September 13, 2010
Office for Mac finally breaks out of Microsoft
The Register
Joe Fay writes about the release of Microsoft Office for Mac.
“Microsoft Office for Mac 2011 finally escaped Redmond and went to manufacturing last week, meaning Apple users get a fresh productivity suite just one year after their Windows-based counterparts. The software should hit the streets next month, with anyone buying the 2009 version between now and then entitled to a free upgrade. In the US anyway.”
IBM wheels and deals on servers
The Register
Timothy Prickett Morgan writes about a new financing offer from HP.
“IBM this week launched a new financing deal for customers buying Power7 iron if they are switching from HP and Oracle gear (the company said Sun gear, but there is no doubt that the deal applies to Fujitsu iron as well). Under this deal, IBM is deferring payments until 2011 to customers who make the swap to a Power 770, Power 780, or Power 795 server and who use Global Financing to lease the gear instead of buying it outright. Customers have to lease the new machines under a 36-month contract with a fair market value payout at the end of the lease, and the value of the deal has to exceed $75,000. Customers who ink a deal and get the box installed before the end of September, IBM will defer lease payments by 120 days; if you do the deal between 1 October and 31 December, IBM only defers the payments for 90 days.”
Samsung won’t quietly cede ground to Apple
ZD Net
Larry Dignan writes about Samsung’s market play against Apple.
“In recent months, it has become increasingly clear that Samsung isn’t going to give Apple ground in consumer electronics. The battle is worth watching since Apple could theoretically get into the TV business at some point. This Samsung-Apple duel will play out in mobile devices, tablet computing as well as your living room. Simply put, Samsung, unlike its rival Sony, isn’t going to be caught flat-footed by Apple CEO Steve Jobs. It’s no surprise that Samsung has aligned with Google and its Android platform against Apple.”