November 17, 2003

Microsoft has not had merger discussions with Internet search engine Google, as was widely reported, Microsoft chairman Bill Gates says.

"We've never been in any talks with Google about any acquisition thing in any way, shape or form," Gates told USA TODAY last week.

In other Microsoft news Monday, The Wall Street Journal reported that the industry goliath plans to introduce a song-downloading service next year that will compete with Apple Computer Inc., Roxio Inc.'s Napster and others.

On Sunday, Gates kicked off the Comdex technology convention here with his annual address that lays out Microsoft's road map for the coming year. This year, the focus is on getting tech devices of all types to work well and easily together, Gates says.

A strong search function — which helps people find documents wherever they're stored — is part of that "shared computing" vision. But Gates says Microsoft is developing its own technology, not looking to buy Google's. "We made that decision a year ago," he says. Microsoft demonstrated a prototype at the show.

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