MS Tech Fest gazes into future

It’s TechFest time at software giant Microsoft. The annual gathering of the software maker's international research department at the company corporate headquarters in Redmond, Washington, began Tuesday.

Breaking from tradition, Microsoft this year opened up the first day of TechFest to about 300 outsiders, allowing customers, partners, government officials and reporters to get the first look at dozens of projects cooked up by the company's 800-strong global research unit.

The company uses TechFest to allow workers across Microsoft's product groups to get a sense of what Microsoft's research arm is up to and how their efforts might fit into future products --Microsoft Office, Windows Mobile and other software.

The technologies and products on display are at various stages of development. The company claims that this year's event showcases more than 100 computing innovations.