Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates leaves board

Microsoft on Friday announced that co-founder Bill Gates has left its board of directors to devote more time to philanthropy.

The 64-year-old stopped being involved in day-to-day operations at the firm more than a decade ago, turning his attention to the foundation he launched with his wife, Melinda.

Gates served as chairman of Microsoft's board of directors until early in 2014 and has now stepped away entirely, according to the Redmond-based technology giant.

"It's been a tremendous honor and privilege to have worked with and learned from Bill over the years," Microsoft chief executive and company veteran Satya Nadella said in a release.

"Bill founded our company with a belief in the democratizing force of software and a passion to solve society's most pressing challenges; and Microsoft and the world are better for it."

Nadella said Microsoft would continue to benefit from Gates' "technical passion and advice" in his continuing role as a technical advisor.

"I am grateful for Bill's friendship and look forward to continuing to work alongside him," Nadella said.

- Computing and compassion -

Gates left his CEO position in 2000, handing the company reins to Steve Ballmer to devote more time to his charitable foundation.

He gave up the role of chairman at the same time Nadella became Microsoft's third CEO in 2014.

Regularly listed among the world's richest people, William H. Gates was a geeky-looking young man when he and Paul Allen co-founded Microsoft in 1975.

Gates grew up in Seattle with two sisters. His father William was an attorney and his late mother Mary was a schoolteacher and chairwoman of United Way International.

He began programming computers as a 13-year-old student, and fell in love with the machines.

Among the tales told about Gates is that while working on school computers, he tinkered with programming to put himself in classes made up mostly of girls.

With his parents' blessing, Gates dropped out of Harvard to start "Micro-soft" with his late childhood friend Allen.

A key move was to focus on licensing software to computer makers in numerous "partnerships" that resulted in affordable machines being available to the masses.

As the personal computer market grew, Microsoft became the world's top software company. Its virtual monopoly led to a much-publicized antitrust trial, in which the company managed to avert a break-up but had to endure years of government monitoring.

Gates went on to turn his attention from software to fighting disease and other humanitarian challenges with his wife, under the auspices of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

"This move is not surprising to the Street as Gates has continued to focus more on his myriad of philanthropies across the globe over the past decade," Wedbush analyst Daniel Ives said in a note to investors.

"Gates is a historic figure in the technology world and his legacy at Microsoft will be felt in Redmond for decades to come."

Agence France-Presse

Microsoft debuts hologram goggles

REDMOND, United States–Microsoft unveiled headgear on Wednesday that overlays holograms on the real world, in what it touted as the next generation of computing.

The US technology titan debuted its HoloLens capabilities built into its coming Windows 10 operating system and showed off goggles that let wearers use their hands to interact with virtual objects.

“Until now, we’ve immersed ourselves in the world of technology,” Microsoft’s Alex Kipman said introducing HoloLens at a press event at the firm’s Washington state headquarters.

“But, what if we could take technology and immerse it in our world?”

Windows Holographic creates three-dimensional images in the real world, then lets people wearing the headgear reach out and manipulate virtual objects.

Kipman said he invited virtual reality innovators, including Facebook-owned Oculus VR, to explore adapting different applications for the goggles.

“Holograms can become part of our everyday life,” he said.

Microsoft chief executive Satya Nadella touted HoloLens and Windows 10 as a “mind-blowing” experience that will open a new type of computing.

“Today is a big day for Windows,” Nadella said as Microsoft provided a look at its latest operating system at its headquarters in Redmond, Washington.

“We want to move from people needing Windows, to choosing Windows, to loving Windows; that is our bold goal for Windows.”

Industry tracker Forrester predicts that what it refers to as mixed-reality computing will catch on by the year 2020, and include Internet giants Apple and Google weighing in with holographic offerings.

Millions of people will likely buy HoloLens by the end of next year, especially if Microsoft targets entertainment and particularly games who are proven early-adapters of technology, according to Forrester.

“If successful, HoloLens will ultimately expand the way people interact with machines just as the mouse-based interface did in the 1990s, and touch interfaces did after the introduction of the iPhone in 2007,” said Forrester analyst James McQuivey.

HoloLens also has the potential to radically improve how firm’s operate when it comes to collaborating from afar, training employees, and tending to work outside offices, according to Forrester analyst J.P. Gownder.

source: technology.inquirer.net