Microsoft is not pushing their research well enough to consumer market. Apple push even minor improvements to the maximum. They support and push new technologies like "Thunderbolt" thought it was introduced by Intel. They took it and pushed it and made it a demanding one in the consumer market. Look at the high resolutions displays on iPad, they just know how to lure the consumers. They might even pimp up the resolution even though it doesn't make any sense.

I don't hate or love Mr. Ballmer, but if Microsoft has to be more successful, it has to do something. I am not sure who is responsible for the lack of vision and innovation here. It is something Microsoft has to look into.