As the guesses and rumors about Microsoft;s planned Consumer Electronics Show (CES) announcements proceed to multiply, I;ve decided to throw an additional in to the combine. I;m wondering no matter whether CEO Steve Ballmer and Co. may well announce a strategy and/or roadmap for tablet-sized Surface devices this week.This is purely a guess on my part. It isn;t determined by a rumor or tip. But here;s what;s got me questioning: In 2008, Microsoft execs mentioned that a PC-sized version with the Surface multi-touch table could feasibly debut by 2011.Microsoft is known to have already been testing the market interest inside a scaled-down Surface. Microsoft execs have investigated many different achievable kind factors that these kinds of a gadget (codenamed Oahu) could encompassMicrosoft researchers have already been working on the challenge, recognized as Manual Deskerity, which is centered on bringing some of the equipment and technologies demonstrated in those Courier tablet prototype movies, towards the Surface However the biggest cause I began mulling a Surface announcement — or even just a “this can be coming some day” demo — at CES is mainly because of a change inside a Microsoft executive;s bio I discovered this past weekend.Michael Angiulo is the Corporate Vice President of Planning, Hardware and Computer Ecosystem team at Microsoft. Prior to December 30, his corporate bio said he was overseeing planning for Windows, Windows Live and Internet Explorer. On December 30, his bio was updated with this line: “In addition, he is responsible for Surface Computing, Pc Hardware, and a number of partner engagement programs these as WinHEC, the Logo programs for hardware and systems, and direct engineering engagements with OEMs, IHVs and ISVs.”The Surface teams was one particular of these left in limbo after former Entertainment & Gadgets chief Robbie Bach;s departure from Microsoft last year. When I asked where Microsoft planned to move the Surface team, I was told it was TBD (to be determined). It seems the Surface unit has landed…Quite a few Microsoft watchers have reported that Microsoft is going to announce a new edition of Windows that can run on ARM chips at CES and focus on this platform as the company;s slate offering. (Microsoft execs have told me on far more than a single occasion that there will be no new edition of Windows before Windows 8,
Windows 7 Download, so unless the Softies are ready to talk Windows 8, I;m curious what this means.)As I;ve blogged previously, I;m far more inclined to think Microsoft is going to talk about Windows Embedded as its slate offering at this week;s present. (I;m starting to think it may possibly be Windows Embedded Standard 7, rather than Windows Embedded Compact 7, given Microsoft officials have stated Embedded Standard is well-suited for thin clients and networked media devices…)But back to the Surface. I;m skeptical that the recent updating of Angiulo;s bio was coincidental. I;d expect he;ll play a role in Ballmer;s CES address. The question is no matter whether the Surface also will play a role when Ballmer keynotes on January 5….As I;ve mentioned, this is all unsourced speculation on my component. What do you think?