Google, Yahoo and Microsoft keynote at CES

January marks the beginning of an exciting new year which will be kicked off on January 5th in Las Vegas during the annual Consumer Electronics Show (CES).  Bill Gates is a regular keynote speaker, but interestingly this year he will be joined by CEO Terry Semel from Yahoo, and co-founder Larry Page from Google in separate sessions.

Bill Gates

Bill Gates returns to kick off the 2006 International CES with his vision of the year ahead in consumer electronics. If the past is anything like the future, expect the unexpected. Gates has used the International CES to showcase new products like the Xbox, Tablet PC and Smartphone. Under Gates' guidance, Microsoft continues its stronghold as the worldwide leader in consumer electronics through the design of groundbreaking technologies that lead to innovation in every aspect of human endeavor.

Terry Semel

Terry Semel joined Yahoo! as chairman and chief executive officer of Yahoo! Inc in May 2001. He has led a successful transition of the company by identifying and pursuing new opportunities within Yahoo!'s two core businesses, marketing services and consumer services. He has also assembled a talented executive team that has overseen the continued growth of Yahoo!'s global user base, a turnaround in Yahoo!'s marketing services offerings, and introduced new revenue opportunities, including sponsored search, listings and services bundled with high-speed Internet access. Listen to Semel’s strategy for accelerating Yahoo! into the future.

Larry Page

Google has become one of the world’s most prolific brands and is recognized as the world’s largest Internet search engine. Page and his partners have turned Google into one of the most innovative companies of the past decade, moving the company beyond a traditional search engine to include video, voice, wireless applications and beyond. Join him Friday afternoon to hear how new innovation from Google will spark the future of CE.

As we all know, the three are in fierce head to head competition with each other -- this lineup could prove to be quite interesting.  As the writeup about Bill Gates mentions, he likes to use his keynote speech to introduce new products.  Could this mean that Google will have a product launch themselves on Friday too?  There are at least two products that we know are in the works, if not extremely close to launching: Google Calendar and Google Purchases.  Stay tuned as I will be keeping my eyes open for anything that might happen during the show.

Update:
I have just read an article from the LA Times which states, according to "sources", Google may announce something about a Google PC to be sold in stores like Wal-Mart at very low cost.  This could be something to watch for at the CES keynote speech Friday.