EX-MICROSOFT BILLIONAIRE OWNER OF L.A. CLIPPERS DOESN'T WANT PLAYERS USING APPLE PRODUCTS

STEVE BALLMER

Los Angeles Clippers owner Steve Ballmer, the billionaire who made his fortune at Microsoft, made it clear this week that he does not want to be near any iPads. He doesn’t want his team to be around any of his ex-competition’s technology.

Via Reuters:

[T]he Clippers will be a Microsoft organization. The son of a Ford Motor Co. manager, he’s always been a company and product loyalist, banning his own family from using Apple’s iPhones.
“Most of the Clippers [are on] Windows, some of the players and coaches are not,” Ballmer said.
“And Doc [Coach Rivers] kind of knows that’s a project. It’s one of the first things he said to me: ‘We are probably going to get rid of these iPads, aren’t we?’ And I said, ‘Yeah, we probably are.’ But I promised we would do it during the off season.”

Replacing iPads with Microsoft Surface tablets is one thing. But getting people to stop referring to all tablets universally as “iPads” is another. Despite the fact that Microsoft paid $400 million to put its Surface tablets in the hands of every prominent NFL coach and player on the sidelines this season, television announcers have continually referred to the technology as “iPads.” 

Microsoft said they’re working to educate the league and broadcasters about the proper nomenclature.

Ballmer will probably have an easier time getting his team to make the switch.

For one, he’s not dealing with the entire NBA here, but just his team. And secondly, Ballmer has a very unique style of communication that tends to stick with people. Need a reminder?