[Best of the Web — Friday, 5 February 2010]

Microsoft defends itself against innovation claims: Microsoft has hit back at an article written by a former vice-president that argues that the company has lost its edge in innovation and risks business failure as a result. The former executive, Dick Brass, who worked at Microsoft until 2004, wrote in The New York Times that Microsoft had become a “clumsy, uncompetitive innovator. Its products are lampooned, often unfairly but sometimes with good reason.” But Microsoft vice-president of communications Frank Shaw has hit back, saying: “For Microsoft, it is not sufficient to simply have a good idea, or a great idea, or even a cool idea. We measure our work by its broad impact.” [The New York Times] [PC World] [Microsoft blog]

PS3 overtakes Xbox 360 in sales: Bad news for Microsoft. Sony’s PlayStation 3 videogame console is clawing back market share from the software maker’s rival Xbox 360 system. In the financial period from 1 April 2009 to 31 December 2009, Sony sold more PS3s than Microsoft sold Xbox 360s. Thanks in large part to a 44% jump in PS3 sales, Sony has posted a jump in third-quarter net profit, beating analysts’ expectations. [The Wall Street Journal]