Steve Ballmer to Show Major Product at CES '12?

The Consumer Electronics Show is one of the biggest electronics events in the industry and it happens every single January in Las Vegas, Nevada. Major players from the tech circuit are always in attendance and the show is often chosen as the platform for introducing new, highly anticipated or significant products. Among the major product launches CES has seen are the unveiling of the DVD, Blu-ray Disc, Commodore 64, the CD, and the original Xbox. Now it looks as though Microsoft may be gearing up to launch another major product at CES, as CEO Steve Ballmer has just been confirmed as the headline speaker for the annual pre-show keynote.

"We are pleased to welcome Microsoft back to the CES keynote stage," Gary Shapiro, president and CEO of the Consumer Electronics Association, said in a statement. "From mobile to desktop to gaming and beyond, Microsoft has a significant impact on all aspects of the consumer technology industry, and Steve Ballmer’s keynote is a great way to kick off the exciting 2012 International CES. We are excited to hear Microsoft’s latest initiatives and Ballmer’s vision for where consumer technology is heading."

This is not the first time Steve has given the keynote speech, but considering the timing, many people believe that Microsoft could show off aspects of Windows 8 at the show. Windows 8 and Windows 8 tablets have been the talk of the town for the last few months and a Dell roadmap leaked earlier this year dictates that the company will release its first Window 8 tablet before end of March 2012.

Jane McEntegart works in marketing communications at Intel and was previously Manager of Content Marketing at ASUS North America. Before that, she worked for more than seven years at Tom's Guide and Tom's Hardware, holding such roles as Contributing Editor and Senior News Editor and writing about everything from smartphones to tablets and games consoles.