And Hyundai-Kia Automotive Group to Develop Next Generation of I. SEOUL, South Korea — May 6, 2008 — Today, Microsoft Corp. and Hyundai-Kia Automotive Group (HKAG) entered into a long-term agreement to co-develop the next generation of in-car infotainment systems. Bill Gates, chairman of Microsoft, and Mongku Chung, chairman of HKAG, were present as Martin Thall, general manager of Microsoft’s Automotive Business Unit, and Hyun Soon Lee, president and chief technology officer of HKAG, signed the agreement in Seoul. Together, Microsoft and HKAG will deliver new and innovative solutions based on the Microsoft Auto software platform, bringing the future of in-car technology to Hyundai-Kia drivers worldwide. “These new systems will redefine consumer experiences in the car,” Thall said. “Since the spring of 2006, HKAG and Microsoft have been sharing their vision for the future of in-car technology. “We are pleased to partner with Microsoft to deliver high-performance infotainment solutions to our customers,” Lee said.
Microsoft Automotive Business Unit. Microsoft’s Vision for 2019 is Data Visualization | FlowingData. Steve Ballmer Visits Silicon Valley, Talks About Microsoft’s Fut. Hummer Winblad’s Ann Winblad interviewed Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer this evening at a Churchill Club event in Silicon Valley. The live video stream is embedded below. The early part of the discussion focused on Microsoft’s views on web based software offerings from companies like Google and Salesforce. Ballmer says apps don’t really belong solely on the client or in the cloud, but rather a “software plus services” approach that distributes processing and storage across the cloud and the local machine or device.
This hybrid approach, known as Windows Live Wave 3, is being rolled out now and major announcements will be made at the upcoming Microsoft PDC conference in Los Angeles. Windows 7 will also be available for the first time at the PDC. Ballmer also talked about Microsoft’s only money-losing business unit – online. He admits the company is a distant third in search, but claims second in “advertising software.” Ballmer and Winblad also discussed the mobile market. Scalable Fabric.