I don't think so, but TheStreet.com lists iRobot as the No. 1 company that Microsoft should gobble up. While always a possibility, I think Mister Softee would have a very hard time persuading the founders and insiders who control the stock to give up their own dream of turning iRobot into a powerhouse unto itself. The pressure of having to perform as a startup without the warm embrace of Redmond can yield strokes of genius, like the Roomba. Anybody try a Zune lately?
Sure, Microsoft has invested in robotics and created the Microsoft Robotics Studio, and Bill Gates has even penned a cover story for Scientific American in which he pronounces robotics as the Next Big Thing. But...
I still don't see it, not for a few years at least. If it does, I'd expect Microsoft to only be interested in the consumer side of the business, and sell off the military side to a major defense contractor.
(Sorry I'm a little late getting to this).
Tags: iRobot
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment