During a keynote at computer exhibition Computex today, Microsoft’s corporate VP Nick Parker demonstrated the firm’s ‘breadth of innovation’ happening across Windows devices.
Microsoft used the keynote to showcase over 40 brand new partner devices, including all-in-ones, laptops, 2-in-1s and smartphones. The audience was teased with Toshiba’s upcoming low-end 7-inch tablet, and the HP Pro x2 612 2-in-1 was also unveiled. Microsoft recently launched the Surface Pro 3, a powerful hybrid that aims to be a ‘laptop replacement’ and take on the iPad Air.
Parker addressed the issue of an expanding ecosystem for home computing, and announced new partnerships with Chinese tech firms Haier, VIDO and Luckystar. BLU, Prestigio and Yezz smartphones were also showcased.
CBR was given a showcase of Cortana last week, Microsoft’s virtual assistant that uses Bing as an information database. Bing and Cortana lie at the heart of Microsoft’s plans for Windows 8.1 and Windows Phone, and the firm hopes its synchronised Windows platforms across multiple portable devices will give Microsoft the edge in the near future.
Recently, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella said that as the world moves into the "post-post-PC era," the future of the tech giant lies in building at least one major new product to retain competitive edge.
"It’s time for us to build the next big thing. If along the way we have to buy things that’s fine, but we have to build something big."
He said that several new programs and services are already under various stages of development at Microsoft, ranging from new search technologies to a live translation service for Skype calls.
