Windows Live in Facebook: A Win for Microsoft.

We seen a lot of action at the recent Consumer Electronics Show, giant IT companies are making noise, Microsoft is also on rampage. At CES Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer has made a major announcement: A Facebook-Windows Live integration. This is an expanded Facebook integration a second step in Microsoft’s integration of Facebook into Windows Live users last November. The integration will give Microsoft access to Facebook’s massive user base. The two companies have created a contact importer allowing Windows Live users to import their Facebook contacts directly from Windows Live. For Microsoft it’s all about social networking party. For months Microsoft has been busy doing partnership with the social networking sites. Windows Live has already integrated updates from over 50 third party sites. The integration is part only of Microsoft’s web strategy; the Software Company has undergone a major facelift. The Facebook-Windows Live integration is a great move for Microsoft it strengthen the already well established Facebook-Microsoft partnership. It provide Microsoft a strong grip on Facebook, it will also thwart any possible Google attack. I’m sure arch rival Google got ambition to enter in Facebook and make some partnerships. Microsoft’s Facebook investment is right; the Software Company needs to capitalize to Facebook’s popularity and strong mainstream buzz. Facebook is the crown jewel of the web, a major prize for Goliath that wants to build a web empire with a major web audience and a vibrant brand. This is a milestone for Microsoft.

Apple's big moves.

2008 is a great year for Apple; the Company has completely dominated the tech world. Everything on Apple was up, from sales to market shares. When it comes to disruptive technology Apple lead the pack. Almost everything Apple makes transcends age, race, gender and geography. Could Apple still dominate the consumer electronics technology? Will the iPhone winning streak continues? For tech savvy people January 2009 is MacWorld time. Everyone’s’ eyes is on Apple next big announcement, I’m talking about the next big hit something that will buzz the technology world, an earth-shocking technology. Remember the iPhone it’s completely changed the entire mobile phone industry. We heard a lot of conversation and we seen a lot of action in the web, everyone wants Apple CEO Steve Jobs on stage at MacWorld. Well for me the biggest and perhaps the much awaited of all is when Apple announced that its iTunes will goes DRM free, finally the time has come this is what we are waiting for. First let’s define DRM (Digital Right Management). DRM is a piece of software that guards the computer file and limits what you can do and can’t do with it. Its sounds greedy, I smell a little Microsoftian in Apple DRM software. When you buy a song from Apple’s iTunes store you can copy the song to five computers but no more, Apple limits what you can do That’s because the song comes with Apple’s DRM software Fairplay. Its sound crazy I mean you paid for the music. Who is Apple to tell you what to do? But now it’s over Apple is DRM free! The Company has already announced that there will be 10 million DRM free songs available on iTunes Store this year. It’s been a long time about two years ago when Apple CEO Steve Jobs wrote a letter to the music industry asking to abolish DRM. Since that time, a number of Apple’s competitor have gone DRM free, one of then is Amazon. Online ecommerce giant Amazon has already rolled out its very own DRM free digital music store. Amazon MP3. Amazon’s move was actually a strategic salvo in the great battle in the $60 billion music industry. The moves have been on headlines for months. It’s generated a ton of buzz in the blogosphere. Will Amazon kill iTunes? Amazon Mp3 could not be an iTunes killer, no! Absolutely not. It won’t make a leverage but it’s make a credible challenge to industry leading Apple’s iTunes store. DRM free music is a nice thing for the freedom loving people. It’s great to see the market leader in online music goes DRM free