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More Microsoft Concept Videos

Nov. 1, 2011 Paul Thurrott | Paul Thurrott's Supersite for Windows

When Microsoft's Office Future Vision video was released the other day, I mentioned that the software giant releases these kinds of videos all the time and thought it would be interesting if we could find a similar video from 10 years ago. (Curiously, Microsoft has since released an equally unlikely Kinect video.) Thanks to a reader, here are two previous Microsoft concept videos to enjoy.

Meet the Family (1999)

In this video, we see early (very early) peeks at touch computing, MSN Explorer (since abandoned), integrated computing experiences, video calling, Windows Phones, Media Center/Internet TV, and much, much more. It's a painful 10 minutes long. So settle in.

The Near Future

I'm not sure when this video was made, but the description says it depicts "the evolution of real-time collaboration technology." This one is heavy on Tablet PCs, Windows Mobile flip phones, Exchange/Lync-style communications, and Hawaiian shirts. (The video title on YouTube is incorrect.)

Thanks very much to Sean W. for the links.

Discuss this Article 5

itmaster68
on Nov 1, 2011
i think the family video is kinda cool.. yea a little cheesy, but love the ideas and the vision..one day
spivonious
on Nov 1, 2011
That 1999 video is pretty close to today. Smartphones, Skype, Facebook, gadgets built into the TV. The only thing missing is the subscription services (e.g. concert tickets) that Gates was so sure were going to take off (read his book "The Road Ahead").
spivonious
on Nov 1, 2011
The Near Future has a copyright notice at the end of 2005. Take out the heavy stylus use and it is all possible today. It's fun to see these videos now. As cheesy as they are, they provide a great view into the directions that tech was moving back then.
natelawrence
on Nov 1, 2011
Oh, MSN Explorer, I really miss you. In its prime, it was very nearly everything that Windows Live (in the sense of bringing the success of XBOX LIVE to Windows as the branding suggests) ought to have been, minus the desktop games integration. Cloud-synced bookmarks, preferences, and avatars, one simple identity, immediate sign in to online chat with your contacts, automatic email syncing, download manager, integrated on demand music service, bank account monitoring, etc... some of this is coming back in Windows 8, but what in the world happened in the interim? For me, it was when Microsoft pulled the plug on MSN that the magic died down in Windows for me.
chuckb84
on Nov 2, 2011
http://opinionatedtype.wordpress.com/2011/10/28/microsoft-video-producti... Pretty funny list.

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