Microsoft Convergence 2012 Houston - Day 1: Opening Keynote
Monday 19th March 2012.... The first day of the actual Convergence conference.
After a rushed breakfast, Mariano and I headed to the Convention centre for the Opening Keynote of the conference.
I will try to summarise what was said, but it would be best if you view the video yourself either from Virtual Convergence or using this direct link to the Keynote Video: Dynamic Business: Aspiration to Reality
The keynote starts with the World Of Opportunities music video with musicians from five continents recording their instruments and voices individually to come together in a global song.
Kirill Tatarinov, President - Microsoft Business Solutions Division, welcomed us to the conference, with over 10,000 attendees from 50 countries and 270 companies represented at the Convergence Expo. The sixteenth Covergence, Convergence 2012 is the biggest Convergence ever.
Kirill in his Texan cowboy hat
Kevin Turner, Chief Operating Officer, Microsoft Corporation, then came on stage and spoke to us about the New Era we are entering. A new era for technology, a new era for business and a new era for Microsoft.
Kevin Turner
Kevin starts off by describing Microsoft as it stands now. It is the worlds largest software company with 95,000 employees in 191 countries, 640,000 partner companies,1.5 billion customers using Microsoft products. Microsoft invests heavily in Research and Development spending US$9 billion this year. The R& D investment allows Microsoft to continue to innovate and be successful.
He then discussed the trends in technology covering the areas of cloud computing, the explosion of data (and how to turn data into information into intelligence into decisions), how social computing and social networking effect us, how the types and variety of computers available and the consumerization of IT change the way we work and finally how being always connected and using natural interfaces change the way we interact with computers.
A Cloud for Every Business
The Consumerization of IT
Metro UI provides a consistent interface across platforms: phone, tablet, laptop, desktop, game console
Welcome to the Exciting New Era:
Every product on this page is getting refreshed or will be refreshed in the next 12-16 months
Kirill then came back on stage to run through some demonstrations of how software and systems could affect the retail shopping experience of the future.
During this part of the session Kirill mentioned that Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2012 and Microsoft Dynamics GP 2013 would be available in the cloud during the coming year. Note that this is the first time Microsoft Dynamics GP "12" was officially described as Microsoft Dynamics GP 2013.
Microsoft Dynamics CRM and ERP in the cloud
Microsoft Dynamics in a Metro UI
More of Microsoft Dynamics in a Metro UI on a Samsung Series 7 Slate PC with Windows 8
A packed hall for the Opening Keynote session
Nick Brophy and the Heroes rocking out between the Opening Keynote and the GP General Session
Then came the Microsoft Dynamics GP General Session, details coming in the next post.
David