Defining the Digital Decade

"Each computer will be connected to a single network and each activity, whether watching TV or telephone, will be Similarly connected to the Internet on the logic, will be most wired and wireless pieces. Really, the only difference between computer and computer, the screen size will be a [small]. Must Diketeleixi the watches will be like that, only to You glanceable information. You have your pocket-sized devices, This will be a successor, by phone, but so far, more strength. " -- Bill Gates, and described his vision for the "Digital Decade" introduced at Columbia University, 2005 October 13 , # 160 If his recent public speeches, there is no indication that Bill Gates is a mission to promote the vision of the future double the heading " Digital Life "and the" digital work style. " whether it is against university students throughout North America last fall or dazzling packaging Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in January, Gates returned to those words again and again to describe His view is a future of transition. At CES, Gates said the next 10 years of the "digital decade" and has shown blended Home / working life, he requested to achieve, to 2010. At home, users can see a map displayed on the screen, real-time time, place all family members and their agenda for the day. At the same one that is on the screen, will be connected to the news clips on the users pre-selected list of topics, such as: warnings, bad weather could disrupt his companys supply chain. Once in the office, he can think, in the same screen at any one PC, and maintain up-to-date information and working families. In fact, where we are now is in the early stages of transition, Gates said that in the autumn of last year the university campus speaking tour, said: "We had already seen the [digital lifestyle], from the movies, digital photography, we can see that with the music, there will not be a future physical format, the CD. ¡¡ This will be a purely digital. " Gates also provided some examples of the potential of the digital life: enabling seamless connectivity among colleagues, friends and family members or reduce restrictions, physical location, so that more and more information in the format from the PC the plates to cell phones to the PDA. Apart from this, and is precisely what the concept may be referring to anyones guess. Therefore, although Gates has made it clear that he is looking forward to Microsofts technology - including the upcoming W indowsV ista, Microsoft O ffice1 2 and X box3 60 - to promote this change, channel partners can be forgiven what kind of a role, all of which may be.

Microsofts ubiquitous In "br> Most observers (whether in the analyst community, the technology news or blog) seemed to agree that Gates "Digital lifestyle, "long-term planning involves leverage Microsofts leap personal computers, notebook computers, mobile phones, game consoles and the Internet.

Mary said that it Foley, editorial independence, Microsoft Now communications and the web site said: "This is about Microsofts goal is to enable consumers experience seamless and ubiquitous. " Exhibits A to D, from Gatess speech, in Colombia, is used to describe a persons cell phone camera may be able to provide a constant contact information and functions from time to time: "If you at the mall, your photo, a products or bar code, can be recognized, and your phone can tell you, you might get a better price or [whether] you should buy different products, "he said. Or, he said, if you go out, and encountered a log a foreign language, you can use your cell phone to take digital photos and send images to a server, which in turn Display language translation for telephone conversation. In addition, you may need to use the phones to take pictures restaurant receipts business meal associated software will compare the transaction with its own timetable, and automatically fill in a sacrifice - repayment routed to the right people in the workplace. Finally, you can use technology to get automatic updates and vehicle routing information.

" is Microsofts goal is to enable consumers to experience seamless and ubiquitous. " - Mary, and then Foley, edit, view Microsoft communications and website In his fall College speech, Gates several similar devices He said that will form the backbone of the digital lifestyle. The start list handheld PDA and cell phone (built-in camera, MP3 players, as well as location-based services). "Telephone replace everything, you think, in your wallet - your photo, your cash, your certificate, together on the device " he told the students and teachers at Columbia University. Next to Tablet PCs, which will include some cell phones or PDA category function. "This is where you can see the big document, where you can Notes, where you can author. You will Sometimes, a keyboard, you have to use a certain time pen, but sometimes, you use voice and pen together, " he said.

at the top level, in the Gates of the vision, desktop, occupy the entire users with a variety of display areas , including a variety of purposes and projections.

the "digital work style," covers similar ground, Dover, said: "This is the other side of the digital lifestyle coins, and this is the work of seamless connectivity experience" . Microsofts ultimate goal is to break the two concepts, so as to the capabilities of users, for example, are considered to share personal and work calendars, electronic monitoring or from the office of their cars or homes. Gates described as the digital work style, in his CES speech, a concept related to handheld devices and PC work together, allowing users to easily access the desired information - from weather reports, a market update message -- are all in one place. Is also critical to the vision Gates digital work style is to provide easy access to their Taiwanese companys most important information. He described this to say: "know how to satisfy customers want to track the real value is how matter and the quality of reunification, and [to] dive down to the sales data, and information in this regard, in their fingertips" .

"This wing is not only Bill Gates. There are hundreds of on the Microsoft peoples thinking how people use their technical and planning for future land use. " - Max Thalmann, technology strategist, C aris C o the Limited central to these two aspects of the digital life is the concept of their experience.

"Consumers are increasingly connected. Whether they can be rich experience, and software is at the centre, " Gates said at CES. Lifestyle, Foley said, "You not just sharing photos, you involved in a photographic creation / editing / storage / share experience ", as well as work style, she continues, "Did you enter a record in a CRM database, you were immersed in the customer relationship experience, "including knowingly most profitable customers drive, which you should measure used to measure satisfaction.

Joe Wilcox, senior analyst at JupiterResearch, the cornerstone to the vision Gates is the continued fuzzy boundaries of work and family. "The technology used in the two places is the same, it changes the background," said franchise, and their editors to monitor Jupiter Microsoft blog. At present, more and more people are doing full-time work in the home, back to the days before the Industrial Revolution cottage industries, the share of that. It is possible, of course, because technology has made geographical and physical presence has nothing to do many jobs. Gates speak, is a signal that Microsoft intends to continue to lead all the way in the merger of home and work life.

memo, Microsoft partners Gates also did not produce a clear road map, how to channel suitable partners into the digital life and work style of the vision, although He mentioned at CES, "said the various partners ... [is] We will now move on , and the opportunity to see an interactive " (go rcpmag.com and use findit #: diglife read the speech excerpts).

But, analysts say, it may be inferred several possibilities.

share of that untapped opportunity for partners to assist it in the growing market companys employees work from home full time. "Companies often leave it to the workers to buy goods and tools they need," said franchise. "Staff buying things, like computers, PDA, mobile phones, Internet services, and then reimbursed." Microsoft channel partners might help the two sides to create bundled products and services, specialized services in the remote office, he said. Max to Thalmann, technical strategist New York investment bank Caris Co, the "digital life" and the "digital work style," are little more than a vague marketing conditions. But he added that, in fact, Gates on his digital vision, it is another sign of Microsofts fierce, if the recent focus on how businesses and consumers in the use of new technologies. "Microsoft has become very structured scenes to use for its technology, this is a new and important phenomenon, and said:" Stahlman. "Not only is this Bill Gates wing, which has hundreds of people at Microsoft thinking how people use their technical and planning for future land use." This new found focus on the use of in the real world, is of great significance, Microsofts partners, technology giant will continue to be exposed, it needs partners, service the needs of users. For example, Stahlman said Microsoft partners continue to actively court embedded in the mobile space: "Even if Microsoft someday build a Microsoft cell phone or handheld machine, in future there will be dozens of other companies, they work. " Obviously, a lot of digital lifestyle yet to be confirmed.

However, this is very clear: Do you think that this concept is a reality vision or just feed for Microsofts next-generation large-scale marketing campaigns, it may have opportunities for cooperation in the digital 10 and beyond.