Microsoft's CES2008 Review

Microsoft was also a big disappointment this year. Vista is failing to inspire, the Tablet PC isn't going anywhere, and while the Microsoft Surface prototypes demonstrated compelling and imaginative use of touch-screen technology, we're still not exactly begging the PR company to give us one. Surface is one of those brilliant - simply, brilliant - technologies that unfortunately doesn't resolve a problem or serve a consumer 'want'.

As this was Bill Gates' last keynote appearance at CES, we undoubtedly expected a big finish - Zunes on sale in Europe, a Zune phone, an Xbox handheld to rival the DS and PSP, a new (and prettier) version of Windows Mobile... But there was no big-bang announcement, no dramatic CES goodbye.

Like many companies exhibiting at CES, Microsoft has settled into a period of consolidation rather than innovation. So CES 2008 was mostly a show of incremental product improvements and hearty back-catalogue re-selling. When what we really wanted was more outlandish product concepts with the promise of affordable life-improving technology to come...

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