by Al Sacco

Microsoft at CES: In-Car Tech, Windows Phones, Zune, Bing and Lots of PCs

News
Jan 8, 2010
LaptopsSmall and Medium BusinessSmartphones

Microsoft's booth at the 2010 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) is one of if not the largest exhibit on the Las Vegas Convention Center show floor this week. CIO.com's Al Sacco brings the action to you without the hassle of CES crowds via this image tour of Microsoft's presence at the nation's biggest consumer tech event.

Attendees of this week’s 2010 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas would be hard-put to miss software-heavy Microsoft at the event. That’s because Microsoft not only setup one of the largest and eye-catching–think funky mood-lighting–booths on the whole show floor, its exhibit is situated just inside the entrance to the Las Vegas Convention Center’s central hall, as if to greet all new arrivals.

The company’s most significant announcements probably relate to its Mediaroom 2.0 product, which television operators can employ to enhance their options for providing cutting-edge television service and viewing choices to customers. (Read about Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer’s CES keynote here.)

But I’m a hardware-geek, and as such, the products that grabbed my attention were the in-vehicle systems, the newest Windows Phones, Zune and accessories and the innovative PCs and netbooks from a variety of manufacturers.

Microsoft also did a great job of making its CES-experience as interactive as possible, letting attendees sit in various vehicles to play with new in-car tech, paw whatever new Windows Phones may have caught their eyes, handle the latest and greatest PCs and netbooks–even make music together by tapping panels along the booth-walls in sync with other CES-goers to stress how well the company’s products are supposed to work together.

Check out the following image tour of Redmond’s booth for a firsthand look at what Microsoft’s showing to the world at CES.

AS

Microsoft representatives play video games on Xbox 360 machines and Windows PCs along   with CES attendees
Microsoft representatives play video games on Xbox 360 machines and Windows PCs along with CES attendees
The center of Microsoft's CES booth houses a circular space where attendees can press   wall panels to make music and alter the
The center of Microsoft’s CES booth houses a circular space where attendees can press wall panels to make music and alter the “mood lighting”
The Zune area of Microsoft's CES 2010 booth included a display with various   customized Zune devices
The Zune area of Microsoft’s CES 2010 booth included a display with various customized Zune devices