The problem with Microsoft at CES  Posted by Rob Enderle  Like a
lot of technophiles, I watched the keynote given by Microsoft
CEO Steve Ballmer to officially kick off CES. While I’m sure MS
managed to pack the room, there was little you could take away
that most didn’t already know.  Frankly, the reviews haven’t
been great. This is probably due to a number of issues, but
first and foremost, the opening keynote at a show like CES
should definitely be given by a visionary. Once upon a time,
Bill Gates was that visionary. Even on a good day Steve Ballmer
can't exactly be described as one, and so the current Microsoft
CEO is a poor choice to keynote CES or any other forward looking
show.  The problem with Microsoft at CESI think this highlights
an endemic problem at events like CES, which traditionally pick
speakers based on their job title and financial resources,
rather than skillset.  This effectively kills the entire concept
of what a real "keynote" talk should be. For some reason, the
"keynotes" at many sho