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Microsoft at CES: At least the video rocked

Posted Jan 07 2008, 02:37 PM by Kim Peterson
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Could Microsoft possibly have had a more boring keynote at CES? What a snoozefest. I'll get to the "news" in a minute.

At least Bill Gates' video was great. This year is Gates' last at the Consumer Electronics Show, at least in an official I'm-running-Microsoft role (he steps down from the company this summer). Gates' speech traditionally kicks off CES, and he usually shows a funny video to lighten the mood. I've seen lots of these videos, having attended CES for years, and can say that the one he showed last night is probably the best of them all. (Click here to see the video).

There are a number of good celebrity appearances, but what really struck me is how humorously self-deprecating the tone is. It's nice to see Gates able to relax and poke some fun at himself in a way many CEOs would be horrified at.

For Gates' last turn in the CES spotlight, I would have expected Microsoft to announce something fairly significant. No such luck. He mentioned a summer Olympics Web site partnership with NBC Universal, updated some Xbox 360 sales numbers and said MGM would place some of its movies on Xbox Live for downloading. Big whoop.

Maybe Microsoft didn't have any news because its consumer-products cycle is in a lull, according to one analyst. The company could have done something to help Gates go out with a bang. 

Techcrunch asks: "The big question is how, in 2008, have we come to a point that Microsoft is so bereft of new ideas and innovation that what was once the most important keynote speech of the year turned out to be a complete dog?" 

Disclosure: Yeah, yeah, Microsoft owns this blog. But the company doesn't tell me what to write or have any editorial influence over my posts. So if I want to say that I liked Gates' video or that the rest of the speech was crappy, that's my opinion alone. 

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Comments

 

Wow, what a boring article.  I think I died a little inside after reading this.

PJ (Posted 01.07.08 4:11 PM) Report Abuse

Why should he do GREAT things when his own country won't even stand up for him and his company, i.e., European fines.  And the Americans continue their INGRATITUDE.   So goes America.  Good luck, Bill, as if you really need it from me.

J. W. Ellis (Posted 01.07.08 4:41 PM) Report Abuse

Love your disclosure.  Hope you keep your job:).  

Steve (Posted 01.07.08 5:00 PM) Report Abuse

Thanks for being honest!

GT (Posted 01.07.08 5:01 PM) Report Abuse

Bill Gates could now really help the world by investing in nuclear power and the US by promoting plug-in-hybrid cars...HG..

Henry Gibson (Posted 01.07.08 5:08 PM) Report Abuse

Yeah yeah.....Microsoft owns this blog etc.etc.   Show some class. If you want to knock Gates don't take his money.  I don't care what the policy is regarding your writings. Either get in or get out.

W.W.Wiley (Posted 01.07.08 5:14 PM) Report Abuse

If I were orchestrating the transition of power, I would hold back a barrage of new innovations until AFTER he left to assuage the skepticism Wall Street may carry about the company.  Now . . . who knows what assuage means?

Jack Lane (Posted 01.07.08 5:16 PM) Report Abuse

Not sure what people expect every year.  To hear that their product cycle is in a lull is kind of a joke – 100 million copies of Vista, the new Zune is good (way better interface than my iPod), Ford has a hit with Synch, the 360 is on solid ground (although marketplace is the real player here) and they have a litany of other growth areas including SharePoint, Sequel Server and a ton of other stuff.  I know everyone loves to hate them, but as a business user of their products, I’m a happy customer.

PD (Posted 01.07.08 5:27 PM) Report Abuse

May need to bring in the next generation of gaming, bigger programming more fine tuned, (like D&D 20 sided dice (odds and percentages etc) that has a noticeable and real effect and more interactive and/or step by step.  May also want to use programmig based upon pandora's box so every game isn't the sme every time at the same point every time you play it.  May also want to set up a master web site for all online gaming and to start or join a game.  May also want to seperate the big strategy games and slow down and diversify tech trees and availability.  Also may wnt to make it so you can jump in to a role playing part of the game whenever you want or jump back out into strategy.  Mght want to base it on real life theory and tech.  Also may not want to make all tech trees available to all parties(races) strengths and weaknesses or use odds and percentages for strengths and weaknesses and even success.  Not to mention diversifying the races individual tech trees and making them somewhat balanced but different.  Not to mention economies and a possible vista like format for displaying and playing these games.  How about some form of plasma computer (should work like neuron impulses in the brain without the flesh (different Megahertz waves and ranges etc.)  Or a fibre optics computer chip with a solor panel like face to transmit or compute the light impulses (like a solar panel shrunk down...like combining it with a memory chip DIMM or something..looking forward to it.

Shawn (SA) (Posted 01.07.08 5:28 PM) Report Abuse

Revealing speech; good spoof video. Let Bill Gates be Bill Gates

Ed Hepner (Posted 01.07.08 5:37 PM) Report Abuse

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