IPad Fools

Do you remember that kid in your neighborhood that had to let the other kids ride his bike or play any of his Atari games (or, if you prefer, Nintendo) in order to get them to play with them? If so, this story will seem familiar to you.

Bloomberg Businessweek is reporting that in a bid to catch up to the runaway success of Apple’s App Store, Microsoft is dangling a carrot of financial incentive in front of App Developers to build software for their Windows 7 Mobile platform. According to Bloomberg, the Redmond-based tech behemoth is offering free development software, test handsets, and even revenue guarantees to developers in order to ensure that a respectable number of applications from all categories are available to consumers should they choose to adopt the hardware that supports the platform when it becomes available later this year. This varies greatly from Apple’s App Store business plan, in which Apple and an application’s development team each take a share in the profits made as a result of an application being purchased.

The news comes hot on the heels of the Microsoft announcement that they were cancelling their seemingly hipster and social media-centric Kin line of handsets mere weeks after the device became available to the public.

The folks over at TechCrunch have noticed a new entry into the Twiitersphere: Apple’s senior vice-president of iOS software Scott Forstall. The account is verified, meaning that it is indeed the real Forstall that helms it.

Hearing that someone–anyone–has joined Twitter doesn’t come as a surprise. With millions of users telling each others what they’re doing right now, finding out that an unexpected newcomer has signed up for an account isn’t so much shocking as it is interesting. We will say this, however: There are few more interesting folks that you could see sign up for a Twitter account than an Apple executive.

Think about it: One of the chosen from Steve Jobs’ inner circle of Kool-Aid drinkers has signed up for an account with the largest, arguably most influential social networking services available on the interwebz. 

Apple Executive. Social Networking.

See anything wrong with this picture?

Apple’s corporate culture has always been about playing things close to the chest. New technology is kept secured under lock and key (most of the time), rumours are controlled with an iron fist, and the company’s employees are subjected to a non-disclosure agreement of Faustian proportions. Where does Twitter, a social network made popular by it’s ability to share instant real-time information, fit into this framework? Could Forstall be looking to reach out to Apple users through Twitter like Jobs on occasion does through legendarily short emails? Perhaps the SVP of iPhone software is getting a feel for Twitter so as to include greater integration with future builds of iOS? Could it be that he’s just lonely? Bored? All of the above? He’s following Conan O’Brian–what does it all mean?!

No one knows at this point.

We will say this however: We’ll be watching closely to find out.

The days of our enjoying inherent Google Map integration with our Apple products could well be numbered, as Apple has acquired a second software company specializing in interactive mapping technology.

According to the French language newspaper Le Soleil (The Sun), Apple has purchased the Quebec-based software company Poly9–a company known for its 3d, cross browser, cross platform mapping and globe software. Ever hear of them? Well, maybe not, but if you or your kids have ever tracked Santa online through NORAD‘s website, then you’re familiar with their work. They’ve also tinkered on behalf of Microsoft, MSNBC, Yahoo and Google.

At the time of this posting, Poly9′s corporate website was no longer available online. According to a report by AppleInsider, the vast majority of Poly9′s employees have already moved from their old Quebec City digs and set up shop in California. Apple’s purchase of Poly9 marks the second acquisition they’ve made of companies with expertise in mapping applications. Last year, the Cupertino-based tech giant also bought out Placebase, one of Google Maps’ direct competitors. 

What does it mean for Apple’s relationship with Google? It’s no secret that the once lovey-dovey pair of companies have been a little cold towards each other as of late. With Apple having welcomed both Yahoo and Microsoft onboard as search options for the iPhone, it wouldn’t be a giant stretch to assume they might well be looking for options to replace Google Maps too–especially when they’ve spent a lot of dough to buy companies that specialize in tech to do exactly that.

Ouch!  Comparing Apple’s iPhone 4 to his own Windows Vista mess, Microsoft CTO Kevin Turner today ‘went there’.  Yes, taking a swing at his own failure, Turner tried to say that Apple’s best selling iPhone ever is going to tank in the market.  Let’s see.

“It looks like the iPhone 4 might be their Vista, and I’m okay with that,” said Kevin Turner, Microsoft’s chief operating officer, in a keynote speech at Microsoft’s Worldwide Partner Conference (WPC)… Earlier in his talk, Turner poked fun at the reception problems that have dogged Apple’s iPhone 4 since its June 24 launch. “One of the things I want to make sure you know today is that you’re going to be able to use a Windows Phone 7 and not have to worry about how you’re holding it to make a phone call,” Turner said, referring to the Microsoft mobile operating system set to debut on smartphones this fall.

Microsoft execs have been pretty spot on in their evaluations of iPhone so far. In fact, let’s have another listen to Steve Ballmer prognosticate on the iPhone at its debut: