A Microsoft iPod rival? Gates weighs in
Seattle PI | at | by Mike
Minority high school students from the Seattle region made the most of their audience with Bill Gates on Friday -- including one question so incisive that many in the Microsoft chairman's own industry would like to know the answer.
"Is Microsoft going to develop a handheld, you know, MP3 player, to combat iPod?" asked Schyler Mishra, 19, a senior at Seattle's John Marshall High School, referring to Apple Computer's dominant music device.
Gates, appearing at the company's annual Minority Student Day, had already complimented Apple, Google and other rivals during his speech, while also touting Xbox 360 and other Microsoft products. He smiled at the question and proceeded to give the students a lesson in the art of the indirect answer.