Microsoft To Make Wireless Networking Hardware 320
traskjd writes "Microsoft are looking to increase their strength in the hardware market with wireless and conventional networking hardware according to this story on cnet. Microsoft has always been slow at moving into the hardware market... could they be testing the waters for making things like switches and routers in the future? Lets hope not..." There's also a Reuters article. There was a story last year that mentioned Microsoft was working on Win-WiFi - 802.11b hardware that exported some of the processing to the CPU in much the same manner as a winmodem, and thus was cheaper to produce. These stories don't mention anything about that, so probably these are conventional 802.11b devices.
Wow (Score:5, Funny)
too...many...security...jokes...
head...exploding...
Re:Wow (Score:2)
Re:I hate to admit it... (Score:2)
That's bordering on gay, dude!
Re:I hate to admit it... (Score:2)
I betcha TheLoneCabagge is part of LinuxGrrrrls
woohoo, winmodem! (Score:2)
"Sorry, you cannot use Explorer.exe at this time. The CPU's resources are being used to serve the WinWiFi router."
Re:woohoo, winmodem! (Score:2)
I don't know about you guys.. (Score:5, Insightful)
I'd predict that their wireless networking hardware may turn up to be a good quality product.
Re:I don't know about you guys.. (Score:2)
Did MS ever make its own hardware? Do they have their own in house hardware engineers? Or do they just integrate horizontally with the hardware market when they choose?
Re:I don't know about you guys.. (Score:5, Informative)
Re:I don't know about you guys.. (Score:2)
Re:I don't know about you guys.. (Score:2)
Re:I don't know about you guys.. (Score:2)
Do Microsoft actually make hardware? Or do they simply put their name on hardware someone else made?
Re:I don't know about you guys.. (Score:2)
Microsoft has designed hardware for a long time (Score:2)
Remember the SoftCard [byte.com], a Z80 card that let you run CP/M on an Apple II?
Microsoft mice have a great reputation and they're actually pretty innovative about them.
Re:Microsoft has designed hardware for a long time (Score:2)
Rugged, reliable, accurate and VERY tolerant of abuse
Re:I don't know about you guys.. (Score:2)
I agree. I've only used Microsoft Natural Keyboards for years now, and I've used a couple of their mouses (including my current optical mouse) and they are both great.
Re:I don't know about you guys.. (Score:4, Troll)
1. Wireless networking equipment uses an encryption scheme known as WEP. If Microsoft jumps into this line of hardware, I gurantee you they will make "MS-WEP" [slashdot.org] which is virtually incompatible with standard WEP. Such was the case with CHAP and MS-CHAP. They do this because if their version of the encryption scheme becomes widely used, it will become the defacto standard and that just becomes one more element of computing that you have to pay Microsoft tax on. Granted WEP has it's problems, but come on... are you really going to trust Microsoft to get the security right? [slashdot.org]
2. I highly doubt Microsoft makes their own Mice/Keyboard hardware. So if you want to give out props to someone, give it to the real manufacturer of their products, not to Microsoft. Microsoft just sticks their name on it for marketing reasons because their name is more likely to sell then if it said "Chuwing Yokung Inc."
Re:I don't know about you guys.. (Score:2)
That doesn't matter. What does matter are they are the ones that bring them to market. There aren't a whole lot of retail companies that manufacture their own stuff. But, who cares? Do you investigate every car part branded "Toyota" to see who manufactured it? What about stereo equipment? Hell.... anything bought retail. You may be aware that MS doesn't actually have their own manufacturing facilities, but you're woefull unaware that most retail products that you buy are done the same way. Whether MS manufactures them or not doesn't matter. The little hardware that they do sell is fantastic, and if that's any indicator, their wireless stuff will be great, too.
Besides, wireless is still very, very niche. With MS marketing behind it, you'll see wireless everywhere in a matter of years, and you'll see pricing drop. I don't know about you, but I'm much more likely to buy a "MS Wireless" card, than a "ChunKing Wireless" card.
Re:I don't know about you guys.. (Score:4, Insightful)
It's not that Microsoft had any burning desire to supplant CHAP with a fundamentally incompatible protocol for evil, monopoly-furthering reasons.
Instead, they were attempting to deal with a limitation in that CHAP is unusuable if your passwords are stored encrypted on your system (i.e. CHAP can't be used to authenticate yourself when your credentials are in an
Microsoft stores its passwords in much the same way (encrypted on the server) and so they needed to develop a protocol that would send the passwords encrypted across the wire yet be usable to authenticate oneself against a SAM database -- hence the development of MS-CHAP.
Re:I don't know about you guys.. (Score:2)
Re:Totally Offtopic! (Score:2)
Re:I don't know about you guys.. (Score:2)
We are the segment most likely to turn back the effects of the MS monopoly; our moral decisions concerning cars mean little.
I still don't buy nikes though.
Re:I don't know about you guys.. (Score:2)
I have a theory this was done intentionnaly to force those used to borland typing to use mouse instead, thus forcing visual programming with their vb guis.
Re:I don't know about you guys.. (Score:2)
Like who? (Score:3)
Have *YOU* ever seen a mouse that looks like the Intellimouse Explorer? If MS just OEM-brands other people's hardware, then why were Microsoft mice the only all-surface-optical (As opposed to the old Sun grid-optical) mice for quite some time until Agilent's optical mouse reference chipset/lens design came out?
If MS is rebranding their hardware, show me proof. Show me WHO they're rebranding other than saying, "oh, I think they're rebranding someone". It's usually pretty easy/obvious due to the hardware being physically identical to a few others on the market. (All those cheapie opticals are all the same, but MS and Logitch mice are all unique)
Good examples of OEMing that's easy to find:
Palm III/IBM Workpad. (I think some Workpads were Palm V clones too) - Same shape, the Workpads happened to be black instead of grey.
Compaq printers - These are obviously rebranded Lexmarks.
AT&T printers - This was MANY years ago, but their dot-matrix printers were either rebranded OKI or Epson printers, can't remember.
I normally dislike MS, but their input devices division is the only portion where all the crap they spew about innovating is true. They DID come up with the wheel idea. (Which I passed off as a gimmick until I played with one at work - Now I can't survive w/o the wheel.)
A new meaning for BSOD (Score:3, Funny)
Re:A new meaning for BSOD (Score:2, Interesting)
Come on, find something valid to make fun of.
Re:A new meaning for BSOD (Score:3, Funny)
Re:A new meaning for BSOD (Score:3, Interesting)
2K and 98SE never seemed to have any problems with the same setup.
SURE! (Score:2)
2. Try moving your windows code over to another platform
3. 64 bit? What's a bit? Oh yeah... microserf: well, we can sorta kinda do 64 bit!
4. Try running windows on some really huge hardware, ie. something not x86 or emulating it
5. inverse of 4, ie. a pda or some such thing, without having to purchase an expensive xp embedded license or some such nonsense
6. try stripping windows xp down to nothing but what you need to setup a masquerading router, running on a 486
7. try administering 20 machines remotely, over a 56k modem
8. try all of the above while spending less than $50
9. Microsoft didn't disclose all of the windows api's? awww... too bad...
10. windows is quickly becoming an anti-consumer operating system, instead of enabling users, it's going to intentionally limit users, doesn't sound too appealing to me...
Re:A new meaning for BSOD (Score:2)
... well maybe (Score:2, Insightful)
Please, whoever makes these new things, leave the CPU alone.
Re:... well maybe (Score:2)
Re:... well maybe (Score:2)
Look out Nokia! (Score:2)
Re:Look out Nokia! (Score:2)
MS Hardware? (Score:4, Insightful)
What is up with all the negative articles on MS Hardware?
Take a look at your mouse! Have you ever used an MS Joystick?
Sure, lots of you have complaints with MS's OS's. Some of you hate the whole "Major Corportation" thing.
But, damnit, MS MAKES GOOD HARDWARE!
I've used MS Mice, and MS Sidewinders for YEARS and they still work GREAT!
Re:MS Hardware? (Score:5, Funny)
Re:MS Hardware? (Score:2)
Back when I was a gamer, I bought the sidewinder to play descent1 on. It was virtually unplayable. The driver is what really sucked. If you hit the key to launch a missle for example, the driver would keep the botton on for several seconds depletting all your ammo. I had the same problem under duke nukem. The keys also stuck together occasionally so when rapid shooting was required, I could not shoot. Also Microsoft stopped supporting very quickly so if you have Windows2000 or XP, your screwed.
If you think MS makes good keyboard and mice, then your probably never tried anything by logitech. They are a much better vendor in my opinion and I like the way they feel.
Anyone who buys this new wireless network device might end up being quickly unsupported like their sidewinders, phones, and USB speakers if its not commercially sucessfull.
Yay for MS hardware. (Score:2)
As for MS hardware, I am most impressed with the IntelliMouse. I just wish(is there one already?) MS made drivers where you could have mouse "profiles". Currently, the thumb buttons only work for IE, where they would be great as undo/redo buttons in Photoshop, PSP, etc, or set 'em to what you like. I remember doing some tweak to turn the middle button(wheel button) on my Logitech mouse into a double-click action.
As for their MS keyboard, I just got one in my cubicle, and wonder why there's a "stop" button(I'm assuming for IE). Escape, located less than an inch away from it functions just fine as "Stop". Back and Forward are redundant since you can just Alt+leftarrow & Alt+rightarrow. Hopefully with a bit of searching I can make the buttons do whatever I want, and I'll just relabel them.
Re:Yay for MS hardware. (Score:2)
Re:MS Hardware? (Score:2)
If the article was about an MS mouse it probably would have been very positive. I myself have two MS mice because I like them. However, I'm quite skeptical of MS hardware involving networks. MS has a long history of "using" whatever it can to manilpulate markets.. why should networking hardware be different.
Re:MS Hardware? (Score:2)
I don't so much worry about the quality of the hardware (though I don't use it myself), if switches/routers/etc are as good as the reputation of their other hard stuff then there's no problems there. I think what bothers many people is the issue of trust - how much extra power it gives MS when it comes to who-uses-what. There's not much they could do with a mouse, but would MS network gear attempt to control what network traffic you do and don't see according to MS's wishes? Maybe, maybe not, but I think if there's any company to be suspicious of in intent, it's MS.
a grrl & her server [danamania.com]
Re:MS Hardware? (Score:4, Interesting)
Sorry, keyboards, mice, and joysticks don't control your data. Bottom line is I don't trust Microsoft - for very good reasons. They have continuously proved they are untrustworthy, before/during/after being found guilty of illegal monopolistic practices by the Department of Justice. I don't trust them - not because I am some zealot - but because they have proven over and over again that I have no reason to trust them.
Yes, I use one of their mice, because
a. it is a good product
b. it doesn't have anything to do with security
Microsoft sucks at security, they even admit that their products aren't engineered for security. Sure, that was in reference to their Operating Systems, but do you think they will suddenly see the light when it comes to hardware? Microsoft is crafty, they wouldn't be getting into networking hardware at this stage of the game just for the sake of doing it. There is a reason, and they are trying to weasel their way in to gain control. Period.
Re:MS Hardware? (Score:2)
Great product.
Of course I'd trust my sensitive corporate R&D data to a Microsoft Switch, given their proven track record on security.
I can't wait (Score:2, Interesting)
I heard this on NPR (Score:4, Funny)
anyone think of this? (Score:2, Insightful)
I just can't believe it! (Score:3, Funny)
They must be thieves!
For those who may be humor impaired, this post was tongue in cheek
More NEW MS Innovations (Score:4, Funny)
http://nouters.windowsupdate.com
htt
New Licensing:
Your router subscription has expired. Would you like to pay another $79 dollars for the next 12 months?
New Animation:
Paperclip: Hi! I see your trying to access the internet. Can I help you?
New Monitoring:
We have deteted a P2P application running on your network. Your router has been disabled. Please call 1-800-RIAA-Pal to correct this.
New Dialog boxes:
You are using an inferior browser. Are you SURE you want to do this? [Yes] [No]
This should have been expected (Score:4, Interesting)
by producing hardware that refuses entry from any non-certified applications and hardware, they further secure their world (aka, pockets) within the constraints of their Palladium (money-making) scheme.
Re: (Score:3, Informative)
Re:This should have been expected (Score:2)
I think the more correct phrase is "What a bunch of speculation."
It's not a lie unless you know it is false. Do you have any of this hardware? How do you know anything unless you do? Product specifications are liable to change without notice.
Re: (Score:2)
Re:This should have been expected (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
Re:This should have been expected (Score:2)
MS WiFi (Score:2, Insightful)
Ohh yes, only imagine (Score:2, Insightful)
Also, you will get switches that you only edit via switchedit, a regedit decendant.
Plus of course, all the bugs you can eat, as usual
Of course, don't forget to add some 64 Mb of memory in your switch. Errm, yes that is per port, of course...
And in addition to that, if you don't pay your license fees, your routers will cease to function after exactly one year!
But wait, there is more! You can run a wordprocessor from your switches (upgrade required), and we even provided some games free of charge.
Thanks, but no thanks - I'll stay with Cisco...
Mark
Isn't it just marketing through hardware branding? (Score:2)
Nothing to see here. Move along.
In the time-honored MS tradition... (Score:2)
Don't knock MS - knock the router people! (Score:2)
Microsoft need UPnP to succeed if Messenger is to realise its full potential. They probably need it for other planned projects too. I imagine they're entering the market in order to drive adoption of these standards more quickly.
I have an SMC Barricade 7004AWBR. I've been waiting an age for the firmware update that finally provides me with UPnP. It hasn't come. I rather suspect it may never come. For all the natty little plastic boxes, I honestly don't think the networking people are used to the speed of the consumer market. Microsoft certainly is, and I can see any routers it might produce being updated a lot faster than many of the current offerings.
Cheers,
Ian
Subspace communication (Score:2)
If you suddenly notice IE going to sites other than the one you wanted, don't worry: Your Drone's just been consulting with all the other Drones, and the consensus was you wanted to visit Microsoft.com rather than linux.org.
On the plus side, this means new technologies will be assimilated much easier, and your PC will be able to repair itself using the power of the group mind.
Maran
Very dangerous. (Score:5, Informative)
Keep something in mind: when Microsoft released its previous generation of hardware (mice, keyboards, joysticks, etc.) they weren't thinking about Linux at the time. They felt confident that they owned the PC space. Nowadays, even though they still have the monopoly more or less intact, they do know that Linux is looking to break into that space, and has a better than fair chance of doing so.
Microsoft needs to de-commoditize the PC platform.
The best way to de-commoditize the PC platform is to turn it into the Windows PC Platform. Palladium is a big part of this, to be sure. Whatcha wanna bet that these new Win-Fi(tm) devices are going to tie into the Palladium infrastructure for security? And of course their chipsets will be full of Innovative Microsoft Patented Technology. Try to write a Linux driver... get smacked by the DMCA.
Over the last year or two, some of the WinModem chipset makers have started to warm up to Linux -- by releasing specs or by writing actual drivers. You can be sure that if Microsoft is the chipset maker, the binary-only, Windows-only drivers will come directly out of Redmond.
ALWAYS ask "How does this protect Windows?" (Score:2)
Why do you think Microsoft is dragging their feet with Bluetooth? It's not all about it being not ready, that's never stopped them before. It's because Bluetooth works best with low power devices and Windows does not "do" low power devices. When was the last time you saw a Windows device running off 2 AAA batteries?
The original Halloween document stated that they needed to control the protocols and this is not too far from it. It's what transmits/receives the protocols....
This is dangerous folks, IMHO. Win-Fi costs can be quite low to the user because Microsoft is going to absorb the development costs using monopoly money. If every machine ships with Win-Fi onboard, with MS security protocols, our full fledged WiFi cards will be left out unless we pay the extra $$ for another access point too.
It's dangerous if it works. IMHO.
LoB
Re:Very dangerous. (Score:2)
BTW, the same goes for Intel, think about the non-processor things they've done. Most of them were related to improving speeds and feeds to make sure the CPU stayed the bottleneck and you'd get the next faster processor.
I don't see this as a bad thing--yet. Most of the 802.11b stuff I've tried is a nightmare to set up with WEP, and sets itself up in insecure mode by default. I know Microsoft can do a better job with setup; perhaps they'll set an example that will get others to improve as well.
Over time, any worthwhile product becomes commoditized. If Microsoft's wireless card is the next Microsoft Mouse then others will copy it. If it's the next Microsoft Phone [epinions.com] then they won't.
Re:Very dangerous. (Score:2)
Also, if they do make a "winmodem" style adapter, then that also ties into the monopoly more. I wouldn't mind any of this is the standards were open and freely implementable at the OS level (like any other hardware company would do), but these devices can work as a monopoly protector.
It is something to consider. I already own 802.11b hardware, so it's not a big issue for me.
Proper hardware documentation (Score:2)
I'd never in a month of Sundays expect them to furnish Linux drivers, though maybe *BSD drivers in two weeks of Sundays. But does Microsoft properly document their hardware so the community can write its own drivers? I know people use MS keyboards and mice with Linux, but those had well entrenched standards. What about getting the extra bells and whistles working?
How about shipping the documentation with a "You may not use this documentation to develop GPL-licensed drivers!" clause?
Will work only with MS networking (Score:2)
Re:different issue (Score:2)
Microsoft Strategy (Score:2)
Microsoft has always been slow at moving into the hardware market... could they be testing the waters for making things like switches and routers in the future?
If Microsoft has been slow at entering into a market, it is because they wait for technology to be established, and then they improve on that technology. I don't think that they will be making switches and routers, because they can't really create an improved version of those products that consumers will notice.
On the other hand, wireless technology is starting to become noticed by consumers and Microsoft wants people to associate their name with quality. Of course, it's 90% marketing and 10% actual quality. Look at the Microsoft Natural Keyboard, or the line of Microsoft mice. Sure, they didn't make them right away; they waited for their competitors to make the mistakes that they could then improve upon.
Actually, this strategy could be used to describe pretty much all of their products. They're not the first to do something. Microsoft is very good at reinventing ideas and selling them to consumers.
Just my opinion.
Intent (Score:2)
"...could they be testing the waters for making things like switches and routers in the future?"
Uhh. Could they be seeing that (a) wireless is the Next Big Thing and (b) this is the perfect time to introduce DRM where others are hesitant to do so?
This is a no-brainer given their history.
Yet another wireless authentication standard ! (Score:2, Interesting)
This is a PIA, already we have the certificate based EAP-TLS (supported in XP & CE4.0), EAP-MD5, the Cisco LEAP (supported everywhere but only with a Cisco client card), 802.1x - now a standard but not supported in it's vanilla format anywhere much yet, etc.
Guess what the cross platform support will be for PEAP ?
I'm just glad Linksys and Dlink exist, because it's going to be difficult for MS to displace them in the market, and dominate with a non-standard product.
These may also have a variation on uPnP, but I don't see how that will fit in with the security focus.
Palladuim is miles off, look for that in the updated Christmas '03 product range.
Kind of funny (Score:2)
Well this figures. (Score:2)
To make use of a modern CPU on a desktop is really hard unless you compile or game. An even slower windows would be hard to do without deliberatly toss in loops into it. Intel and Microsoft lives on the upgradecycle and without it they would both be much smaller since you wouldnt buy a new computer every year, just new software like games etc. Right now i cant think of a single application that i use that can take advantage of my current 650 Mhz even. When i compile something bigger i do it over night.
The only application that demands something faster than todays 2 Ghz is poorly written games. My solution would be to write them better but some people tends to think throwing more hardware on fautly code is an excellent solution.
Microsoft needs to use all the cpu cycles it can and still perform good in benchmarks. This way of loading the processor with other tasks better done in hardware than in software fits their and Intel perfectly. Intel needs somthing that demands faster CPUs and Microsoft need new hardware that ships with their OS.
Re: (Score:2)
Yeah, they got blind-sided by cable & DSL. (Score:2)
Organisms evolve intelligence by distributing cognitive processing ability. The brain of a flat worm is intrinsically different from the brain of an ant because an ant has legs. Our brain is different because we don't have as many legs and we have ideas.
Microsoft wants to keep computers immobile, blind, deaf, dumb and stupid. Otherwise they lose control (of your pocket book.)
So they move control up to the drivers on the CPU and keep it as the single point of failure.
Performance does not degrade gracefully, systems can't adjust and adapt, and grow in capability so they ossify and fail the only way they can, catastrophically.
A problem with the speed of response to the equivalent of a dial tone will cause your machine to crash in ways some unanticipated by the stellar genii who wrote the state machine.
I'll stick to Macs OS X and Linux on x86s thanks.
winmodem parallel is frightening (Score:2)
802.11x (Score:2)
It was suppose to ship with XP but they had other things to work on in XP.
Oh my gosh (Score:2)
Someone to blame (Score:2)
How long before we have a Slashdot story about how it's Microsoft's fault when someone steals credit card numbers from a business sending them unencrypted over a wide-open network.
At least now we only have to read mainstream news stories about how it's the fault of the guy with the chalk.
And we thought that 802.11b was already insecure (Score:2)
Can we see as an attempt from Microsoft to "open" their products?
If they don't do OpenSource, will Microsoft achieve "Openness" through MS-Really Insecure Wireless?
Re:When Microsoft makes wireless hardware... (Score:2)
Microsoft said that the software will make it painless for users of its hardware products to install a wireless network and connect a variety of devices.
See, there's nothing to worry about. Everything will be all right. Life will be good and I can go home early every night from now on....
Microsoft Platform (Score:2)
As they push into the hardware market, their offerings may become preferred for their functionality. You may have noticed this simplicity with the Microsoft IntelliMouse and Internet Keyboard. Plug them in and they are detected and function properly - drivers are pre-installed mostly.
If their hardware is easier to configure, more people may buy it, ultimately convincing Microsoft to produce their own line of computers. Because all parts are built and tested within the company, people will say "It Just Works [apple.com]"
But then there will be people complaining that Microsoft is just money grubbing bastards and want all the profits for themselves...
Re:Welcome to our Monopoly (Score:3, Interesting)
Not to be a troll or anything, but how different is this from Apple and AirPort?
M$ just wants to see if they can get a piece of the WI-FI pie
I'd only be concerned if they decide to come up with their own flavor of 802.11 that only works with the latest version of the OS and forces you to upgrade to be able to keep using it.
Re:Welcome to our Monopoly (Score:2)
I have an Airport card and it works perfectly with a SMC barricade and other common wireless routers. We're just looking at Microsoft's past history of altering standards to work in incompatible ways and speculating that they could do the same with wireless standards. Hopefully, this will not be true, but history has been known to repeat itself.
Re:Welcome to our Monopoly (Score:2)
Replying to my own post, look at your standard PC keyboard and tell me how Microsoft changed the standard there, oh, 7 years ago. I wonder if keyboard manufacturers have to pay royalties or copyright fees to use the windows logo on their keys.
Monopoly is as Monopoly Does (Score:2)
Microsoft has both the ability and the will to force competitors out of any market they enter. And they have a history of breaking standards -- even their own! This has as much to do with wanting to "improve" everything they touch ("sure it's not compliant or backward compatible, but it sure is cool!") as with a desire to lock out competitors, but the effect is the same. So when MS enters a product market, existing vendors get nervous, as do their customers. And with good reason.
Re:Welcome to our Monopoly (Score:2)
Re:Welcome to our Monopoly (Score:2)
If Apple cripples 802.11 in Air Port, they cripple their devices and you simply buy another vendor's product. However, MS will put the other vendors out of business.
Re:EULA (Score:3, Funny)
On the other side, I can imagine the little LCD screen saying "Packet recieved, please reboot to continue."
And once in a while a LCD-Gray screen of death..
(hmm.. or where the routers the ones with the blinking leds.. oh well.. they can do "please reboot in morse")
AYB EULA ? (Score:2)
It's your, and not you're. Learn that they're different.
your - belonging to you
you're - you are. (just as in learn that they're different)
Cats: All your Base Are Belong To Us
Re:MS Hardware? Lets hope not? (Score:2)
Re:MS Hardware? Lets hope not? (Score:2)
Comment removed (Score:4, Informative)
Re:What's the big deal? (Score:2)
Re:What's the big deal? (Score:2)
Microsoft is making this card because no one else will -- the market doesn't want it.
But if MS makes it preferable, and cheaper, to hook the WWF to their products, then MS owns the WiFi market. Which means innovation in the wireless market is controlled by MS. And they've shown endlessly what they do when they own markets.
MS innovate? Nope, they copy -- and the real question is, if MS didn't own several markets, what innovation could have come from other sources, that are now gone forever?
Monopoly, regardless of the opinion of the Chicago School of legal activists, has only limited consumer benefits. One can measure how wonderful the world is with MS controlling hardware and software on the desktop. But how do you measure negative consequences -- what *didn't* happen because MS doesn't want change?
Re:Will? (Score:2, Interesting)
Probably. You'd be amazed at how many of the big hardware companies outsource the manufacturing of hardware and then stick their own badge on it. Often you can see the exact same device with diffent brand names, but that usually only happens with the smaller companies.
Even if they don't do that, it will be off-the-shell components that make it. I don't see MS building a PCB and IC fabrication facility, or designing the PCB track layout.
So in essence, this article is about MS striking a contract to rebadge someone elses products. You do get their support and reseller infrastructure from that (for better or worse). The stuff should be pretty good quality, putting aside all the MS bashing, these companies do live and die based on reputations, so it should be decent.
I wonder if it will ship with an insecure default config? That would be a turnup for MS, if they get that aspect right for once!
Re:Good (Score:2)
You cannot, however, give full credit to Microsoft for that. A fair share of the credit must indeed go to Apple for releasing AirPort [apple.com] - the first computer manufacturer to make it an option in all of their offerings. The iBook [apple-history.com] was first in September 1999, closely followed by the PowerMac G4 (AGP Graphics) the iMac (Slot Loading) and completing the lineup in Feb. 2000 with the PowerBook (FireWire). The Xserve [apple.com] doesn't offer AirPort, but then, it's a rackmount server.
Like many things in the computer industry (I sense strong opposition just ahead) Apple made it happen, Microsoft made it big.
Making It Happen (Score:2)
I don't mean Apple invented everything they "made happen" - only that they prepared the way for the popularity of many innovations.
GUI, Multimedia [slashdot.org], networking, USB, FireWire, AirPort...
--
Now back to your regularly scheduled ranting.