LAS VEGAS — For more than a decade, Microsoft Corp. Chairman Bill Gates and others in the tech industry have touted a vision of a connected lifestyle, in which digital content can move across devices throughout the home and be taken on the go.
It's been a slow march. But as Gates kicked off the International Consumer Electronics Show on Sunday, the industry has come further than ever in delivering on that concept.
"Every year represents a lot of progress," he told the Associated Press.
The improvements have taken many forms. Building the underlying networks. Developing the technologies to get devices to communicate. Creating the hardware that can handle the digital data. Returning to the drawing board when there were flops. And finally, getting the backing of entertainment sources to embrace this new era of media consumption.
But more work remains, Gates said.
"There's still a lot to be done there, especially when you get into rights-oriented content and how simple that can be made so the creative people are happy with it and yet the flexibility [for consumers] is there," he said.
In his 11th annual speech headlining the world's largest tech convention, Gates highlighted how Microsoft's latest creations and partnerships aim to make it easier for people to navigate, consume, share and manage different kinds of content, whether they are games, movies, photos, sports or work.
The keynote came as the software titan heads into one of its most significant periods of attracting consumers to its widening portfolio of computing, gaming and entertainment products. Its software has pervaded not only PCs but also cellphones, portable media players, home media centers and even cars.
The consumer launch of Windows Vista later this month is the company's first major overhaul of its operating system since Windows XP was launched in 2001.
Gates discussed some additional features not yet disclosed. Among them is a new "sports lounge" area so users tapped into Microsoft's MSN Soapbox online site can simultaneously view sports information, up-to-date fantasy sports data and the latest sports videos.
Microsoft has also teamed with the Nickelodeon and Showtime television networks and Starz Entertainment's Vongo subscription movie service so their Web-based content will be available through Vista. Movies downloaded from Vongo can also be played on TV using Microsoft's Xbox 360 game console.
