Very true. And while all technology products are derivative of earlier products to some degree, I think Microsoft does more bandwagon-jumping than most. Let's look at the evidence.

* Java, made by Sun. "Reimagined" by Microsoft.
* Console gaming, made by Atari, Nintendo, Sega, Sony, et al. Microsoft gives us Xbox.
* Online Music, pioneered by Napster, made legitimate by Apple. Microsoft gives us MSN Music.
* MP3 player, pioneered by Rio, made super popular by Apple. Microsoft gives us Zune.
* Internet search, pioneered by Archie in 1990, made insanely profitable by Google. Microsoft gives us MSN. And Live Search. And Bing.

Far as tablet computing goes, Microsoft actually has a much bigger history than Apple. I remember MS peddling tablets back in 2001 with XP. Trouble is, XP was never designed as a touch interface. Even as recent as 2008, Microsoft tried this strategy with the Origami.

The innovation Apple made is to take its smartphone OS (whose design is based on touch) and pull it up to the tablet rather than take a full-blown desktop OS and push it down. This is the idea Microsoft is copying with Surface and Windows 8.

Other than Kinect, which is an innovative product since it is more than merely a response to the Wii, I'm not sure Microsoft invented anything. Even its flagship Office suite is based on earlier software (WordStar, WordPerfect, dBase, Lotus 1-2-3). In fact, when Microsoft first licensed MS-DOS to IBM for a huge profit back in 1981, it was essentially QDOS, which they purchased outright from some guy for $50,000. Deal of the century.

You may say, "Well Apple didn't invent the MP3 player. Why aren't they guilty of copying too?"

They are. But Microsoft's history is rife with this sort of "me-too" thing in a way no other company's is. Let me distil my point into one sentence: How many companies are copying Microsoft's products?

To sum up: Microsoft is slim on innovation, fat on looking over the shoulders of the smart kids in class...>> ^Sarzy:

>> ^mtadd:
Microsoft never fails to innovate their name on someone else's product.

Yes, because the iPad was, of course, the first tablet ever.

>> ^ForgedReality:

I have Angry Birds original, Angry Birds Rio (ad-free), Angry Birds Seasons, and Angry Birds Space all on my phone. All were free. Dunno why you'd pay for something like this that you only play occasionally and that is easily ad-blocked.


How did you get them for free assuming legally?

I have Angry Birds original, Angry Birds Rio (ad-free), Angry Birds Seasons, and Angry Birds Space all on my phone. All were free. Dunno why you'd pay for something like this that you only play occasionally and that is easily ad-blocked.

thanks eric

In reply to this comment by eric3579:
*promote

The lovely people of Rio are so tiny

>> ^BoneRemake:

Arnold the Creep. I always had a feelin..


This is creepy isn't it. I almost killed this video a couple of times. But I thought I'd wait til more than four people watched it to make the judgement. So that more than four people would encounter the cheese.

>> ^Crosswords:

Its always sad to see an aged rock start trying to sing their hits well past their prime. Just as their body gets old and worn out so do their larynx. They tend to lose much of their range and vocal precision/endurance. I always cringe when I see some 80's 70s 60s rock start on the stage belting out their classics, it just doesn't work, you can't fight aging.


there are exceptions though, Sting still sings quite well, as well as Bruce Dickinson, but I don't think either of them ever smoked for example (which I'm sure is probably the #1 reason why a lot of singers lose their voice)

>> ^Lann:

sad


We really need a *sad channel.

some backstory:

A case involving an altercation between two police officers at the New Mexico Wine Festival at Bernalillo last month has been turned over to the District Attorney�s office in Sandoval County for review.

According to the State Police incident report, Rio Rancho police officer John Francis and Bernalillo police officer Anthony Ortega, who is listed in the report as George Ortega, were involved in a confrontation at the wine festival.

Ortega told State Police officers that he was aware that Francis is a Rio Rancho police officer, but did not know he was on duty and working the event. Francis was working in plain clothes as part of an underage drinking/DWI task force, according to the report.

Ortega missed a mandatory briefing prior to starting his shift that would have made him aware of Francis working at the event. Ortega thought Francis was off-duty and fighting with other attendees.

Ortega then placed Francis in an arm hold and asked him to step back. Francis repeatedly lifted up his shirt to display his badge.

Her name is Rio and she dances on the sand
Just like that river twisting through a dusty land
And when she shines she really shows you all she can
Oh Rio, Rio dance across the Rio Grande

Sorry...couldn't help it.

As far as this F&F clip, yeah, sickeningly obvious puff piece. The number of screens did go up a bit in the second weekend, then fell off. It will hang around for a while only because of independent theaters who are run by conservative owners.

To compare the per screen numbers he said were "staggering":

Atlas Shrugged opening weekend: $5,640 per screen (299 screens)
Same weekend's number one movie, Rio: $10,252 per screen (3,826 screens)
Fast Five opening weekend: $23,655 per screen (3,644 theaters)

It's only staggering when you were expecting absolutely nobody to see the film.

>> ^rottenseed:

<em>>> <a rel="nofollow" href='http://videosift.com/video/Angry-Birds-Rio-Trailer#comment-1144015'>^ant</a>:<br /><EM>>> <A rel="nofollow" href="http://videosift.com/video/Angry-Birds-Rio-Trailer#comment-1143867" rel=nofollow>^VoodooV</A>:<BR><BR>I like Angry Birds way more than I should <BR></EM><BR><BR>Good thing I don't have a mobile device to play it. <IMG class=smiley src="http://cdn.videosift.com/cdm/emoticon/wink.gif"><BR></em>
I have it on my PS3 Just as fun BIGGER screen!


OK, good thing I don't have a video game console. I haven't had one since Atari 2600 unless a port exists on it.

>> ^ant:
>> ^VoodooV:
I like Angry Birds way more than I should

Good thing I don't have a mobile device to play it. <IMG class=smiley src="http://cdn.videosift.com/cdm/emoticon/wink.gif">


I have it on my PS3 Just as fun BIGGER screen!

>> ^VoodooV:

I like Angry Birds way more than I should


Good thing I don't have a mobile device to play it.

It must be difficult to smear such a likable guy. Someone, get turdgurgler a shot of bourbon! Where has that snowflake been, anyways. That motel rendezvous on the Rio Grande with blankfist must have been a bad idea. I'd expect a Nebraska map with a bulls-eye on it if this place wasn't so overrun by pussy-whipped liberals. What were you expecting, a bunch of IT guys drinking soda pop, playing World of Warcraft, and watching the Daily Show while they wait for their parents to go to bed is not funny. It's pathetic.