Well, let Microsoft say whatever they want. I'm actually working on this thing for a while, and it's almost finished.

Having your e-mail read out by a Text-to-Speech Synthesizer is not something new, and there are ways to make the process easier for the end-user. Actually I think that this will be a field where the initiative will be in the ISPs and the Telecoms. The reason is that good quality TTS systems are in no way affordable by the average user.

However, PIMs with features like web access (as offered by CC) will at some time allow even the average user to have this kind of service at even lower costs. All one needs now is an affordable high quality TTS system...

At my desk, there's a Cisco VoIP phone. Voicemail left on the phone automatically generates a message in Outlook with a .wav attachment, which can be forwarded, replied to and saved. When I'm away from my desk and I dial in for messages, I can listen to voicemail or have the TTS read me my email. When I want to make a call, I can choose the number in my Outlook contacts lists, hit a button and the phone dials the number. I'm told (although it hasn't been implemented) that there's a feature which will open my Outlook contacts for incoming calls, based on Caller ID. I'm wondering why Bill G. says this will be in the future... Is it because he plans on integrating Outlook into the OS? Or am I just totally off base since this functionality I use every day is due to my working in a large company with an Exchange mail system?

Evan, I think that the difference is that all of this will be built in on the client rather than depending on expensive server-side infrastructure. There is a big difference. Whether they'll deliver on that in a timely fashion is another matter...

Chris, I agree. :) But Gates was pointing to a larger picture as well I think.. although it might be my imagination, that is, my mind filling in the holes with my own tech-fantasies. I guess we'll just have to wait.

Chris, its not particularly new nor is it desperately expensive any more (if one were equipping an office for an SME the entry level e.g. Mitel hardware is more or less affordable).

The point - I think - is firstly that it isn't done anywhere near as often as it should be and secondly that to make it work requires an investment in specific hardware. What MS are suggesting is that they will add stuff to allow the PC to provide a more generic solution.

Mind you whilst the product may be good Mitel charge the same for a PC based soft-phone as they do the equivalent physical phone VopIP complete with PC integration software...