Vienna - Microsoft founder Bill Gates has spelled out a vision in which advanced software will seamlessly connect personal computers with cellphones, watches and other small devices.
The software, which Gates predicted would be widespread by the end of this decade, would also be smart enough to let users know if and when it should alert them - and on which device - with new information such as weather forecasts or sports scores.
Gates spoke to a room packed with consultants, other business people and politicians in Vienna.
He dismissed predictions that cellphones one day would replace PCs as they evolved into data-processing devices.
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| 'And so there's an imperative to make these things work together' |
"Some people have talked about the idea that "Isn't there competition between the PC and the phone?' To me this is absolutely wrong," Gates said.
"If you want to write a document, if you want to fill out your tax returns, you'll use the larger screen device. If you want to go out and just take something that fits in your pocket, you'll take the phone," he said.
"And so there's an imperative to make these things work together," Gates said.
"If you want to be notified about something that's changing, that's important to you, software should know which device you have with you and should know what you're doing, know the context to understand if interrupting you with this new information is appropriate or not," Gates said.
Gates, the richest man in the world, spoke as European Union anti-trust regulators prepare to crack down on Microsoft.
The EU charges that Microsoft is unfairly harming competitors by "bundling" its Media Player software with Windows, the dominant operating system in the world. - Sapa-AP
- This article was originally published on page 3 of The Star on January 29, 2004
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