Ballmer Kicks Off TechEd 2005

Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer kicked off the company's annual TechEd Conference on Monday, telling an audience of nearly 12,000 that IT has taken a central role in the success of many modern companies. He also said that Microsoft would be making moves in the future to help people leverage technology to make a bigger impact in their business.

"We're all here because we share a vision of how technology can enhance business performance and help people do great new things," Ballmer told the audience. "Microsoft's job is to help realize this vision by arming IT professionals and developers with the right tools, best-of-breed products and an unparalleled computing platform."

Ballmer's keynote covered four areas in which the company plans to focus on in the near-term future - "enabling the new world of work," connecting systems, increasing efficiency and IT security.

Highlighted was the new version of Windows Mobile aimed at allowing people to connect to Exchange server and access information. The new service is a direct response to the success of RIM's BlackBerry service. Ballmer also showed off a new tablet PC from Lenovo complete with a fingerprint reader and security subsystem designed to ensure data remained secure and only accessible by the PC's owner.

Microsoft will also continue to make itself more open and able to connect to systems regardless of operating system or setup. As part of this, Ballmer briefly touched on the company's plans to open up the Microsoft Office file format through XML.

Finally, as with past keynotes by Microsoft executives, Ballmer touch on what the company is doing to ensure a more secure operating system. He announced the public availability of Microsoft Update and Windows Serve Update Services, which will help ensure customers have the most up-to-date versions of all Microsoft products.

Also, a new version of Windows Update will shortly be made available that will have some minor service improvements and eventual support for Windows Genuine Advantage.

"We're working to anticipate industry trends, we're very focused on technical innovation, and we're committed to reducing complexity and cost -- all to help you contribute to the growth and success of your organization," Ballmer said.