Microsoft to launch translation tools

The N.Y-Times writes in an article published today, that Microsoft intends to enter the translation tools market alongsinde the launchof its new operating system Microsoft Vista expected to hit the market later this year and the next generation of the companies office-suite Microsoft Office 2007.

The article informs that Microsoft began a US$ 500 million marketing campaign yesterday to stir enthusiasm among corporate customers for its new products and grab business from I.B.M., its biggest rival in the business technology market:

"At the conference, Microsoft gave a series of demonstrations of the capabilities of its new products. These included phoning in for e-mail and having messages read back using voice recognition and translation technology, searching corporate databases, creating virtual workspaces that automatically sync documents and calendars for team members, and analyzing worldwide sales patterns from an Excel spreadsheet."

I.B.M criticises Microsoft orientation on desktop products as outdated. The Microsoft demonstrations were a display of "more functions than people need or want in a pure Microsoft software environment," the N.Y. Times cited Ken Bisconti, a vice president in I.B.M.'s software group. "Microsoft, is clinging to a pre-Internet, proprietary software model."

Creating momentum in the marketplace for Windows Vista and Office 2007 is crucial for Microsoft, the article reads. "Microsoft needs to add new capabilities to stay ahead of free alternatives to its desktop offerings, like the Linux operating system and OpenOffice applications."