Support Insight: Microsoft has blogs but no love (or, Apple hates blogs but is still loved by bloggers).

I bought into this point of view too, but then I started flying around the country and meeting average people (translation: those who don't write a blog) and there's a lot of love out in that world for Microsoft. But, you'll never believe me so I'm cool with you thinking that everyone hates Microsoft.

Certainly if you go to a blogger conference you see a lot more Apple products (at the recent SXSW conference, for instance, the audience was at least 60% Mac) but if you go into the average airport you only see, maybe, five percent Macs (I fly every two weeks and count such things and it's been quite consistent).

But, then, I also look around at where MSFT stuff is used. For instance, the signage in the airport. That's all Windows, but the only time you know that is when a machine crashes. Not exactly a good branding experience.

Or, look at Hertz rental car's new computers. All Windows. But you'd never know unless you were a geek. Or, look at Ghiradelli Square's ice cream shop. World famous. I've been going there since I was 10 years old. All running Windows but only a geek like me would notice.

Compare to Apple. They work very hard to make sure their branding is on everything they do. So, their brand gets credit.

We, on the other hand, are a platform company. Look at the Comcast TV box I'm using. It's hard to find Microsoft's name ANYWHERE on the box or the screen.

But, this author gets at something deeper. Why do some companies blog and others avoid it?

I've certainly seen that companies with strong brand love are avoiding the blogging world and/or are scared of it.

What do you think about this author's views?

If I hadn't lost my cell phone, I'd be trying out NewsBreak. It's a news feed/RSS reader for PocketPC and Smartphones running Microsoft's OS.

Now, add enclosure support (you know it as podcatching) and you got something really killer. Why? Well, one of the problems with getting podcasts is you gotta be connected to the Internet. If your cell phone could call out and check for new podcasts, that would be killer.

Burger King has another one of those viral campaigns: The Sith Sense.

I've only been sent this about half a dozen times so I know no one is playing with this this today. :-)

The Register: Microsoft nose-to-nose with Unix server rivals, according to IDC.

Linux coming up fast, though.

Heh, if I were taking a trip to the North Pole, this is the Tablet PC I'd take.

I lost my cell phone so can't take calls for now. Working on getting a replacement and/or seeing if someone turned it in at the airport.

Brad Sucks, who has a very cool blog (he's a musician, you should listen to his stuff), goes full text. Alright!

I love his tagline too: a one man band with no fans.

Ssshhhh, don't tell anyone, but I'm a fan.

Trixie is to Internet Explorer as Greasemonkey is to Firefox. It lets you remix the Web via scripts. Love the tagline: teaching an old browser new tricks.

Speaking of remixing, this is what happens when you give a guy a video camera, a Macintosh, and too much time. Heh.

Developers: The OneNote team is holding a PowerToy contest.

Gillmor Gang is back, and I listened to the latest one, with Adam Curry as a guest. He revealed that Steve Jobs personally demonstrated the latest iTunes to him. How cool is that?

They also made the point that Microsoft is lamely late in the podcasting world.

Let's see. Will an iPodder user switch to iTunes to get his or her podcasts? Will a Doppler user switch? Or, even better, how about an RSS reader with my new cell phone? Will that user switch to iTunes? (Or, look at it another way, would those users switch to something developed at Microsoft?)

None of which were developed at Microsoft, but now you're getting why Microsoft is gonna be just fine, thank you very much. We provide a platform on which developers can play on and we don't need to do it all ourselves (as Adam and Steve point out we're often too slow or too lame to get onboard the latest hot thing).

So, why wait for Microsoft? I already have good podcasting tools today (and they are getting better every few weeks -- the innovation in this space is fast and furious, remember, the word podcasting didn't exist last year at this time and now we got the CEO of a big computer company calling on Adam Curry personally. I find this all to be pretty darn amazing).

Oh, and Adam again poo pooed videoblogging. Ahh, that sounds like Steve Jobs has rubbed off on Adam too. But, here's the rub: video is coming and not necessarily from Microsoft or Apple. Have you seen the new Nokia Tablet? ($300, coming in a month, runs on Linux). How about the Sony Playstation Portable?

But, even here, Microsoft will be a big player. Our first try was the Portable Media Center. But my friends are now taking Dell pocket PCs and tricking them out to play video. Why? Cause the 640x480 screen on those things makes for a stunning video platform.

It's funny, everytime I'm in a plane I take an inventory of all the computers, iPods, tech devices, and what they are used for. I'm seeing video on 25% of the devices. Including a lot of portable DVD players that have screens far smaller than the one on my Tablet PC.

As screens come down in cost, and more and more of the world gets broadband, you'll see more and more video applications.

I listened to Dave Winer's breakfast with Betsy Divine. She says she's going to Iran soon. My wife wants to take me to Iran. I know at least one other blogger who regularly visits Iran. And I know of a few bloggers who live in Iran. Wonder if we'd want to make a trip together?

Ken Moss, general manager of MSN Search, is blogging.

I'm going to switch the comment server back to the old server for just a day. That means we'll lose the comments made in the past day. Sigh. Why do that? Cause Radio switched the entire last month over to the new server.

Sorry for the confusion.

I'll then switch back tomorrow. Confused yet? Heh. Don't worry. Be happy.