We’re here and ready to rock. Stay tuned as we cover the CES 2010 keynote delivered by Steve Ballmer.
6:22PM: It’s packed, packed, packed in here!
6:33PM: Lights are going down and our wireless data is completely getting hosed.
6:35PM: And Microsoft is having a “power problem.”
6:36PM: Microsoft is, uh, restarting half of their computers.
6:40PM: Alright, power is back but they need another 5 or so minutes to restart everything.
6:51PM: We’re still not at full steam, guys.
6:54PM: Here we go!
6:55PM: Oh, a video montage powered by a Black Eyed Peas song? Original.
6:56PM: CEA/CES President and CEO Gary Shapiro is on stage now talking about the past year, the economy, etc.
06:59PM: Gary is about to welcome Steve Ballmer to the stage
07:01PM Steve is up on stage!
07:02PM: Seth Myers from SNL is up on a video now poking fun at Steve.
07:03PM: He’s cracking jokes on technology and how it helps (doesn’t help us). Facebook, Xbox Live, video chatting are all included.
07:05PM: Video is done. We’re not amused. Steve is now talking about the future of the PC tonight, TV, and the cloud. “Last few decades have been stunning in the changes they’ve brought.”
07:08PM: “We Bing! And we Bing! We Bing! BING! BING! BING! At least we do a lot in my world!” Oh man…
07:09PM: How Microsoft changes people’s lives. Over 500 million games have been sold — over $20B in game revenue. Over 39M Xbox 360’s sold, too. Now on to Project Natal.
07:10: Bing is “redefining search for consumers.”
07:11: “Microsoft and HP will team up and Bing will be the default search and home page in over 42 countries.
07:13PM: Microsoft and Kia (the car maker) announced a new in-car communications system built on Windows platform. The Zune HD is getting “rave reviews” and Zune Marketplace expanded to 17 countries and became part of the premium video offering thanks to Xbox Live.
07:14PM: On to Windows Mobile. He’s showing off the HTC HD2 from T-Mobile USA.
07:16PM: Now he’s talking about Windows 7 and how people want a faster experience, leaner, and less busy. They wanted to do something that made it simpler for regular tasks.
07:18PM: Windows 7 is the fastest selling OS in history. 94% consumer satisfaction for Windows 7. And, almost 300M PCs shipped in 2009.
07:19PM: Limitless range of PCs with Windows 7. A PC for everyone — gaming, ultrathin, portable, netbook, etc.
07:20PM: “Quality, value, and choice available on PCs can’t be matched on any platform”
07:22PM: Ryan Asdourian from Windows team is taking the stage. Showing the all in one Sony Vaio L. Now showing Dell Adamo XPS, thinnest laptop on the market.
07:24PM: They’re talking about DirectX11 gaming, and also how all netbooks run the full version of Windows 7.
07:25PM: Apparently when the power went out it blew the “tube” on a TV Ballmer wanted to show us with a “built-in PC.”
07:27PM: Showing digital reading from something called Blio, which is an e-book system that launched a little while ago.
07:31PM: Now they are showing off document syncing in Office 2010 and transitions. Oh no, “Developers, developers, developers.”
07:33PM: On to street view in Bing and adding a Snow Glob effect. What. Is. Happening.
07:34PM: We’re apparently recording 4 HD channels at the same time with Windows 7 and CableCARD.
07:37PM: Showing us “home videos” from a library. Cracking bad jokes.
07:40PM: Microsoft Mediaroom is a pay TV service, showing it off now. Xbox 360 will work with AT&T U-Verse and enable Mediaroom. You can also use Mediaroom on your PC as well. Can also take that content with you on a Windows Phone like the HD2 — all shared content between Xbox, PC, phone, etc. Audience claps.
07:43PM: Windows PCs will offer the most variety and now Steve wants to show us some new PCs. Uh oh, slate PCs. Take advantage of Windows 7. Perfect for mobility and taking content with you. HP slate PC will be here later this year — it’s in prototype form now.
07:45PM: Now showing the Amazon Kindle software on the slate PC to demonstrate the capabilities.
07:47PM: Another Seth Myers video. Predictably, it’s not funny.
07:48PM: Robbie Bach is out now, President of Entertainment and Devices.
07:49PM: MassEffect2 is coming January 26th, then Splinter Cell Conviction, Crackdown 2, Fable III.
07:53PM: What Star Wars is to film, and Harry Potter is to books, Halo is to the video game industry. Showing Halo Reach coming Fall 2010. Also if you own Halo ODST, you’ll get a multiplayer beta on Xbox Live in the Spring.
07:57PM: Talking about Xbox Live. About 1/3rd of the time spent on Xbox is with non-gaming activities. “In the span of this keynote, over 4,000 songs were downloaded. One for each of you in the audience.” Almost 10 million people have used Netflix, Facebook, and Zune.
08:01PM: Going over inviting friends and party mode so you can play with your friends.
08:02PM: “Starting this spring on your Xbox and Windows PC, you’ll have 30 arcade classics to play.”
08:04PM: Thousands on patents later, years of research, we have Project Natal.
08:06PM: Natal apparently processes trillions of body movements over a thousand times a second. Available Holiday 2010.
08:09PM: “2010 will be the biggest year for Xbox ever.”
08:10PM: Robbie is off the stage, lights are coming on, too. Yep, that’s a wrap!
