gates

Former Microsoft head Bill Gates has said technology can help the world's poorest people survive and even thrive amidst the economic downturn. But he warned that innovations are often only driven by the prospect of a profitable market. Gates, who ... quit Microsoft two years ago to concentrate on philanthropic work, made the comments in his annual letter to supporters of his charitable foundation. He opened by arguing that innovation "can make the difference between a bleak future and a bright one." (Source: pcworld.com ) Tech Projects Must Be Self-Sustaining The letter warns that without ... (view more)

As Bill Gates officially leaves Microsoft to concentrate on his charity work, he's been giving a host of interviews featuring some intriguing stories from the big boss' perspective. Speaking to CNET, Gates revealed that Microsoft once had secret ... talks to discuss a merger with Lotus, a rival in the 1980s which developed both the 1-2-3 spreadsheet (one of the earliest successful PC applications aimed at a mass audience) and Lotus Notes (an email and messaging package designed for use in company networks). He also recalled that IBM actually withdrew an invitation for Microsoft staff to attend ... (view more)

After directing his company to sink $240 million into a 1.6 percent stake in Facebook last year, the company's iconic leader has personally abandoned the social networking site in favor of the more business oriented LinkedIn. As a company, Microsoft ... is still working with Facebook of course; however, Gates himself has decided to set aside his profile because of the massive amounts of friend requests he was receiving; no doubt his 'FB friends' were also driving him crazy with constant invitations for mindless applications, but that's another story. The LinkedIn community seems to be very ... (view more)

While in Las Vegas this past weekend, Gates boasted that Microsoft has served more than 100 million copies of Windows Vista since the OS was launched to consumers last January. At first 100 million sounds impressive, but in fact it indicates that ... Microsoft's once dominant grip on the operating system is loosening. Based on what Gates said, Windows Vista was only on 39% of PCs that shipped in 2007. Statements at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) by Bill Gates this week show that Windows Vista is proving far less popular with new PC buyers than Windows XP did during its first year in the ... (view more)

Having etched his own place in tech history, Bill Gates' 'swan song' is now playing at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. The famous (and to some, infamous) Microsoft leader gave his final speech to the media Sunday night at the Venetian ... Hotel's Palazzo Ballroom. Ending a dominant legacy that to some was marked my monopoly more than success, Gates' address took time to both look back at his own history and the future of a company he made the most powerful in the world. With the former cutesy McDonald's tune "Do You Believe in Magic" thumping from speakers, Gates and his executives ... (view more)

A question-and-answer period held during a recent Microsoft shareholders meeting resulted in executives being asked to address recent stock sales by Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates, board member Jon Shirley, and other executives following a sharp ... increase in the stock a few weeks ago. (Source: Seattle PI ) One shareholder, Peter Schroeder of Seattle, said the talk out of Wall Street is that this showed a certain lack of confidence in the future of where the company is going, also noting that the stock has been slipping in recent days. Microsoft Chief Executive Steve Ballmer retorted that there' ... (view more)

A few months ago, I reported on Harvard University's decision to award Microsoft chairman Bill Gates with an honorary degree. Despite the fact that the average (and highly ambitious) college kid must maintain phenomenal grades and shell out ... thousands upon thousands of dollars to complete an Ivy league degree, billionaire Gates was awarded one recently, some 33 years after dropping out. Go figure. Luckily, Gates isn't taking the award too seriously. Speaking in front of graduates on June 8, he joked, "I've been waiting more than thirty years to say this: 'Dad, I always told you I'd come back ... (view more)

At this rate, it wouldn't surprise any of us if Microsoft constructed its own golden arches outside its Redmond, Washington headquarters with a handy counter recording the number of Vista units sold. It seems as though the company is constantly ... touting the retail success of its recently released operating system (OS). The newest sales figure? According to big boss Bill Gates, 40 million Vistas sold. Another conference, another update, it seems. Chairman Gates announced the numbers at Microsoft's recent Windows Hardware Engineering Conference, a forum for the company to let slip its upcoming ... (view more)

We've known for some time that the future of industry and technological development lay in Asia, especially within the massive (and still growing) populations of India and China. Now, head of Microsoft and famed billionaire Bill Gates is weighing in ... on the issue, recently telling the media that it's his own research centers in the region that he believes will lead the growth of the globe's tech infrastructure. He's proving it by doing as any businessman should, in good times -- by doubling Microsoft's workforce in Beijing and Shanghai. (Source: washingtonpost.com ) Speaking in front of an ... (view more)

Ever sit, stewing in mixed emotion as entertainment journalists report on those grab baskets bestowed upon celebrities for attending the Academy Awards? It just seems as though the rich get richer, or at least offered expensive gadgets and ... moisturizers. Now, tech fans can get that very same feeling, with recent word that Microsoft chief Bill Gates will be presented an honorary doctorate from Harvard University, some thirty years after he dropped out of the world-famous college. Gates will be given the doctorate at Harvard's 356th Commencement, which takes place on June 7. He'll also be the ... (view more)