Microsoft @ CES – Highlights from Bill Gates’ Keynote

7 Jan 2007

1/7/07-6:30PM PST – As a Philoking.com first, I am blogging Bill Gates’ Keynote speech in realtime. I have had the pleasure of seeing a Bill Gates keynote first hand at the Great Plains Developer conference in Orlando a few years ago. I left there with a new found reverence for Mr. Gates. I walked in saying to myself, “They just acquired this product a few weeks ago, he couldn’t possibly know enough about it to speak intelligently on it to a group of developers for an hour.” Boy was I wrong. He was the most knowledgeable, personable and likable person I have ever sat and watched. His CES speech is about to start, so here are my thoughts:

6:48 – Late, but it seems to be starting. Nifty collage video of people with Zunes, xbox 360s, Gears of War multiplayer, Camera Phones and stuff. Seems to be about connecting it all together.

The Digital Decade seems to be the topic, 65% of homes using digital cameras. 40% of US homes have multiple computers. People spend more time on the PC than watching TV. Wireless communicate speeds reaching usable multimedia levels.

Key things missing in Digital Decade is the connections. Requires more than just great hardware. Content people need to think about how they create and connect in this environment. People want to do things across multiple devices working with many people.

Microsoft big milestone, foundational products are now moving into the marketplace. Windows Vista, Microsoft Office, Windows Live. Vista highest quality release ever. Vista and PC continue to have central role. All devices are important but they have to work together. Rise of user generated content makes connectivity vital.

Justin Hutchenson – Vista Demo
Vista, easier, safer and more fun to use your PC. Windows search searches programs, files, sites visited…on every PC on your home network. Thumbnail previews of a variety of file types, even has preview pane for each available. Shadow copy feature allows you to restore previous versions of a document. Live search demo shows 3d technology in Windows Live, Justin connects Xbox 360 controller to PC and uses it to fly around Las Vegas in 3d to view locations. Unbelievable. I have to tell you, that beats Google Earth to pieces. The parts of Google Earth you have to pay extra for seem to be included.

Media Center with Windows Vista shows a significant upgrade over XP Windows Vista. Sports Lounge feature developed with Microsoft and Fox Sports. Watching live HD feed of football game while getting realtime scores and information at top while getting alerts at the bottom of players and teams. Cue to record programs and get in depth scores for games in and out of channel line-up, as well as track fantasy football, basketball, baseball and hockey teams. Will update all player stats and set alerts for specific players and teams to change channels if something significant is happening on another broadcast.

Showtime, Nickelodeon, Stars and Vongo will deliver on demand content to Media Center and Media Center customers. Shows HD content in a window on the desktop.

Photography demo says 2 billion photos taken last year. Windows Vista has photo gallery to organize and edit all photos and digital videos. Simple to burn to CD and DVD with DVD maker in Vista. Can preview how DVD will look before burning.

Windows Vista Ultimate. Flagship edition of Windows Vista. Microsoft will continue to download “Ultimate Extras” to your PC. Vista Groupshot feature is an example that allows you to quick edit group photos together to create master photos that are edited automatically. Pretty slick demo, seems to comp photos together very well.

Dream Scene allows full motion desktop wallpapers instead of just single images. Set any video as your desktop background. 22 days until launch.

7:13 – Gates is back. Strength of Windows comes from ecosystem around it. Software, Devices, Peripherals, Hardware and Services make up total solution.

Over 1.5 Million compatible devices. New Windows PC designs based on features. Touchscreen, Ultramobile, software lets you target interface with OS. Wireless DVI features! Drawing on strength of great hardware partners.

Windows Vista PC Video – Ultra Mobile – Sony, OQO, Medion displayed. Laptops – Toshiba Portoge. Gaming – Voodoo, Alienware, Dell show Laptops. Entertainment PCs look amazing.

Windows Home Server
Ok, this sucks, they aren’t letting us see the Home Server demo. A message popped up saying “In respect to the intellectual property being demonstrated on-stage, we are temporarily suspending the audio and video portion of this broadcast. Normal programming will begin shortly. Thank you for your patience” That’s pretty silly, we will all hear it from the people in attendance tomorrow. I am pretty supervised as well as annoyed since I have great interest in the details on this product.

Home server is for homes with multiple PCs, Xboxes, etc. Will come out in 2nd half of this year. Will be branded as HP Multimedia Smart Server: Features automated backup of multiple PCs, connectivity to PCs, Zune, Xbox and remote connectivity from outside the home. Grow capacity without need for volumes. Put in storage and software will create the volumes, spanning, etc, without configuration.

Entertainment
Mobility, gaming, music and TV by Robbie Bach, president of Windows Entertainment Devices on stage. Connected entertainment has two parts: Content whenever and wherever on whatever device & Community wants to share content, ideas. Combines Hardware Software and Services to deliver connected entertainment.

Music - a year ago at CES Bill Gates introduces MTV Urge Music Service. Continuing to commit to product and products like it to deliver platform for music around the world. Added Zune player to strategy. #2 player in MP3 Category, 1,000,000 units sold on track. Deeply committed to being successful.

Mobility and Mobile Phones – hottest selling phones in the market. About IM, movies music and TV. Outselling blackberry

Gaming - 200 Million Gamers. Vista will revitalize Windows Gaming. PC and Windows is #1 gaming platform in the world. Direct X 10 and key graphic technologies, ease of use, family settings. About hardcore and casual gamers. Video – Another collage video. All PC gaming related. Lots of mobile (laptop) gaming displayed. Great game graphics demo.

Xbox 360 – 10.4 Million consoles in 37 countries with 160 HD games. Majority of owners are new to Xbox platform. Setting records in sales of games and accessories. Gears of War mentioned. 2.7 million copies in 8 weeks. Halo-like franchise. 300 tiles by end of 2007. Guitar Hero 2, Dance Dance Revolution and Grand Theft Auto. Halo 3 – Video Demo. Standard teaser trailer available already. Coming in 2007. Xbox Live mentioned. 5 million members. Largest social network on TV. Live experience coming to Windows. Demo: Laptop on Windows Vista. Windows Vista games can game with Xbox Live 360 gamers. Xbox 360 controller on Windows Vista. Live Guide looks just like 360. Shows invite to Albert Ponello on his Xbox 360. Gets notice during his game and can leave and join Lisa’s game.

TV and Movies – 4 Ways to get HD Movies on Microsoft ecosystem. 1) HD-DVD player for Xbox 360. HD-DVD top selling format this year. 2) Media Center. 80% of PCs sold this holiday were Media Center PCs. 30 million copies sold. Network with Xbox 360 for HD content. 3) Xbox Live Video. 1,000 hours of content. Adding Lions Gate today. Lisa to demo movie on Xbox 360 via Windows Marketplace. Partnered with most major networks. 4) IP TV. In Market with 5 providers. Market will continue to grow. Albert to demo IPTV. Fast, instant channel zapping. Improved channel browsing with PIP, preview channels before you change. Watch and record favorite shows in HD. Search program listings by actor, title or director. Shows IP TV through Xbox 360 Media Extender. Talk with friends via headset while watching TV. Xbox 360 plays games, downloads movies and shows, connects to PC for photos and movies, watch TV via 360. Available to consumers holiday 07.

7:49 – Bill Gates back – Content to automobile. Partnered with Ford. Fully activated voice controlled system for automotive entertainment. Sync totally integrate all electronic devices into vehicle seamlessly. Access to full capability of Bluetooth phone. Sync means never having to download phone book again. Downloads all personal settings through vehicle’s audio system. Place and receive calls and text messages through vehicle’s audio system. Sync allows users to have text messages read aloud through text to speech. Ability to be full entertainment platform. Accepts most audio players and storage devices. Create playlists with voice commands. Fully upgradable so owners don’t have to worry about compatibility. Rolls out on all cars, not just luxury. Available on a dozen Ford cars this year.

Closing now, talking about products in years ahead. Speech to interface with phone and PC. Have camera on PC know what you are doing and enhance experience. Microsoft home of the future demo. At bus stop, phone knows location, tells when bus is coming and tells about nearby restaurants and services. Shows coupon related. Store coupon to use later. Browse menu, make reservations via phone. Notification shows doorbell rang at home, webcam shows delivery person. Allows to accept package remotely with digital signature. In kitchen, projector shows display on kitchen counter with voice control. Counter becomes complete display, recognizes items set on it via RF ID. Suggests recipes related. Displays full recipe and checks items already recognized. In bedroom with mobile PC. Creates custom digital wallpaper with realtime video. Allows to play Xbox 360 on wall. Get’s text message notes and alerts on wall.

I recommend watching the video of this if you want to see the samples, it’s pretty impressive.

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