Consumer Electronics Show 2009: Microsoft preview
If there was a tech geeks calendar, January would contain a picture of the Consumer Electronics Show. It’s a trade fair where major firms announce new products and speak on the industry – and Microsoft is no exception.
The firm has made some major announcements at CES over the years, from the debut of the Xbox in 2001 to the official retirement of Bill Gates last year. This year Microsoft boss Steve Ballmer, along with the firm’s entertainment division chief Robbie Bach, will give a ‘keynote address’ on Wednesday evening, the day before the show officially kicks off.
There are several aspects to watch out for at this speech. First, Ballmer will likely talk in general terms about Microsoft’s role in the industry. While this is hardly the place to confirm rumors of large-scale layoffs, the speech may contain some clues as to how Microsoft is coping with the economic slowdown.
Secondly, both men will likely talk about specific consumer products. Windows 7 is the big one: the firm will likely release the beta edition to the public. It doesn’t seem there will be many new features to announce at this stage, but the firm may give a clearer indication of the timetable for the finished product’s release.
It’s also a fair bet that the firm will promote the Windows Mobile platform given the strong sales of both the iPhone and the Google Android-powered T-Mobile G1. This may well include details of phones with the Zune music player built-in, though not necessarily handsets produced by Microsoft itself.
Finally, fans (or detractors) of Ballmer’s infamous outspoken style will be awaiting his response to the inevitable questions about the worldwide Zune crash caused by the 30GB model failing to expect a leap year.
Microsoft staff are also taking part in a series of panel discussions during the event, mostly centering on integrating television with gaming and Internet content. A panel looking at ‘Tech and Emerging Countries’ may throw up some interesting details about the firm’s plans for markets such as India and China where there’s clearly a huge market but where the money to be made comes from quantity rather than premium prices.
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