Now that Kinect competitors have begun to spring up, Microsoft’s tipped its hand — CEO Steve Ballmer told the BBC that his company will officially support the depth camera in Windows PCs at some undisclosed point in the future, confirming earlier suspicions. Whether that will just be part of a riskynew operating system or just another notch in Games for Windows‘ belt is hard to say, but it’s nice to know that there will be uses for those eight million cameras when we’re done hacking and dancing our hearts out.
LAS VEGAS — Microsoft unveiled its vision of the future, where everything from phones and tablets to big-ass tables runs Windows.
Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer delivered a somnolescent and nearly news-free keynote presentation on the eve of the Consumer Electronics Show here, laying out his company’s strategy for home entertainment, mobile content, PCs and tablets.
“Whatever device you use, now or in the future, Windows will be there,” Ballmer said.
For home entertainment, that means games, video and music delivered via Xbox 360 and its hit wireless, touchless controller, Kinect. Microsoft has sold 8 million Kinect kits since it was first released two months ago.
In one of the keynote’s few bits of original news, Microsoft announced that Xbox 360 users would soon be able to use Kinect to control Netflix via gestures and voice. In addition, Hulu Plus will be coming to Xbox 360 this spring, also with Kinect support.
The Xbox avatar of Steve Ballmer delivers the news about Kinect’s improved facial expression feature, avatarKinect. Photo: Jonathan Snyder/Wired.com
And Kinect now has enhanced face recognition, so it can identify smiles, eyebrow raises and other facial gestures, mapping those onto your Xbox avatar, which then moves and makes expressions in an odd, artificial mimicry of what your body is doing.
In one of the keynote’s more surreal moments, Ballmer’s avatar delivered the news about the new feature, called avatarKinect.
For smartphones, Microsoft is betting on Windows Phone 7. Ballmer reprised the company’s launch of the platform in late 2010, and announced that it would soon be adding cut-and-paste support to the mobile OS.
Ballmer also showed off a new version of Microsoft Surface, the company’s often-mocked multitouch-capable table. The new version uses infrared sensors instead of cameras, enabling it to be just 4 inches thick (thin enough to mount on a wall for kiosk use). Its “Pixel Sense” technology also detects visual information, not just touch, so it can “see” objects or writing material laid on top of it.
For everything else, however, Microsoft is counting on Windows 7 and its successors.
That means Windows will be the platform of choice for nearly all devices, from tiny slates to full-fledged PCs and even large kiosk devices like the Microsoft Surface.
To make good on that vision, Microsoft is developing versions of Windows that will run on the low-power ARM processors found in many smartphones and some tablets today.
Microsoft demonstrates a version of Windows running on a Qualcomm Snapdragon processor. Photo: Jonathan Snyder/Wired.com
Microsoft demonstrated Windows running on prototype systems built around chips from ARM manufacturers Qualcomm, Texas Instruments and Nvidia. (Nvidia’s Tegra 2 chip is used in two new dual-core smartphones from Motorola and LG.) The demos included such bread-and-butter Windows features as Internet Explorer, PowerPoint and network printing, all of which seemed impressively fast despite the low-power chips at the systems’ hearts.
The company is also aiming to beef up support for other “system-on-a-chip” devices, by which it means any CPU that incorporates a wider range of functions that are typically found in computer processors. For instance, Intel’s new graphics-enhanced chips and AMD’s Fusion APUs (which combine a CPU and GPU capabilities in one chip) were also featured in the onstage demos.
“Support for system on a chip means Windows will be everywhere, on every kind of device, without compromise. All the power and flexibility of Windows on low-power, long-lasting devices,” Ballmer said.
“You’ll be able to use Windows anywhere you go, from the small screen to the big screen.”
CES 2011 will kick off in style tonight with a keynote from Microsoft head Steve Ballmer. The press conference is customarily one of the biggest events of the entire show. As we have for the past couple of years, Gearlog will be on hand at the show, covering the event live.
So, what do we have to look forward to at the show? Well, if larger trends are any indication, there will be plenty of Windows 7 tablets to show off–hopefully they’ll fare better than that long awaited HP tablet that never surfaced after the buzz of last year’s show.
Ballmer will no doubt be talking up Windows Phone 7. As of late, the company’s new mobile operating system has been posting some fairly respectable numbers. Also, what about that operating system for ARM that we’ve been hearing a good deal about lately?
And Windows 8? Maybe a preview of a forthcoming operating system, though that seems like a bit of wishful thinking.
Whatever the case may be, we will be there, tonight at 6:30 PT/9:30 ET.
The CES 2010 Ballmernote has become something of a black mark for Microsoft — the company’s delivered almost nothing in the year after Steve demoed the HP Slate and talked about future Windows 7 Slate PCs — but as one would assume, Redmond’s expected to pick up right where it left off in just a few weeks at CES 2011. According to the New York Times, Microsoft’s prepping to explain how it will target the iPad with the help of a number of partners, including Samsung and Dell. While the article is quite vague, it looks like the keynote will include a few new tablet demos, including one of a new Samsung device that sports a “slick” slide out keyboard — we’d put money on that being the 10.1-inch Gloria. The Times says the Samsung tablet (not to be confused with the Samsung Galaxy Tab) will run some sort of software layer when “the keyboard is hiding and the device is held in portrait mode,” but Microsoft’s is also reportedly eschewing a central app store for native tablet apps and instead encouraging software companies to build HTML5 -based web apps. That certainly sounds a lot Google’s Chrome strategy (and a strategy that could backfire since HTML5 apps will work on Chrome OS devices and iPad equally well), but the Times‘ source didn’t know if these “apps” would be ready for CES as they are “still in production.”
As far as we can tell, a lot of this is still built upon Windows 7, but it’s also rumored that the Redmond gang will tease Windows 8 on stage — something that sounds extremely plausible to us, since we’ve heard from numerous sources that Microsoft’s real tablet strategy will rely on Windows 8 and a new all-touch interface that the company has been working incredibly hard on. While Windows 8 isn’t due out until the later half of 2011 / early 2012, Ballmer would do well to use his CES time to tell us about Microsoft’s “riskiest” product bet and finally do something to address Microsoft’s notable absence from the modern tablet market. Of course, nothing’s for sure, except for the fact that we’ll be there, providing live coverage of the entire thing.
Update: We’ve been thinking about it (as well as keeping an ear on our chatty Tweeps) and there’s also a chance that Microsoft could show off its own Windows 7 software layer for tablets. Either way, we’re hoping to get some major answers.
Windows Home Server hasn’t exactly taken the consumer market by storm, showing yet again that people are more interested in shiny new toys than protecting their precious data. Still, there’s been a huge amount of negative backlash from Microsoft‘s recent decision to drop Drive Extender from the next release of WHS, currently codenamed Vail. Drive Extender is the tech that enables multiple physical disks to act as a single logical volume, making it easy for even non-techy folks to add more and enable data replication. Terry Walsh over at We Got Served was similarly taken aback by the decision and took the opportunity to drop a note to Big Poppa Steve Ballmer. He got a response:
From: Steve Ballmer Sent: 26 November 2010 05:30 To: Terry Walsh Subject: RE: MVP Feedback – Windows Home Server “Vail” Crisis Let’s look into it
Yes, it’s a short response, and it course could mean anything or, indeed, nothing, but it is at least a response and a positive sign that the huge outcry among fans of Windows Home Server can indeed make its way to the top of the executive chain. Now we just wait to see what comes rolling back down…
In the photo above you see Microsoft’s Steve Ballmer performing a ribbon cutting at the company’s new store in Bellevue, Washington. Shortly after finishing with the ribbon, Ballmer proceeded to rampage the store and patrons, leaving 17 dead, 6 wounded, and a stunned Miley Cyrus wondering if she had made the wisest career decisions. Ballmer was finally subdued by Dave Matthews, who knocked the CEO unconscious with an 8-foot bong.
Josh: “I’m a PC, and I’m going to mess up your insides so bad, you’ll pray for death.” Ben Bowers: “Anyone else want to claim Windows 7 was their idea?” Chris: “To the cloud! With Windows 7 and Windows Live, Microsoft can mix and match its CEO’s best faces until it’s able to piece together a photo it’s proud to share.” Ross: “Using the power of Control-X while mobile is just one of the many superpowers Ballmer has and Windows Phone 7 users don’t.” Darren: “Moments before this tremendous occasion, Ballmer begrudgingly confirmed a prompt questioning his true intentions to dismantle a red ribbon.” Nilay: “Touch my junk and I’ll have you arrested.” Don: “There can only be one!” Vlad: “I love this company! I love it so much I’m gonna cut it up into little pieces and eat it!” Joe: “Clearly event organizers hadn’t planned for every possible emergency.” Thomas: “Baby Ballmer cuts his own cord thankyouverymuch.” Myriam: “Developers! It’s time to get cut and paste into Windows Phone 7…”
Windows 7 might be a massive commercial success and an undeniably rock solid piece of software, but Microsoft is apparently unwilling to rest on those soft and cozy laurels. Asked about the riskiest product bet the Redmond crew is currently developing, its fearless leader Steve Ballmer took no time in answering “the next release of Windows.” His interviewers sadly failed to probe any deeper on the subject, but it might be notable that Steve calls it the next release rather than simply Windows 8, while the idea of it being risky also ties in with previous indications that Microsoft is aiming for a revolutionary leap between iterations. We’ll have to just be patient and wait for more on that, though if you’d like a peek at Steve dodging question on tablets and the potential for Windows Phone 7 appearing on them, you need only jump past the break for the video.
Update: It’s also worth noting that Ballmer may not have been talking about revolutionary leaps as much as he’s referencing the past issues the company has had when it’s issued a major OS update (hello, Vista). The idea that making any big change to the operating system most of the world runs would invite a certain amount of high risk makes sense to us.
Can you believe it’s only been a year since Windows 7 hit the market? So much has happened in the interim, we could swear it’s been a decade. Of course, Microsoft is celebrating Windows 7’s birthday the best way it knows how: sales numbers. Turns out the little OS has done pretty well for itself, with 240 million licenses sold, giving it a 17 percent global operating system market share, and making it a healthy chunk of the 1.2 billion Windows PCs out there. As for the slow-to-adopt businesses out there, Microsoft still has some work to do, but it says 90 percent of companies have upgraded or “started their move” to 7. So, we’ve got the cold hard facts out of the way, any precious, personal, heartfelt memories of your time with the OS you’d like to share? We’ve got dibs on Steve Ballmer dropping by the Engadget Show on launch week.
Intel CEO Paul Otellini said a number of interesting things while explaining away $11.1 billion dollars, as did Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer in a post–Windows Phone 7 launch interview with CNET, but the pair individually touched on a common theme — both desire to beat down the iPad, and both believe that Intel’s Oak Trail chip might make a suitable club. Though Ballmer said that Microsoft partners would have tablets this holiday season, before Oak Trail is done, he called out the “enhancement” the new chips would bring to the Windows tablet experience, calling Oak Trail specifically “an important part of our roadmap.” Meanwhile, Intel’s Otellini explained just how much Chipzilla will bank on the touchscreen slates to come, saying that Intel will “utilize all of the assets at our disposal to win this segment” and calling the tablet market a viable third business alongside PCs and netbooks. “You will see Intel solutions that run on Windows, Android and MeeGo operating systems across a variety of form factors and price points,” he said, and suggested that Oak Trail silicon would lead the charge.
You can read the other interesting things both men said at our source links, but there is one more we’ll call out now: Otellini said that Intel intends to integrate the recently-acquired Infineon’s 3G and LTE wireless capabilities directly into Atom processors for tablets and phones, starting in about three years.
In case a liveblog and a never-ending stream of Windows Phones weren’t enough for you yesterday, here’s a chance to relive Microsoft’s launch presentation of its grand OS redesign. It’s kicked off by the big dog himself, Steve Ballmer, followed by Ralph de la Vega and Joe Belfiore giving us the lowdown on carrier pricing and new features. It’s good, we promise. Though we can’t guarantee it’s quite as awesome as the UK presentation, which included a Stephen Fry soliloquy on the subject of smartphones, diversity, and Microsoft’s redemption. That one we’ve got stored in our hearts, which, regrettably, don’t yet come with a HDMI output. Video after the break.
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