Does Steve Ballmer Even Know Microsoft Makes Xbox?

NEW YORK (TheStreet) -- For as much as I have defended Apple (AAPL) against rampant inanity in recent weeks, I also acknowledge that, from a long-term standpoint, it's a somewhat vulnerable company with a relatively uncertain future.

In the near-term, Tim Cook benefits from a fantastic lack of competition.

Even if you're a Mac person, on some level, you've got to want to see Microsoft (MSFT) succeed. It's easy to make fun of Steve Ballmer, but he seems like a lovable guy. And, as bad as Microsoft looks, it's actually on the cusp of greatness. It just needs better marketing.

Over the weekend, I was at a neighbor's house. Our kids were playing with the Xbox. This family just got one a few weeks ago. It's an incredible device. Best gaming system I've ever seen. In fact, I used to own one. It was even pretty solid a few years ago. It's about as cutting edge as it gets in the living room.

If Microsoft can manage to bring pieces of its innovative pipeline to market, it will keep getting better.

Microsoft should not stumble here. In fact, it has a clear edge over Apple -- based on what we know and can see -- in the living room. It's about more than first-mover advantage; Microsoft has already, in many households, closed the gap between the gaming experience and everything else a streaming player can do for you. It's nowhere near this level with its mobile ecosystem, which is a 100-to-one long shot at best.

Xbox is not merely a pimply-faced gamer's toy; it's a whole house, whole family entertainment system that outsells, by a wide margin, everything else like it. People know this. However, I'm not sure they know that Microsoft is the company that produces such a cool device.

My kid and my friend's kids have no idea, yet they can speak intelligently -- with palpable excitement -- about several generations of Apple products.