Linked List: October 31, 2012

Wednesday, 31 October 2012

4 Million in 3 Days 

MG Siegler on Windows 8’s weekend numbers:

That’s 4 million in 3 days. Solid, right? Sure. Though it has to be noted that Apple sold 3 million copies of OS X Mountain Lion in 4 days. Microsoft likes to poke fun at the small OS X install base, and now it works both ways. Apple got nearly as many people to buy the update for OS X in the same amount of time despite a sliver of the overall footprint.

Jim Dalrymple has similar thoughts:

Microsoft’s has an installed base of 1.25 billion users. According to Ballmer’s own numbers, 4 million upgraded to Windows 8 in the first four days. That means that one-third of one percent of Microsoft’s user base upgraded.

Now let’s take a look at Apple. In its first four days on sale, Mountain Lion sold 3 million copies. Apple has an installed base of 66 million, meaning that 5 percent of Apple’s user base updated in four days.

This is a really hard comparison to make, though. It speaks to the differences in Apple’s and Microsoft’s customers more than it does the differences between Windows 8 and Mac OS X.

Asus Executive Reveals Nexus 7 Sales Numbers 

Casey Johnston:

Asustek CFO David Chang told the WSJ that the company was selling — not just shipping — 500,000 units a month initially, when the Nexus 7 launched in July. Figures bumped up to 600,000-700,000 in the following months, and in “this latest month,” Google and Asus have sold close to one million units, said Chang.

Sounds like a good start.

Intel Working on 48-Core Chip for Smartphones, Tablets 

Sharon Gaudin, Computerworld:

Intel researchers are working on a 48-core processor for smartphones and tablets, but it could be five to 10 years before it hits the market.

Take your time, guys. Take your time.

Marco Arment Visits a Microsoft Store 

Marco Arment:

Apple’s products say, “You can’t do that because we think it would suck.” Microsoft’s products say, “We’ll let you try to do anything on anything if you really want to, even if it sucks.”

I like this assessment, because it’s exactly what some people love about Apple, and exactly what others hate about Apple.

John Moltz’s Surface Impressions 

John Moltz:

While I was more impressed than I thought I was going to be and genuinely liked the Surface, I wasn’t bowled over. I considered buying one but, as I said earlier, asked myself this question: “Wouldn’t you rather have two iPad minis?”