Speaking at the Web 2.0 conference in San Francisco, Microsoft chief executive Steve Ballmer claimed that the software company will acquire 20 companies a year for the next five years, in the range of $50 million to $1 billion.

Google has also acquired many technology companies over recent years — at least 10 companies in the past year, compared with Microsoft’s four. Yahoo has also acquired four. The stage seems set for an open season on new and exciting start-ups.

Unfortunately, Microsoft made a reputation during the 1990s for negotiating with start-up outfits only to pull back and launch its own competitor. Now, it’s said, with less time on its hands to keep abreast of nimble competitors like Google, developers may believe the software giant has changed its spots and needs them more than they need Microsoft.

We shall see.

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The Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas is revealing a whole host of new products from Microsoft. A company press release gives some details :

LAS VEGAS — January 7, 2007 — Speaking at the 2007 International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, Microsoft Corp. Chairman Bill Gates and Microsoft Entertainment and Devices Division President Robbie Bach showed how the company is delivering a new generation of connected experiences that are inspired by the universal desire to create community and share interests and passions with friends and family.

Gates and Bach announced several new products and services that include new Windows Vista-inspired PCs, never-before-seen Windows Vista features, an Internet Protocol Television (IPTV)-enabled Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system, and a new partnership with Ford Motor Co. that will extend digital experiences to the car. The company also unveiled Microsoft Windows Home Server, which provides a central place to help store, protect and access all the digital content in the home.

“As the magic of software makes it easier for people to be creators, publishers and consumers of digital content, it is expanding the way we think about community and entertainment,” Gates said. “From your living room to your car, we’re delivering a wave of new software products and services that make it easier for you to manage your day-to-day lives, express your ideas and share your interests.”

Read also about the new Windows Vista PCs in Vista Office.

The Windows Live Messenger service is now under attack by the latest worm called Heartworm. The previous worm that did damage on their IM service was called Pipeline, which secretly delivers an executable file disguised as a JPEG that then installs rootkits and Trojans on systems running AOL’s Instant Messenger service. Heartworm with its real name W32.heartworm.a, affects users of Microsoft’s Windows Live Messenger service (formerly MSN Messenger), presenting users with a link to a Web site that tells them a virtual greeting card is waiting for them.

According to computerworld :

That link brings unsuspecting users to an image of a heart with a poem written in Portuguese, which secretly installs files on the user’s PC that record personal and financial information. According to FaceTime researchers, who wrote about Heartworm in a Sept. 22 blog posting, the heart-shaped message appears to be hosted on a site dedicated to exposing online hoaxes, perhaps in an attempt to encourage visitors to click through.

In a case of “too late and done that before”, the guys at Microsoft are coming up with some scaled down online versions of its Office suites. Big deal. With so many so called Web 2.0 services around, why should I even bother to wait for them ? They will have to give me free t-shirts before I use their site. Good thinking ?

techdigest says

Presumably in a bid to compete with the ever diversifying range of online products from Google, amongst others, there are reports emerging that Microsoft may consider releasing free, scaled-down web versions of its popular Office software.