Microsoft started off CES with a Bill Gates pre-keynote address. BillG started saying that this is probably the last time he gets to go on the CES stage and talk about technology! :( I don't buy that completely though :)
However, the address was very exciting with some of the stuff that was never demo'ed before.
There was Windows DreamScene - something quite amazing spectacular and something that was a hush-hush thing at Microsoft for a while now. Of course, it is another UI glitz, with playing videos now being able to be set as the desktop background. I got to install a small internal BETA today and it works great. Sure looks exciting and I think the Vista Ultimate Edition users will love the feature (that'll ship as a Vista Ultimate Extra).
If you haven't seen DreamScene, you should watch the CES keynote.
One of the biggest announcements yesterday was Windows Home Server. Windows Home Server is the vision of having a server in every home that takes care of backend infrastructure for the digital home. In many ways, a "home server" makes perfect sense to orchestrate all the digital devices that make up today's homes. Hook up your Media Center PC, your laptop, your personal computer, your XBox, your Windows Mobile phone and everything to the backend server and let it manage backups, synchronization, and a lot more for you. That's the message. However, to learn more, you can also check out the Center for Digital Amnesia Awareness Web Site. :)
In the meanwhile, Bill Gates has also written this must-read article titled "A Robot In Every Home". When you read the paper, you realize the real parallel universe between the "origin of the PC" days and today's world. I played around with Microsoft Robotics Studio v1.0 yesterday and created my first robot in a simulated environment that I could control with a small controller-like Window (called the Direction Dialog). That was pure thrill!
Exciting times ahead, and with this company - that's a statement that'll always be true!