Microsoft After Bill Gate`s Retirement - Natural User Interfaces
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Perhaps the most visionary of Microsoft's plans for the future is its ideas regarding "natural user interfaces," a term preferred by Bill Gates. Indeed, natural user interfaces is one of the projects which Gates has been determined to stay on with Microsoft to work with.
Courtesy of Kurt Voelker
Natural user interfaces will be the key in redefining the way that all computers are used. It is estimated that over 90 percent of all computer usage is currently conducted with a keyboard and mouse. Gates foresees that number dropping drastically with the development of more mainstream natural user interface technologies. These technologies are extensive and describe more of a concept rather than any specific tools. However, there are certain items that are currently more prominent than others.
One of the future natural user interfaces will be the pen. Computers will soon replace physical paper and the necessary stimulus for this in the mainstream acceptance of the digital pen. Its applications are manifold, and its uses are obvious. One of the greatest developments in this area will be in the replacement of all educational textbooks with tablet PCs. Rather than carrying around 20 pounds in paper, students will simply carry around their tablet full of texts and notes.
Another market that will grow enormously soon is speech recognition technology. Take a look at any recently-made movie that concerns itself with the future and the technology in it. How are people interacting with computers? It certainly isn't by using a keyboard to type out extensive letters. Rather, computer users simply speak to their computers and they get the desired result with no errors, little effort, and much less time spent.
The one natural user interface that Microsoft is concerning itself with soonest is touch. The touch market was one of the quickest to take off, with touch-screen monitors appearing years ago and the current widespread acceptance of the touch technologies in the iPhone. Microsoft has already begun development in this area with its release of the commercial Microsoft Surface. Pretty soon, the Surface will be available for private use in homes, where the number of applications will increase. Microsoft is also working on developing a similar tool that can be used on a wall, rather than a table.
Essentially, Microsoft has formulated a multi-pronged attack plan that will launch it into the newest generation of technology. Rather than floundering after its loss of its creator and long-time leader, Microsoft is striving to reach new heights and is very likely to show us that it is far from dead.
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