Helmers Blog

On June 27, 2008, Bill Gates will transition out of a day-to-day role in the company to spend more time on his work at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Gates will remain Microsoft’s chairman and will be involved in select projects based on direction from Chief Executive Officer Steve Ballmer and the leadership team. Microsoft will continue to be led by a deep leadership team, led by CEO Steve Ballmer, Chief Research and Strategy Officer Craig Mundie and Chief Software Architect Ray Ozzie.

At Bill Gates’ keynote at CES 2008 Bill showed a nice film about his last day at Microsoft.

It’s really hilarious!!! There are several famous people acting (Brian Williams, Steve Ballmer, Matthew McConaughey, Robbie Bach, Jay-Z, Bono, Steven Spielberg, George Clooney, Jon Stewart, Kevin Turner, Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama, Al Gore, Ray Ozzie and Craig Mundie) in the video.

The keynote Bill gave at CES 2008 is also nice to watch, so check out my other post where you can view the complete keynote!

The 2008 International CES event kicked off Sunday in Las Vegas with a keynote featuring Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates and Robbie Bach, President, Entertainment and Devices Division. Gates and Bach presented some of the software, devices and technology that are helping to create connected entertainment experiences for people today. Gates speculated on some of the key technologies that will usher in what he described as the “second digital decade” in the coming years, and also offered a tongue-in-cheek look at what his last day working full-time at Microsoft might look like.

View the On-Demand webcast (1:07 hr) 100k | 300k | 750k

You can also watch the keynote on this page (just press the play-button).

At Play.TM I read the following :

Rumours are gathering pace this week that Microsoft will use the CES show in Las Vegas next week to unveil an “Xbox Ultimate”, according to gadget magazine Stuff. Rumour has it that Bill Gates will be on hand to deliver the ‘important’ 360 news, and a HD-DVD-enabled console could be on the cards in some form.

According to Stuff’s report, the Ultimate console will land in Autumn 2008, and will include built in wi-fi, high-definition audio, 1080p HDMI output, 65nm architecture, and will be near-silent when operating.

A whopping 320GB hard disk is also mooted by Stuff, as is a built in HD-DVD drive. We’re told this will aid the 360′s march into the IPTV arena, which is also set to be a major talking point in Las Vegas.

Naturally, Microsoft are refusing to comment on any of this gossip, Rumours are gathering pace this week that Microsoft will use the CES show in Las Vegas next week to unveil an “Xbox Ultimate”, according to gadget magazine Stuff. Rumour has it that Bill Gates will be on hand to deliver the ‘important’ 360 news, and a HD-DVD-enabled console could be on the cards in some form.

According to Stuff’s report, the Ultimate console will land in Autumn 2008, and will include built in wi-fi, high-definition audio, 1080p HDMI output, 65nm architecture, and will be near-silent when operating.

A whopping 320GB hard disk is also mooted by Stuff, as is a built in HD-DVD drive. We’re told this will aid the 360′s march into the IPTV arena, which is also set to be a major talking point in Las Vegas.

So should there be a HD-DVD XBOX 360 at last?? If the news is correct and their will also be a 320GB HD inside, I hope that the 120GB HD drops in price so it’s not as expensive as it is right now (almost 150 euro’s in the Netherlands).

As you can read on the BBC website Bill Gates is going to answer your questions on the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.

Quoted from the BBC Website :

The software supremo and co-founder of Microsoft is preparing to end his day to day involvement with one of the largest and most powerful companies in the world.

Mr Gates will remain as chairman and will continue to advise on key development projects.

As he gets ready to change his role, one of the most important men in technology over the last three decades has invited readers of the BBC News website to send him questions about his life and career.

Perhaps you have always wanted to know what the inspiration was behind Windows. Maybe you want to know what it is like being one of the world’s richest men. Or maybe you are more interested in the philanthropic career he has planned after he steps down.

If you want to ask him a question just go to the link below and submit your question using the form on their website.

Click here to submit your question for Bill Gates. (submitting your question will not guarantee that the question will be used).