like Apple.  They are stuck in the last generation where they were kings.  All of their products now are either shit or a copy of another product.  Bing is ok, but not better than google.  I've used it so I know.  There isn't much of a race in the MP3 department since iPod dominates everything in sight and rightfully so.  Zune is ok, but they just can't get it to work.  Also the marketing is pretty much nonexistent and the design doesn't connect with the common person.  The design is too hardcore.  The XBOX division in terms of quality is the only solid division.  Windows 7 is better than Vista, but still behind OSX and when Lion comes out it's game over.  Windows 7 phone will be solid, but will be held back due to the fact that Microsoft will just let a bunch of third party manufacturers like Samsung and LG make them in to shit. 

First of all, they need to hire somebody that can make Microsoft proper profits.

" make more zune products, mini zunes, zune video, actually make laptops instead of say dell laptop make a microsoft laptop. pretty much do what apple is doing with all of their products. they already have a search engine just like google. "

im happy with them not being able to keep up. but we know that isn't true, and we all know they're competing JUST fine. i mean come on folks, the things it does great are still super strong, its just the stuff like Bing etc that it needs to do a more aggressive job with. 
 
@ShadowSkill11 said:

" Microsoft needs to hire less extremely talented Indians and Chinese people and more douchebag white people like apple and google. They also need to embrace elitest, douchebag culture like Apple fans do. "

Invest their time and money in something that Apple and Google hasint got their finger in already and let them compete with Microsoft.

I make it sound so easy to capture the hearts of the public and take their money from them.

" @Skytylz said:

" Isn't there a vastly higher number of shares available in Microsoft than Apple and Google? "

This. And I'm positive the number of computers running Windows outnumbers Apple computers by a really large margin. If anyone has data that refutes this, I'd love to see it. Better question: how can Apple and Google compete with Microsoft? "

" Boobs, alcohol and Patrick Stewart. "

" @hack745 said:

" @Skytylz said:

" Isn't there a vastly higher number of shares available in Microsoft than Apple and Google? "

This. And I'm positive the number of computers running Windows outnumbers Apple computers by a really large margin. If anyone has data that refutes this, I'd love to see it. Better question: how can Apple and Google compete with Microsoft? "

 I think the main thing here is that computers are not viewed as the future of consumer computing. Instead, smartphones and tablets are increasingly able to fill the needs of everyday web users. Microsoft lags in both categories. "

"And isn't the Windows 7 Phone supposed to be pretty decent? "

" @Lemoncookie01 said:

" @zombie2011 said:

" @Lemoncookie01 said:

" They should make Bing less shitty. "

How is it shitty?   I use it all the time and it works great. "

Alright let me rephrase what i said.They should try market Bing more to the public ; it's a waste if no one uses it. "

Yahoo is powered by Bing, and tons of people use that. "

" @hack745 said:

"And isn't the Windows 7 Phone supposed to be pretty decent? "

...they couldn't stop making fun of it on the Engadget Show, and on This Week In Tech by Leo.    Microsoft has always been playing catch up to Google and Apple for the past 5 years.   "

" They should make Bing less shitty. "

" Come up with an original product? "

Microsoft hasn't played to it's strengths for a long time and that's where it's dropped the ball and has been dropping the ball for a long time.  
 
Let's take their core products right now.  Zune, Windows 7, Windows 7 mobile and Xbox360.  There shouldn't be a single issue with me using these items together in any circumstance since they are all developed in house.
 
Take Zune for example.  I owned a zune about two and a half years ago.  I liked it a lot.  Good sound, built-in FM radio and it was just starting to get games.  What I really enjoyed, though, is listening to Audio books.  Sometimes, when ripping audio books, all the tracks aren't named correctly, and the Zune software puts it in it's own album and category, making it hard  to create a playlist with all the tracks I need from the book.  Okay, so I should be able to use a drag and drop method to build playlists... no?  Okay, then I can use Media Player to make playlists and sync them, right?  They're both Microsoft products... nope!
 
Then we can take a look at what each OS comes with out of the box.  The people who make GIMP and OpenOffice have prettymuch made photoshop and microsoft office obsolite.  So, for personal use, why not offer lite versions for free with your OS?  Not to mention a decent audio editing program and movie maker!  Hell, make special editions of your OS that include creative programs tailor made for a genre (IE music, art, or hell video games) and try to re-capture that creative class that left the platform due to ease of use?  Imagine a version of Win 7 that comes with a simple game-creator suite with tutorials, sample games, and a free agreement with XNA creators club to publish games on Xbox360 and Zune?
 
How about a live event each year, showcasing new software abilities, new integration, showcasing exceptional community games?  Hell, overall investing more in their public face.
 
That's tip of the iceberg right there.  I could go on, but, that being said, I'll stand by all my Microsoft devices, because, well, I know how to work around any issues they have, they're cheaper, and they play video games!

" @ComradeKritstov said:

" Come up with an original product? "

What like this thing? 
 
  

"

Get rid of Steve Ballmer and a bunch of other of his like minded lackeys and put some fresh new, young blood into that company. MS's board of directors need to understand that the guy that's running the company is running straight to the fucking ground. Ballmer is not tech guy, he's a gods damn sales man who got lucky being at the right place in the right time and like many other make money over Bill Gates. MS need someone who understand where technology is going and not some oversize, overpaid, glorified salesman who's just trying to sell you shamwows. 

Why would I want to improve Microsoft? After all the horrible things they've done. I still hate Apple with a passion, though.

Er...you're comparing company wealth by their raw stock prices? You realize that companies can choose to split their stock right? MS has split 9 times in its lifetime, Apple 3, and Google none. Stock splitting and therefore price adjustment are motivated by wanting to create a lower barrier of entry so that smaller investors can also get involved. Do you even know how stocks work? 
 
Anyway, as to your question, MS is doing just fine. They're a staple in the productivity and gaming sectors with MS Office and Xbox, Windows 7 is the fastest selling OS ever, W7 phone has just been launched with reasonable success and Bing market share is constantly growing. What else do you want? 

The problem with Microsoft (I think) was that they got into too much of a comfort zone with windows in the 90's and 0's and companies like Apple had the freedom to experiment as they had nothing to lose. Now I think Microsoft is looking the best it has in a while with new innovations coming out of every avenue, so we'll see what happens. Still think all companies need to address their greedy business models but we are currently in a technology boom and it's no-holds-barred! Competition is a great thing for consumers.

All I can think about is how much I regret not buying Google when they went public...

Apple Inc's last profit report was $8.24 billion. 
Google's last profit report was $6.520 billion. 
Microsoft last profit report was $18.760 billion. 
 
I think Microsoft is doing ok for itself