I’m not sure if I’m navigating their website correctly (I love their software, but the site can be difficult), so its possible that I’m missing the signs but they seem to be some what  . . . er absent.

I was trying to check in today to see if there were any signs of life, when I noticed that they had not updated their website to include the latest download version number in quite some time (since version 12x).  They are on version 14x now!

I’m on the new version myself, but you can understand how people might get confused on which version to download.  I believe they are both stable versions, they just seem to have an outdated description below the button on the upper left as opposed to the button they have in their actual post.  Ergo the sidebar needs an update.

That kind of sums up a good deal about their site. 

Hopefully, this is not the signs of a dwindling budget at Microsoft in relation to this project.  This is currently one of my favorite Microsoft programs and I think it has legs, but you never know.

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Windows Live Tags: Live,Writer,Confusion,Over,Version,Number,Beta,WindowsLiveWriter,team,November,signs,life,description,Ergo,needs,Microsoft,relation,indications,versions,website,download

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Under the agreement, Microsoft’s search engine will also be the default on Internet Explorer, which is preloaded with HP machines.

Microsoft did not disclose the terms of the agreement, which will begin in January in the US and Canada. 

PC Pro: News: Live Search to be preinstalled on all HP PCs

Google has a little over a year and a half left on its own deal with number two computer manufacturer Dell, who is keeping their options open after 2009.

Whether or not this new deal will work for consumers will likely depend on the results.  If a person searches for President Bush’s Watch and comes up with results for Rolex President, consumers may not be terribly pleased.  However, as Google’s search results have been on the decline over the last couple years, this might be an opportunity for Microsoft to eek out an extra couple percent of market share and possibly break past the 10% range.

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The thing is Microsoft has not been able to capitalize on that effort nor that vision throughout most of the last 14 years, until IPTV came around.  Microsoft can now brag 1 million customers (small by Microsoft standards).  That’s significant enough to be important in an evolving industry that is looking to find a way to deliver television of internet protocols (IPTV).

In fact Microsoft’s technology in this area is growing on several levels, not just their IPTV set top boxes.  They have also inked a deal with NBC to host on demand coverage of the 2012 Olympics on the web.  Think about that for a second, NBC a broadcaster, turning to Microsoft for video delivery (as opposed to say, Google!).  Microsoft does not get credit for too many victories over Google these days, but the fact that they pulled that off is a significant bragging point and definitely one that they will work to capitalize on in a few years.

That is of course if Microsoft can keep the bandwidth rolling.  Over the Christmas holidays, many online Xbox 360 users were unable to play their games online due to a service outage.  That has triggered lawsuits and Microsoft will be providing a free game to try and remedy the problem and anxiety that all those Christmas users suffered through – Technical Difficulties – Priceless.  I suppose they had to peel off the pool table cloth and play games the old fashioned way.  Either that, or play pool on Wii Play. 

Microsoft IPTV hits million mark, eyes more growth | Reuters

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Google is working very hard to offer free web applications covering products that will compete directly with Microsoft office in Microsoft Excel.  Two years ago they partnered with Sun Microsystems and are finally rolling out a free version of StarOffice.  Google is essentially subsidizing the cost of StarOffice and paying Sun so that Google can provide the software free.

In return, Google is hoping to integrate the applications with their search and other product offerings to gain a greater level of control over the Internet and over people utilizing their computers and their computers online.

Up front, Google’s free office software looks like a good deal and will probably increase productivity for a number of business users which is truly what it’s all about.  The problem is that both Google and Microsoft represent a monopoly in their respective industries.  The competition between these two monopolies will provide consumers with a good deal up front, but the price consumers will pay for the lack of competition later on down the road could be staggering.

The truth is that consumers cannot afford for either Google nor Microsoft to win this battle.  If either company wins the battle the lack of competition will probably bring progress in product development and Internet usage to a grinding halt around the world.  Microsoft has suffered from slow product development for a decade now and Google has started to slow down its development process already also.  Both companies often times opt to chase competitors out of the market place as opposed to compete with them fairly using their bulk and financial strength to increase the cost for competitors to even enter the market.

Google even has the power to blacklist companies from the Internet if they fail to comply with Google’s rules which further entrench their force as the search engine monopoly that they are.

NewsFactor Network | Google Now on a Collision Course with Microsoft

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