Microsoft CEO, Steve Ballmer, presents his pre-show keynote at the 2010 International CES in Las Vegas Wednesday evening. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Microsoft CEO At CES

At the most recent Consumer Electronics Show, Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer had originally declined to give a keynote speech but still took some time on stage to report on the company's latest developments. His decision indicates that the tech giant is not falling behind the competition or giving up the main spotlight to competitors. Instead, Ballmer's strategic move shows that Microsoft is still a major contender in product innovation, and consumers can look forward to these developments in the near future.

The CEO of Qualcomm, Paul Jacobs, gave the keynote speech at the CES, and Ballmer joined him for a few minutes to talk specifically about Microsoft's Windows 8 smartphones. He talked about both the Windows 8 and Windows RT devices, calling them both "stunning" new options for devoted Microsoft customers. Ballmer also gave a brief demonstration of the two latest Windows RT devices: the Dell XPS and the Samsung ATIV. He tied these products into Jacobs speech because both devices include the Qualcomm Snapdragon processor.

One of Ballmer's main points is that these Windows devices bring users the best features that both a tablet and PC have to offer. The Samsung ATIV and the Dell XPS are manufactured with touch screen technology as well as traditional keyboards. This set-up makes them some of the most versatile Microsoft products for both business and fun.

Ballmer also emphasized Microsoft's efforts to catch up to competitors in the tablet and mobile computing areas. The company now has four times the apps available to consumers it did at the very beginning of the Windows 8 Phone's development. Although Microsoft is reported to be lagging behind Google and Apple in the market for tablets, Ballmer has devoted notable resources to closing this gap. According to his numbers, 10,000 new apps for Windows devices have been released in the past month. He also outlined the higher-than-expected sales numbers for the Windows Phone during the holiday season.