Microsoft's Surface Pro tablet.
(Credit:
Best Buy)
Is Microsoft a cooler company than it was in the past? Some people certainly think so.
Among 853 people between the ages of 18 and 29 questioned in a Reuters/Ipsos poll, half believe the software giant is cooler than it was a year or two ago. Though 50 percent may not be a resounding endorsement, it topped the coolness factor for a couple of other tech players.
Twitter was deemed cooler than in the past by 47 percent of the young adults polled, while Facebook got the same response from just 42 percent.
Microsoft's score is a promising sign. The company is often seen as having lost its cool factor years ago, thwarted by more innovative competitors. Even chairman and co-founder Bill Gates said this week that he was not satisfied with the company's lack of innovation in certain areas.
But Reuters believes some of the new Microsoft products may be changing that perception.
In particular, the report pointed to Microsoft's savvy marketing push for its Surface
tablets as well as the
Xbox 360 and Kinect combo, which has proven popular among younger gamers.
So, which high-tech brand name was the coolest?
Google's
Android took top honors, considered cooler than it used to be by a full 70 percent of those 18 to 29. Apple followed, getting the nod from 60 percent of the young adults questioned.
Still, coolness doesn't necessarily mean higher sales.
The poll "definitely shows that Microsoft's efforts are paying off, but we'll have to see how cool translates into customers," Gartner analyst Michael Gartenberg told Reuters. "It's also hard to compare 'cool' factor as a quantitative measure against Apple, a company, and Android, a platform."
Conducted between February 5 and 19, the poll was designed to gauge the perception and use of different technology brands and received responses from 4,798 people in total.
Microsoft is cooler than it used to be, say half of those polled
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Microsoft is cooler than it used to be, say half of those polled
