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Digital News Report – Microsoft showcased their technological advances at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2011 tradeshow that was going on January 6th – 9th in Las Vegas. They demonstrated their Windows 7 operating system, Windows Phone 7 new features and functionality, new features with the Xbox video game console, their updated Surface, and the next operating system will run off a chip.
Their innovations included with laptops, and tablets using the Windows 7 operating systems. The Acer ICONIA laptop has two 14-inch, multi-touch displays that were showcased running the Microsoft operating system. Instead of having a traditional keyboard you would use a touch screen to type on but when you are not you can use it as two displays to look at websites or documents. Microsoft was showing off the Samsung Sliding PC 7 Series that is very slim and has a multi-touch tablet design that is hiding a keyboard underneath. You simply slide the tablet to show a real keyboard. The Samsung Sliding PC 7 Series will begin arriving around March 2011.
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They also had the new version of the Microsoft Surface table. The Surface can be in a table or hanged up on the wall. The interface on the touch screen display interacts with hand gestures, and other electronic devices. The Microsoft Surface SUR40 was created together with Samsung. The new Microsoft Surface now has ability to see to recognize fingers from other objects. Plus it will be easier to hang or build it into custom furniture.
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There was a new Xbox Avatar Capabilities on Display at the CES tradeshow. Microsoft introduced the Avatar Kinect. This new technology uses the new controller free Kinect controller to use facial recognition to control their avatar’s movements but to project the facial expressions such as happy, sad, etc. When you smile, your avatar will smile. In addition, Xbox LIVE Gold subscribers will be able to control Netflix streaming videos with their Kinect using their voice and body motions. Hulu Plus subscription service will be soon supported with the Xbox LIVE Kinect control.
Microsoft is working with Sprint and Verizon to provide smartphones with Windows 7 Mobile operating system later on this year. Microsoft also had showed the new Copy-and-Paste features that will be coming to the Windows Phone 7.
The company also showcased Flickr Apps for Windows Phone 7 and Windows 7 Sync capabilities with Azure. The new Flickr app for Windows Phone 7 and Windows 7 slates will be released at the end of this month. The new app will make it easier to share and organize photos when you are on the go or at home.
The most exciting unveiling that Microsoft showcased was that their next version of their operating system will be able to run off of a chip instead of having to be installed onto a hard drive. The System on a Chip (SoC) architecture is a collaborative effort with Microsoft, NVIDIA, Qualcomm and Texas Instruments as well as x86 systems from Intel and AMD.
By Victoria Brown
Avatar Kinect Microsoft CES Keynote YouTube Video