Microsoft Vs. Google: An Epic Feud In 10 Acts

The Google Vs. Microsoft Battle

In the ongoing rivalry between Google and Microsoft, Microsoft threw the latest blow with a new line of "Scroogled" t-shirts and coffee mugs poking fun at Google's privacy controversy. However, this isn't the first time the companies have exchanged jabs at each other, in the form of hilarious ads and not-so-funny lawsuits.

Take a walk down memory lane as CRN revisits some of our favorite moments in the squabble between the two technology giants.

'Wear' Down The Competition

Microsoft last week made a snarky addition to its online store. The t-shirts, mugs and accessories take a shot at Google's widely questioned tactics of scanning user emails. The logos range from an incognito Google Chrome logo with the slogan "I'm watching you" to a Chrome logo reading "Keep calm while we steal your data."

"Microsoft's latest venture comes as no surprise; competition in the wearables space really is heating up," Google shot back at the merchandise release announcement.

Prices for the products range from $7.99 to $25.99 and can be bought online at the Microsoft Store.

Scroogled

The merchandise launch last week was part of a larger Microsoft scare-tactics campaign called "Scroogled" that began in February. The campaign harps on the allegation that Google goes through users Gmail accounts for better ad delivery. Although Microsoft also scans email for content, it says the difference is that it is using the information to prevent spam -- not to increase advertising revenues.

After bashing Google, Microsoft offers up Bing and Outlook as alternatives for users scared about their privacy.

Why Won't YouTube Work?

Microsoft took the first shot at Google in the video app war by releasing its own version of the YouTube app for Windows Phone in May without the video ads. Google promptly cut off Microsoft by disabling API access for the app.

When Microsoft re-released the app in August with ads, Google shot back saying it violated YouTube's terms of service, even though Google itself had a hand in helping design the app. In a statement at the time, Google said it was upset that Microsoft did not base the app on HTML5, denying users the "full-featured YouTube experience."

'Winter Cleaning'

In Dec. 2012, Google announced it was dropping support for Exchange ActiveSync in a move that it called "Winter Cleaning." While Apple iPhone users could still connect their Gmail to their phone through Apple's auto-setup for Google function, it posed a problem for Windows phones that didn't have that feature.

At the time, Google expressed no interest in creating apps for Windows phones to connect Gmail accounts, and instead did just the opposite.

Support was scheduled to end July 31 of this year, but Google announced in August it would extend support through Dec. 31, 2013.

Two Can Play That Game, Google

In an attempt to gain more market share for Outlook.com, specifically from Gmail, Microsoft announced it was making its popular email server available for IMAP as well as on its own Exchange ActiveSync. By moving to IMAP, Microsoft cut ties to Google Calendar service support.

In a statement issued at the time, Microsoft said "in light of Google's decision to change its support for EAS, we are now using IMAP for those customers that wish to connect their Gmail accounts."

We Can Use Your Chat, But You Can't Use Ours

In May, Microsoft announced it was integrating Google Talk features into its Outlook.com platform, as well as other social networking platforms. However, the integration was a one-way street.

In a keynote after the announcement, Google CEO Larry Page (pictured) said that"[Microsoft is] interoperating with us but not doing the reverse, which is really sad. That's not the way to make progress. You need to actually have interoperation, not just people milking off one company for their own benefit."

The Odds Are Not In Your Favor

Microsoft brought on SNL alum Rob Schneider to create a series of hilarious commercials bashing Google Docs, saying it is a "risk" and "not worth the gamble." The commercials compare Google Docs to Microsoft Office, alleging that the odds are stacked against you if you choose Google Docs.

Check out the videos on YouTube for a good laugh:
* A productivity team player
* Google Docs isn't worth the gamble

April Fools!

On April 1 of this year, Bing pulled its prank on Google. If you typed "Google" into the search engine, it would pop up a Google-look-alike page, with "Bing" as the primary-colored header. However, instead of Google's familiar "I'm feeling lucky" button, Microsoft replaced it with an "I'm Feeling Confused" button. Microsoft explained the joke, saying that it brought in a retro, 1997 version of Bing before it had "evolved."

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Bing It On

Microsoft first launched its search engine counterpart in 2009. One of its ad campaigns to promote the site was called the "Bing it on Challenge." In the ads, Microsoft pulls aside people on the street and does a blind side-by-side comparison of the two search engines. According to the ad, one out of every two people chooses Bing over Google.

However, Yale professor Ian Ayres wasn't buying the claim that over 5 million people were involved in the study, so he set out to conduct his own research. Ayres' study found that people generally prefer Google to Bing, except in instances when using Bing-suggested search terms.

Microsoft continued the ads, but said users "prefer" Bing to Google, and didn't specify further. Microsoft approached Ayres study by saying in a statement at the time that "we're glad to see we've nudged Google into improving their results" with the campaign.

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Wait, That's My Talent!

In 2005 when Google brought on board Kai-Fu Lee (pictured), Microsoft's former corporate vice president of its Interactive Services Division, Microsoft did not take it lightly. Google hired Lee to work in the company's research division in China. However, Microsoft argued that the hire violated a non-compete clause in Lee's contract and sued Google. They didn't blame Lee, but fired back at Google for "encouraging" Lee to violate his contract.

"I touched the most sensitive, vulnerable part of Microsoft's ego," Lee wrote in his memoir. "Microsoft had been the dream company for software engineers, but Google was stealing its limelight. Over the past few years, Microsoft had lost several hundred people to Google. Microsoft and [CEO Steve] Ballmer could not accept that."

Before the trial began, the two companies settled the lawsuit confidentially, resulting in monetary damages for Microsoft and the revocation of Lee's new Google contract.