Microsoft’s Steve Ballmer in his keynote speech at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) Wednesday night announced the beta launch of Windows 7, the availability of Windows Live, as well as a variety of new partnerships with companies including Dell, Facebook and Verizon Wireless (VZ).
Verizon Wireless tapped Microsoft Corp. (MSFT) as part of a five-year deal to provide Internet search and mobile advertising services via the mobile phones it offers as part of its services. Starting in the first half of this year, Microsoft Live Search will be available on new Verizon Wireless feature phones and smartphones. Microsoft also will manage search and display advertising on Verizon Wireless’ Mobile Web service.
And as of Wednesday night, the Microsoft CEO also announced the company’s Windows 7 operating system is available in beta. The new OS offers a laundry list of new features, but among the more notable ones is support for touch-screen monitors, and a new Home Group feature aimed at simplifying the connection to multiple home PCs so users can share among those devices content and peripherals such as printers on home networks.
As for Windows Live, a free suite of communications and sharing applications, that’s now available worldwide, Ballmer said.
Related to that announcement, Ballmer said Microsoft has joined forces with popular social media company Facebook. If customers choose to configure it as such, he said, anything they enter into Facebook can also populate Windows Live.
Microsoft’s Dell partnership is also tied to Windows Live. Starting next month Dell will preload Windows Live Essentials and Live Search in most of its new PCs.
Robbie Bach, Microsoft’s president of the Entertainment & Devices Division, also appeared with Ballmer to offer an update on the company’s gaming activities. He said despite the economy, Xbox 360 had its biggest year ever.
“Not only is Xbox 360 one of the world’s leading next-generation gaming consoles, but with partners like Netflix, it is one of the world’s leading entertainment devices, period,” Bach said. “With 28 million consoles sold worldwide, an active online community of 17 million members, and more than $1 billion spent on Xbox LIVE since the launch of the Xbox 360, it’s clear that consumer demand for these great entertainment experiences has never been higher.”
He added that interest about connected TV is also growing, saying Mediaroom is closing in on 2.5 million subscriber homes worldwide. Bach also unveiled Mediaroom Anytime, which lets subscribers access previously aired shows directly from the Interactive Program Guide without any pre-planning or prior DVR recording.
