Sometimes it feels as if Microsoft is the Rodney Dangerfield of technology companies. “It can’t get no respect.” But — like late comedian, it has had plenty of successes, including some that may surprise you.
(Disclosure: Microsoft provides financial support for the U.S. Safer Internet Day project, which is coordinated by ConnectSafely.org, where I serve as co-director)
For example, its Windows Phone operating system — which has won praise from numerous reviewers — is way behind both Apple’s iOS and Google’s Android and some people say you should shy away from it because there aren’t enough apps.
But, according to CNET News, the Windows phone store now has more than 300,000 apps including most of the leading ones. It’s a small percentage of Apple’s 1.2 million apps but as long as you can get the apps you need, it shouldn’t really matter.
CNET took me to a page I hadn’t seen called Microsoft by the numbers that lists some pretty interesting statistics about the company, including:
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Microsoft has provided $6.5 billion in cash and software to nonprofits worldwide since 1983
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Office 365 Home Premium has 3.5 million subscribers and growing.
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1.5 billion people use Windows every day
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More than 1.1 billion people use Office. That’s 1 in 7 people on the planet.
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