Windows upgrade tightens security

LAS VEGAS — Microsoft founder Bill Gates last night showed off his long awaited Windows Vista operating system, which focuses on security, media, and moving content between computers, televisions, and mobile devices, at the annual International Consumer Electronics Show.

In a two-hour keynote address that included assists from Microsoft executives and pop star Justin Timberlake, Gates also showed off the new products from his company and its partners, most of which will be available to consumers before the end of the year.

In typical fashion, he also used his time to expound on his vision of a digital future in which Microsoft software powers everything from tables that interact with cellphones to glass panels for the home that can access media from multiple sources.

‘‘2006 is going to be a big year for digital lifestyle,’’ Gates said.

Besides highlighting Vista, a major operating system upgrade set for release later this year, Gates also discussed how Microsoft’s Xbox game console and media-oriented software for PCs and electronics gadgets are aiming to help consumers connect more easily with each other, get more entertainment, and deliver more high-definition video.

The new Vista system, formerly code-named Longhorn, will feature faster, improved searches for data, music, photos or video content. It will also have an updated media player that will allow users to more easily play back digital content from any PC in the house. And it will add support for high definition video via the burgeoning ‘‘CableCard’’ technology that lets users get digital cable simply by inserting an access card from their cable operators.

But of all Vista’s improvements, many analysts were focused most intently on the operating system’s security enhancements.

Nitin Gupta, an analyst with the Boston technology consulting firm Yankee Group, said Vista needs to be a big security upgrade over Windows XP for it to draw significant interest.

‘‘The real draw will be that it’s a much more secure offering,’’ he said. ‘‘That’s the big failing of Windows and what causes bad user experiences.’’

In his talk last night, Gates discussed the company’s progress in promoting digital entertainment and services, and bringing its platform to an increasing number of electronics devices.

Some examples include the new Windows-based Treo smartphone from Palm Inc.; the upcoming movie download service from Starz Entertainment Group that will allow users to view full-length films and TV shows on a crop of new Windows-based portable devices; and a growing slate of entertainment-oriented machines based on the Windows Media Center Edition.

Media Center-based PCs picked up a lot of traction in 2005, Gates said. Cumulative unit sales to date are 6.5 million worldwide, of which 5.5 million were logged last year, he said.

In addition, Intel Corp., which is promoting its so-called Viiv chip technologies aimed for multimedia machines for the networked, digital home, will require that Viiv customers base their products on Microsoft’s Media Center Edition.

Meanwhile, demand for the Xbox 360, which debuted in late November, is exceeding the company’s own expectations.

Microsoft is on track to have shipped 4.5 million to 5.5 million units by the end of June, Gates said.

Shortages experienced during the holidays were due to high demand and normal manufacturing complexities in building a new product, he said.

Keith Reed can be reached at reed@globe.com. Material from Globe wires was used in this report.