Sunday Morning Reading: Ballmer on Resigning and Analysts in a New Light

Sunday morning’s are for reading. At least that’s how things have always been for me. Back in the days when I subscribed to the dead tree versions of newspapers I’d sit with several and read them through. I still enjoy reading on Sunday mornings but these days the reading takes place on an iPad of one size or the other. Typically I’m reading from a variety of sources on a variety of topics and it is usually more long form content than it is the quick down and dirty that seems to drive our consumption of news these days. This morning I’ve been reading and want to share two articles/posts with you that reflect on the industry we cover here on GBM.

First up is a Wall Street Journal interview with outgoing CEO of Microsoft Steve Ballmer called Ballmer on Ballmer: His Exit from Microsoft. (You know what to do with that title if you can’t get through the paywall.) In the interview Ballmer lays out the most info we have about his real reasons for leaving Microsoft.

“Maybe I’m and emblem of an old era, and I have to move on,” the 57-year-old Mr. Ballmer says, pausing as his eyes well up,” as much as I love everything about what I’m doing, the best way for Microsoft to enter a new era is a new leader who will accelerate change.”

Take him or leave him, Ballmer has had an impact on everything we think about computing, mobile computing, and gadgets for quite some time.

The second piece is from Apple Insider, called The Curious Case of IDC, Gartner & Strategy Analytics’ PC, phone & tablet data on Apple.  Daniel Eran Dilger lays out some interesting facts about the metrics we see each and every months from market research firms and analysts that drive media and blog coverage of the industry. Intended to offer investors information, did you know that one of those market research firms considers “influencing consumer behavior and buying preferences” as a part of its mission?

Think about that the next time you read headlines talking about analyst data saying this company is up or this company is down. The article also points up some interesting way analysts group categories of gadgets that have an intriguing impact on those reports that they sell to eager investors. Context we should all keep in mind.

Both worthy for Sunday morning reading.