MICROSOFT

DESCRIPTION

Microsoft's ambitions are anything but small. The world's #1 software company provides a variety of products and services, including its Windows operating systems and Office software suite. The company has expanded into markets such as video game consoles, server and storage software, and digital music players. Microsoft has reached settlements to end a slew of antitrust investigations and lawsuits, including agreeing to uniformly license its operating systems and allowing manufacturers to include competing software with Windows. In 2008 Microsoft made repeated efforts to acquire Yahoo! but was rebuffed by that company's board of directors.

PEPSICO

DESCRIPTION

The PepsiCo challenge (to keep up with archrival The Coca-Cola Company) never ends for the world's #2 carbonated soft-drink maker. Its soft drinks include Pepsi, Mountain Dew, and Slice. Cola is not the company's only beverage: Pepsi sells Tropicana orange juice brands, Gatorade sports drink, and Aquafina water. The company also owns Frito-Lay, the world's #1 snack maker with offerings such as corn chips (Doritos, Fritos) and potato chips (Lay's, Ruffles). Its Quaker Foods division offers breakfast cereals (Life), pasta (Pasta Roni), rice (Rice-A-Roni), and side dishes (Near East). A true global giant, Pepsi's products are available in some 200 countries.