The Gates keynote

Michael Gartenberg | January 05, 2006, 02:17 AM

Just got in to the hotel finally and thought I'd post a few quick thoughts. The Gates keynote was important for many reasons that go beyond the technologies he showed. This is major speech for Gates, akin in many ways to the state of the union for Microsoft. In the past, these events were often muddled technology showcases, with products that were often not close to release, speckled with celebrity guest stars who looked like deer caught in the headlights trying to banter with Gates. This years effort was much better with an emphasis on products that will be available in 06. It also gave Gates the chance to tell his story of how the pc will become the cornerstone of the digital home and how things like xbox play into the eco system. Overall, Microsoft's vision remains very complete but it's also complicated. Gates brought some clarity tonight and that's a good thing.