Microsoft’s Kinect, Office 2010, Windows 7 Will Determine Its 2010
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KinectMicrosoft has begun pushing Kinect, a hands-free gaming device whose three-dimensional camera allows players to control their Xbox avatars through body movement.
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Xbox 360Microsoft hopes the Kinect will help the Xbox 360 challenge the Nintendo Wiis lock on casual gaming and innovative controllers. Sony is also planning a motion-based controller for release later this year.
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Consumer BusinessMicrosofts Entertainment and Devices division contributed 11 percent of Microsofts $14.5 billion revenue in the first quarter of 2010. The company hopes new consumer items like Kinect will help maintain or increase that percentage.
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Non-Traditional GamesBy including non-traditional games that promote things like fitness, Microsoft could potentially increase the audience for the Xbox 360.
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Kinect Dance GameA Kinect dance game being played by a group.
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Kinect CameraThe Kinects camera plugs into the Xbox 360 console and uses its camera to track 48 points of movement on the users body. The device will likely retail for $150, once released later this year.
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Zune HDAlthough the Zune HD never managed to gain substantial traction in the portable-media-player market, its software is finding its way into Microsoft products such as Windows Phone 7.
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Office 2010Microsofts fortunes in 2010 also depend heavily on business and consumer adoption of Office 2010.
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Office 2010 Preinstalled To increase its rate of adoption, Microsoft is offering Office 2010 preinstalled on its partners PCs, unlockable with a product key card. Users can also download the software suite.
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Office Web AppsWhile the new Office Web Apps offers stripped-down versions of OneNote, Excel, Word and PowerPoint, Microsoft is reserving many of Office 2010s higher functions for the desktop-based version.
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Windows 7Windows 7 has sold more than 90 million licenses since its October 2009 debut. Microsoft is depending on continued strong sales of the operating system to help its overall bottom line.
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Laptops and PCsMicrosofts manufacturing partners are offering laptops and PCs in a variety of form factors-and designs-in an attempt to reignite hardware sales after a long global recession.
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Netbooks Microsoft and its partners also seem to be pushing a wide variety of form factors, including netbooks and desktop-replacement laptops.
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Halo: ReachXbox games such as the upcoming Halo: Reach are designed to appeal to more hardcore gamers.
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Xbox 360 SlimMicrosoft has begun marketing an Xbox 360 Slim in a bid to increase the franchises longevity.