WITH THE Consumer Electronics Show 2010 about to begin in Las Vega, many companies are ready to showcase their new developments here. The same applies to software giant Microsoft.

While Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer will continue the tradition of giving the opening speech at the CES 2010 on Wednesday at 6:30 PM, with Robbie Bach, president of Microsoft's Entertainment and Devices Division, it will be precursor to the presence of Microsoft at the event. Project Natal add on for Xbox 360, Windows Mobile, Ford SYNC and Netbooks OS WIndows 7 are just few of its projects that would be seen at the event.

Project Natal is the most hyped Microsoft device right now. The add on for Xbox 360, was unvieled last June but remains still in development. Project Natal will allow gamers to play without a controller, using only their bodies. Microsoft will announce a launch date for it this CES 2010. The biggest buzz related to Project Natal is the belief of Microsoft, that the technology can be replicated in other computing applications.

Windows Mobile 7 is another expectation that might be fulfilled at the CES 2010. However, its development has already seen delays and industry experts are skeptical whether the mobile OS, whenever it launches, will be on par with existing Apple iPhone OS and Google Android. However, Windows Mobile 7 might already have tough competition with Google's plans for Nexus One at the same event.

With Ford CEO Alan Mulally also delivering a speech at the CES 2010, tech lovers are expecting some news about Ford SYNC - the in-car computer system being developed by Ford and Microsoft. The Ford SYNC is being built on Windows embedded technologies and would be available in about a dozen Ford cars.

There are also high expectations in Vegas for news about Uvo, the partnership between Microsoft and Kia for an infotainment system (to be called Uvo) for cars.

Moreover, as per Microsoft, there are hopes for an integration between Xbox Live and Windows Mobile. Such a device mix would
let Xbox gamers, through the Live network, connect to games on Windows Mobile devices – including their avatars, Gamertags, achievements and Microsoft Points.If this integration in these two technologies takes place, there is a large potential to get new customers for the Windows Mobile platfor, as the Xbox Live population stands today at more than 20 million. And what better place to announce such an ambitious project than CES 2010?

Looking at netbooks, Microsoft Windows XP already has a healthy position in the netbook operating system market and is ready to capitalize on it. Though the Linux based Ubuntu saw rare commercial availability on popular netbooks, Microsoft in October started the Windows 7 Starter Edition. The lightweight OS has lesser features in Windows 7 and there's no upgrade version available, but this would work with the less powerful netbooks. Expect Microsoft to push Windows 7 on netbooks at CES this week.