Ballmer Reminds Us Of The Difference Between Apple & Microsoft. Again.

Photo: APSure, we've been harumpfing over the iPhone 4 issues, and we still hear about app approval issues from time to time, but leave to it to Steve Ballmer to remind us what makes Apple different.

Last week, Ballmer speaking to analysts, left his thoughts be known on the success of the iPad. Addressing the number of iPads sold, Ballmer said Apple had “sold certainly more than I’d like them to have sold.” Additionally, he added a jab at the inability to print from the iPad natively.

Let's remember he's speaking of a hypothetical iPad killer, as there's no shipping Windows 7 pad, despite Ballmer touting essentially the same strategy at CES back in January. Ballmer reiterated Microsoft's vision for the future, and that vision is simply trying to take down Apple.

Sure back in the day, Apple staked its future on "beating" Microsoft, but they did it by laying out a compelling alternative. That alternative was something consumers and employees could get behind. I doubt the talented people in the trenches at Microsoft came to Redmond to work day in and day out to simply find a way to copy Apple.

As Apple has laid out a their version of the future, Microsoft hasn't kept pace. If they want to copy anything from Apple, maybe they could start with creating some sort of coherent vision; something those loyal to their platform can rally behind, and see as an alternative to Apple. There's certainly enough room for two competing philosophies in technology, and for Microsoft to roll over, and focus solely on Apple, is distracting for the company and doesn't serve consumers.