Steve Ballmer resigns from Microsoft's board to concentrate on L.A. Clippers

Steve Ballmer has resigned his post a board member of Microsoft in a letter to his successor Satya Nadella.

“The fall will be hectic between teaching a new class and the start of the N.B.A. season so my departure from the board is effective immediately," Ballmer's letter stated. The former CEO, who still owns the largest amount of Microsoft stock stepped down last February and left Nadella with a vote of confidence.

"I have confidence in our approach of mobile-first, cloud-first, and in our primary innovation emphasis on platforms and productivity and the building of capability in devices and services as core business drivers." It's going to be fun seeing Steve Ballmer courtside during Clipper games.

Breaking: Steve Ballmer now owns the L.A. Clippers

After a very convoluted and public bid to purchase the Los Angeles Clippers from Donald Sterling, former Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer has apparently triumphed in his bid to own the NBA basketball franchise. Steve Ballmer is reportedly paying $2 billion for the Los Angeles Clippers franchise, and while Ballmer (and Microsoft's roots) are anchored in Seattle (a city that's been crying out for an NBA franchise since the Supersonics moved to Oklahoma), Ballmer has repeatedly said he isn't moving the franchise away from LA. “It is really unfortunate that the greatest city in America doesn’t have a professional basketball team. And so, I still hope that happens," Ballmer said in an interview last week. "I am humbled and honored to be the new owner of the Los Angeles Clippers," Ballmer added in a statement yesterday. 

As for the Clipper players, they seem pretty chuffed at having a change in ownership. Read their statements here.

SourceCode: It's a new day at Microsoft

Microsoft 3.0: Pushing productivity across platforms and devices

By Gadjo Cardenas Sevilla

Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella's e-mail to employees last week served as the company's manifesto for a new era. Titled 'Bold Ambition & Our Core', the lengthy document sets the foundation for a new Microsoft, one that's moving away from Steve Ballmer's 'Devices and Services,' focused company to a more universal 'mobile-first and cloud-first,' company that embraces the opportunity to be the lead productivity and platform company.

We've seen the writing on the wall, under Nadella Microsoft has become a more altruistic technology giant, one that released their crown jewel, Microsoft Office, to the iPad, the device whose immense popularity threatened to bury the PC as a thing of the past.

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Donald Sterling reneges on $2 Billion LA Clippers sale to Steve Ballmer

Just when we thought the US $2 billion sale of the Los Angeles Clippers to Steve Ballmer was a done deal, we are now hearing that Donald Sterling, who we thought gave his wife the power to sell the team, has decided to block the deal. What's more, Sterling is going after the NBA with a $1 billion lawsuit. How do you like that? Sterling's reason, "I love the team and have dedicated 33 years of my life to the organization. I intend to fight to keep the team." It's awkward and disappointing for Steve Ballmer who thought he had sealed the deal and had an NBA team to own. Is Sterling really going to war against the association or is he angling for a bigger paycheck?