Microsoft Corp. made its biggest move into the mobile and Internet-accessible world of “cloud” computing on June 28, 2011.

The world’s largest software company took the wraps off a revamped online version of its hugely profitable Office software suite.

From in.finance.yahoo.com:

The world’s largest software company is heaving its two-decade old set of applications — including Outlook email, Excel spreadsheets and SharePoint collaboration tools — into an online format so that customers can use them on a variety of devices from wherever they can get an Internet connection.

It wants to push back against Google Inc, which has stolen a small but worrying percentage of corporate customers with cheaper, web-only alternatives, which remove the need for companies to spend time on installing software or managing servers.

“It puts Microsoft in a better position than they were — they now have a broad product that they can more easily sell,” said Michael Silver, an analyst at tech research firm Gartner.

Microsoft shares rose 0.8 percent on Tuesday, following a 3.7 percent jump the day before, partly buoyed by hopes that the company can ultimately boost profits by extending its software dominance to the growing cloud sector.

One test customer “expects to cut travel costs and reduce carbon emissions by 30 percent after they retire the 60 servers they think they will save,” said Chief Executive Steve Ballmer.

Tags: collaboration tools, Excel spreadsheets, Google, Microsoft, Outlook email, software company, Steve Ballmer

The latest technological creation for game systems, Kinect, was unveiled by Microsoft. This creation will help users direct the Xbox with their body movements.

Kinect is able to identify movements and voices of players and help them interact with their existing Xbox 360s; some games can be played using Kinect without even requiring a handheld controller.

From Sify.com:

“You are the controller,” ABC News quoted Mike Delman, corporate vice president of Global Marketing for the Interactive Entertainment Business, as saying.

He added: “You simply step in front of the sensor and Kinect sees you move, hears your voice and recognizes your face.”

Facial and voice recognition in the Kinect will allow users to log into their Xbox LIVE accounts without pressing a button, and interacting with the system’s interface is just a hand’s wave away.

It was announced by Microsoft that Kinect would be available Nov. 4, with 15 launch titles.

Tags: Kinect, marketing, Microsoft, Xbox, Xbox 360s, Xbox LIVE accounts