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Last year, Bill Gates announced that his focus for his remaining full-time work at Microsoft would be search. But the job is not yet done and now he’s announced that search will be a projects he will be involved with post-retirement (besides his Chairmanship). Buried in the stories about Windows 7 and its multitouch abilities is a statement from the software giant’s founder about his vision for the future of Microsoft’s search.

“I’m very involved in search, the internal development,” he told the audience at the D6 conference. “We will build the world’s best search.”

Do you think Gates can pull it off? Discuss in the comments.

via BBC News

Related Reading:
Microsoft Launches Live Search Cashback and Live Search Farecast
Microsoft to Bring Advertising to Live Search Mobile

The theme of Microsoft Advance ‘08 is “Connected Entertainment:” mobile, music, TV/video, gaming. The big Live Search announcement will be covered live tomorrow.

Today, filmmaker James Cameron’s producing partner at Lightstorm Entertainment, Jon Landau said the abundance of digital information and the ability to use technologies opened up a whole new window for Jim didn’t know e3xisted.

James Cameron started making films when they were photochemical emulsions. Now, films are digital.

“The essence of storytelling stays the same,” said Cameron. “Intense CG (computer-generated) scenes with multiple shots doesn’t change that. My greatest horror was the best thing we create would end up like Ark of Covenant and put in a warehouse somewhere. I will make all my films in 3-D. I’ve been banging on the door at Microsoft since I introduced Windows Media 9 with LL Cool J and Bill Gates in 2002. Now I tell them, this is what you guys need to be doing. I’m going to continue to
surf that wave.”

His new film, Avatar, features a man who tries to become a miner by combining his being with an alien during an interplanetary war in which aliens can manifest themselves through human bodies — avatars.

“‘Avatar’ will make people truly experience something,” said Cameron.”One more layer of the suspension of disbelief will be removed. All the syn-thespians are photo-realistic. Now that we’ve achieved it, we discovered CG characters in 3D look more real than in 2D. Your brain is cued it’s a real thing not a picture and discounting part of image that makes it look fake.”

Part of the movie is subtitled because it takes place on alien planet.

Avatar will have a human heart beating at its narrative center. It’s an emotional journey of redemption and revolution; the story of a wounded ex-marine, who’s thrust into an effort to settle and exploit an exotic planet rich in bio-diversity. He eventually crosses over to lead the indigenous race in a battle for survival.

Cameron has created an entire world, a complete ecosystem of phantasmagorical plants and creatures, and a native people with a rich culture and language. The film has a December 2009 release date.

“I don’t know whether will be great film from narrative and critical standpoint,” said Cameron. “The experience of Avatar will be an experience unlike any other movies.”

He started with Microsoft Research looking at the way people see. The project soon moved out of the realm of speculation.

“‘Avatar’ is the single most complex piece of filmmaking ever made,” said Cameron. “We have 1,600 shots for a 2.5 hour movie. It’s not with a single CGI character, like King Kong or Gollum. We have hundreds of photo-realistic CG characters. We were Microsoft’s sandbox for filmmaking beyond the cutting edge.”

During the film he would grab chairs, gather his team, and talk about what they were doing wrong, how to do it better. That just isn’t done on a film set.

The heart of the film technology is a digital asset management system created by Microsoft, which was praised by Cameron and Landau for understanding the arts and filmmaking. The system can track every cloud and every blade of CGI grass in the film.

Cameron noted that Titanic was about how technology let us down. He has always tried to be on cutting edge of what’s going on. The Abyss featured the first photo-realistic CG character. Then “The Terminator” combined CG and human actors. “True Lies” pushed the bar even higher with composite technology.

In “Titanic” as a filmmaker, I struck the perfect balance of technology and the human heart,” said Cameron. “I haven’t forgotten that lesson with Avatar. It’s the best lesson for any filmmaker.”

Cameron also noted the radical changes in film distribution and made a prediction for the future:

“I’m on the fourth screen. The giant screen. Then it scatters down to other screens. It gets more interesting as more means of digital distribution become available to us. The interesting thing the actual movie business going strong. If valued up revenues of what’s lost to piracy, movies doing better now than they ever have. You can have HD screen in your home.

He noted, “Windows organized things spatially. That gave it its power. But we’re not displaying things spatially. What could happen is now that digital cinema revolution has taken place is killer app is 3D. Dreamworks has announced all its animated films will be made and projected in 3-D. Gaming will be changed by 3-D. Consumer electronics people will need to make players stereo-enabled monitors. Future version of Windows should be fully stereoscopic. Smaller devices already are 3D enabled without glasses. If you play “Avatar” on a 50 inch monitor, you’re in the game.”

Cameron said, “This is the ultimate immersive media. It’s my fundamental belief that when you’re viewing media in stereo, more neurons are firing, learning rates are higher. Engagement levels are higher. As advertisers, you need to think about how you’re going to use this new dimension. How will you use the deeper levels of engagement?”

Though Bill Gates was out there telling people Microsoft is not interested in making non-Yahoo acquisitions right now (at least in the search/social world), word comes that Microsoft bankers have sent “feelers” to Facebook about a full acquisition.

Here’s why this is a solid move:

1. Microsoft already owns 1.6% stake in Facebook, worth $240 million
2. Microsoft formed a data portability partnership with Facebook and 4 other networks
3. At least two Google execs have jumped ship to Facebook in recent months

While Facebook has yet to “overtake” MySpace in the social media market, it is a viable competitor. And I’m sure Ballmer would love for Microsoft to own a social network that even Apple has used as a marketing ploy as of late. Recent commercials for the iPhone entice potential customers through the ability to access Facebook on the popular mobile device.

Additionally, internet users are turning to their social networks during their search process. Consumers want answers and reviews and social networks help them get opinions from trusted sources.

The Facebook move would likely be seen by many as a better fit than Yahoo. But expect just as many to see it as a negotiating ploy in their bid for Yahoo. Though Microsoft has officially withdrawn its bid for Yahoo, many analysts expect Ballmer and the team to return to the table for another stab at a grab for the search engine.

Microsoft and Yahoo are officially “off again” and their mutual friends are trying to decide who to side with. While many hold out hope that the two will eventually reunite Ross and Rachel-style, it’s really anyone’s guess as to what will transpire next.

For its part, Microsoft seems to be taking the chick flick approach. Top execs are making it known that the software giant is seeking some alone time and that they’re not ready to date again just yet. Windows Live General Manager Brian Hall told Merrill Lynch Technology Conference attendees that Microsoft is moving on. And don’t look for a rebound acquisition. Bill Gates has said Microsoft isn’t pursuing alternative third parties. I guess MSFT will be eating the obligatory breakup chocolate ice cream all alone.

Meanwhile Jerry Yang is trying to paint Yahoo as a guy dealing with a crazy ex. He said Microsoft never made the purported higher bid of $32-33 a share. He claims that Yahoo thought that two companies were finding common ground when Microsoft bailed.

The whole thing is very reminiscent of a scene from The Break-Up starring Jennifer Aniston and Vince Vaughn:

Brooke: I just don’t know how we got here. Our entire relationship, I have gone above and beyond for you, for us. I’ve cooked, I’ve picked your stuff up off the floor, I’ve laid your clothes out for you like you’re a four year old. I support you, I supported your work. If we ever had dinner or anything I did the plans, I take care of everything. And I just don’t feel like you appreciate any of it. I don’t feel you appreciate me. All I want is to know, is for you to show me that you care.
Gary: Why didn’t you just say that to me?
Brooke: I tried. I’ve tried.
Gary: Never like that, you might have said some things that meant to imply that, but I’m not a mind reader…

But don’t expect Yang’s pithy comments to prelude his ouster. Kara Swisher reports that talk of Yang’s firing is “greatly exaggerated.” And while some shareholders are upset over the falling out, Yahoo’s stock remains higher than it was before the unsolicited bid was put on the table. At the time of this post, Yahoo was trading at 25.36, which is a good seven points higher than before this soap opera began. Then again, stocks remain up over Wall Street’s hopes that Microsoft will try to get back together with Yahoo and/or that a Google ad deal will be the rebound girl.

Tonight I saw the Iron Man blockbuster, starring Robert Downey, Jr. as Tony Stark. The movie defines Stark as a precocious kid, by flashing an old photo of him with Bill Gates. Along with some additional life history, we learn that Iron Man is at the top of his technical game but has seen some better days.

In Iron Man, the Microsoft parallels could continue beyond this introduction. Bill has been thinking about how computing can positively impact the world for years. In Stark’s case, a near-death episode makes him question the meaning of all his weaponry and its world-wide impact.

Meanwhile, Obadiah Stane has worked at Stark Industries for many years and serves as the second-in-command for the business. He bears an uncanny resemblance to Steve Ballmer, don’t you agree?

As played by Jeff Bridges, Stane shares some of Ballmer’s focus on the marketplace. If you leave aside the more sinister plot twists, Stark Industries is the biggest worldwide supplier of weapons. The company needs to stay technically competitive, and will do what makes sense to get there.

Of course, Microsoft is the worldwide supplier of desktop operating systems and has every intention of becoming a more potent online force. While in the game later, Ballmer wants to guide Microsoft in the most expedient ways possible — with or without Yahoo.

So where does this movie metaphor take us? I think that Ballmer is saying that Microsoft will create an even better Iron Man now. It all about the war, not about saving the peace, right?

Gates at the Barbarians: “In terms of Google, not to overstate it, but they really don’t understand the special needs of business. Today, their economic model is based on consumer search. They have done an incredible job there and obviously we’re investing in challenging them in that space …”

Overheard at the Googleplex … or not:

Sergey: Say whut?
Larry: None. Bill talk crack just like alwayz.
Sergey: Talk ****, Get Hit.

Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates talked smack about Google at a press Q&A following the launch of Sharepoint yesterday:

“If you’ve seen … the Google tools that have tried to do productivity type things, they really don’t have the richness the responsiveness. You can see that relative [to] the success they have had there. Most of these Google products, to be frank, the day they announce them is their best day and then after that ….”

It was not a good day for Marissa Mayer on the Microsoftwatch, as Gates called out Google Talk as, well, a miserable failure:

“I remember there was one called G Talk. I can barely remember the name but it was so, you know, it was going to change the world, and so you know, it’s healthy that there are many choices that people have here.”

Separately, Microsoft chief executive Steve Ballmer played Bob Barker, saying the price is right — and the timing — for Microsoft to buy Yahoo.

“The deal makes sense with the price and structure we announced. We hope it becomes reality,” he said at a press conference at CeBIT in Hanover. “There is a lot of merit for Microsoft and Yahoo, for Yahoo shareholders and for Microsoft shareholders, for advertisers and for consumers.”

So Jerry, “Come on down!”

Microsoft’s unsolicited bid to acquire Yahoo is heading down an unpleasant path. This week, Microsoft is reportedly undertaking a proxy fight, sending letters directly to shareholders to garner enough support to oust Yahoo’s board of directors and replace them with a merger-friendly board. A proxy fight is estimated to cost Microsoft up to $30 billion, but was likely seen as a cheaper alternative for Microsoft than raising its bid price.

“We sent them a letter and said we think that’s a fair offer,” Bill Gates, Microsoft’s chairman, told The AP on Monday. “There’s nothing that’s gone on other than us stating that we think it’s a fair offer. They should take a hard look at it.”

At the same time, Yahoo’s current board has approved retention packages and enhanced severance benefits for all Yahoo employees. The aim is to both keep Yahoos around during the threat of a takeover, as well as to give them a more lucrative way out if the Microsoft acquisition is fulfilled.

As outlined in a Form 8-K filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission, employees would get an enhanced severance package if they lost their job or left for “good reason” within two years of a change of control. An employee exercising the package would get a continuation of base salary and health insurance for 4 to 24 months, depending on job level. Employees will also benefit from accelerated vesting of all stock options, restricted stock units and any other equity-based awards previously granted.

Sure, Google and Yahoo were in Vegas. The keynote takeaway: Bill Gates. Unlike Arnold Schwarzenegger in The Terminator, he likely won’t be back.
MSN and Yahoo keynotes launched mobile search platforms—operating systems like Windows Mobile and platforms like Yahoo! Go—that promise to be the new Mini-me of search in 2008.
Mike Boland of The Kelsey Group [...]

60 Minutes did a good job with a segment on Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg considering that Mark had very little to say. He seemed overly briefed by lawyers and PR types and as a result was stiff and uncharismatic for someone who has accomplished so much. Mark is definitely more of a Bill Gates than [...]

Bill Gates talked about how this was his last CES keynote, and his last year at Microsoft.
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