4. Storm the Googleplex
Microsoft vs. Google. With Microsoft moving quickly into the service realm and with Google eyeing the enterprise, this battle will be as hot as ever in 2009. The two have coffers stuffed with cash, executives with big ideas and a passion to stomp the other into submission. The most active battlefield is likely to be around productivity applications with Web-based versions of Office applications slated from Microsoft and Google trying desperately to put IT features into its Apps platform. Of course, there will always be the fight for advertising dollars and search eyeballs, but with Google's sizeable lead it isn't likely to feel much heat from Microsoft in those areas.
5. Watson. Come here. I need you.
That phrase signaled the first revolution in voice; will Office Communications Server (OCS) signal the next? Microsoft wants nothing less than to drive the PBX into software. With some shaky players on the traditional telecom side, including partner Nortel, the time could be ripe for a big strategic push given that OCS 2007 R2 is slated to ship in February with features that will eliminate the need for on-premises gateways to handle VoIP calls.
Honorable mentions
Other issues Microsoft can't afford to ignore include the race to build interoperability with open source software, document formats and virtualized servers. Plus, Silverlight could be a game changer in terms of defining the standard for rich Internet applications. In the Office 14 arena, questions around when, what and why will finally get answers. Finally, will a Microsoft-branded phone/device emerge (think Zune-like) to challenge iPhone, BlackBerry and Android?
