Must Read: Apple to Congress: We do not use 'tax gimmicks'

Topic: Microsoft

Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer to headline CES 2012 keynote

Summary: It's been confirmed that Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer will once again deliver the preshow keynote speech at CES next year.

Adrian Kingsley-Hughes

By for Hardware 2.0 |

It's been confirmed that Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer will once again deliver the preshow keynote speech at CES next year.

"We are pleased to welcome Microsoft back to the CES keynote stage," said Gary Shapiro, president and CEO, CEA. "From mobile to desktop to gaming and beyond, Microsoft has a significant impact on all aspects of the consumer technology industry, and Steve Ballmer's keynote is a great way to kick off the exciting 2012 International CES. We are excited to hear Microsoft's latest initiatives and Ballmer's vision for where consumer technology is heading."

There are no details on what Ballmer will be talking about but my guess is that Windows 8, along with Windows 8 tablets and PCs, will be high on the agenda. I fully expect Microsoft to have a beta of Windows 8 to hand out at the BUILD developer conference this September and given this info, a public release of the OS at the beginning of next year.

Note: The first public beta of Windows 7 was launched during CES 2009.

Ballmer's keynote will be held at 6:30pm, Monday, January 9 at The Venician.

Topics: Microsoft, CXO

Kick off your day with ZDNet's daily email newsletter. It's the freshest tech news and opinion, served hot. Get it.

Talkback

15 comments
Log in or register to join the discussion

  • if ballmer needs headlines

    he should dump windoze and switch to android or Linux.<br>Nothing less is going to cut it!
    Linux Geek
    Reply Vote

    • RE: Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer to headline CES 2012 keynote

      @Linux Geek Wow! That would be a major downgrade on two fronts. Why would anyone use Linux unless they literally couldn't afford Windows? Linux and FOSS in general are like an extremist religion. People suffer through unnecessary trials and tribulations for "the cause". They even try to spread the word, often with a hostile disposition, because they believe its their calling.<br><br>Steve Ballmer is WAY too rich to have to settle with Linux and he's certainly not a religious zealot, so the likelihood of him making that switch is about on par with hell freezing over. <img border="0" src="http://www.cnet.com/i/mb/emoticons/happy.gif" alt="happy">
      Tiggster79
      Reply Vote

  • RE: Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer to headline CES 2012 keynote

    They couldn't have picked a better person to headline. Microsoft being the powerhouse company that it is, Steve Ballmer running it, of course you want the best and brightest there.
    LoverockDavidson
    Reply Vote

    • Fantastic. LD what will he talk about?

      Apart from how good he is;-)
      Richard Flude
      Reply Vote

      • Likely

        Windows
        Windows Phone
        If they expanded the Zune store, and what they're going to be doing with it
        Something about Skype

        But those are just guesses.
        Michael Alan Goff
        Reply Vote

    • Clack

      @LoverockDavidson
      You are so right. Click. Microsoft is just the best. Click. That Ballmer, he's a genius. Click. The vision and passion of Microsoft drives the consumer electronics industry. Click.
      Robert Hahn
      Reply Vote

  • Besides MS Fans, does anyone really care?

    The days when Balmer could be radical are gone. He's now running a very paraniod company that is fighting on all fronts and not doing all that well. Apple/Android are giving WP7 a spanking, Windows 8 won't be relevant for a year or two and XP/Server 2000 and 2003 is still running on awful lot of systems.

    Why does the press care - he'll just promote whatever MS has to sell at that time, as well as the vapour ware that is Windows 8. I could probably write his speech today (Windows phone rocks, WIndows 8 rocks, Office vNext rocks, I rock, please send me your checks today)...
    tfl@...
    Reply Vote

    • RE: Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer to headline CES 2012 keynote

      @tfl@... Ahhh! You did get one thing correct in your post: Windows Phone 7 does rock! :-)
      Tiggster79
      Reply Vote

  • RE: Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer to headline CES 2012 keynote

    I hope by then they'll also have more to show on Internet Explorer 10.
    Bonesnap
    Reply Vote

  • Bonehead Ballmer back to the well of looking like a fool

    He's a bull in a tech China shop firing blanks. Microsoft is the past. Apple and others are the future.
    pgentry53
    Reply Vote

  • RE: Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer to headline CES 2012 keynote

    Ballmer is a turd, selling turds.
    timspublic1@...
    Reply Vote

  • RE: Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer to headline CES 2012 keynote

    Microsoft can be a very real leader if they only had a very real leader but loud noises do not software make.
    trm1945
    Reply Vote

  • RE: Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer to headline CES 2012 keynote

    Ballmer is an ass, and a boring one. I would skip the keynote.
    billb_msn
    Reply Vote

  • RE: Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer to headline CES 2012 keynote

    By this time Mango will be out on Nokia devices and we'll be well on our way to the next version of Windows Phone! Definitely an exciting time for Windows Phone users and developers.

    BTW: The latest beta SDK for Windows Phone 7.5 is awesome! I'm still shocked at just how far behind everyone else is in terms of development tools, languages, and frameworks. Why can't Google or Apple come up with a decent respectable set of developer tools/frameworks? Gezz, .NET and C# have been out for 10 years, XNA out for 5. Seems like they could have done a little better job of catching up by now.
    Tiggster79
    Reply Vote

  • BRING DOWN CORRUPT GOVERNMENTS

    The New World Order is rising at https://NovusOrdoMundi.com
    Author_NOM
    Reply Vote
CNET Join | Log In | Privacy | Cookies Close