(Image source: Beta News)

BY ADAM FALK

ANCHOR MEGAN MURPHY

Some are calling it the end of an era. Others the beginning of the end. Monday night marks the last time a Microsoft CEO will deliver the opening keynote at the Consumer Electronics Show.

It’s a tradition that goes back to 1995 and Bill Gates. But as The New York Times notes, current CEO Steve Ballmer’s CES address and the company’s decision to leave the show after 2012 highlight a change in the industry.   

“…the need for buzz and branding has become more acute. The most innovative players — like Apple and Amazon — need to stand out from the crowd and so have chosen to introduce their products at smaller, more narrowly defined conferences and company-only events.”

Just think about it. The iPhone, Kindle Fire and even Microsoft’s own Kinect -- three of the hottest gadgets around -- weren’t introduced at CES. San Jose Mercury News points to last year as a reason the show is powering down.

“Much of the buzz at last year's show, for example, focused on new tablets, such as Research In Motion's PlayBook and Motorola's Xoom, that would rival Apple's iPad. But those devices ended up being commercial busts.”

But a blogger for Technologizer says-- hold your criticism.  CES is more about showcasing new product categories, like this year’s expected influx of super-thin laptops -- called ultrabooks.

“CES has never had anything like a monopoly on major product announcements. … the Xbox 360 wasn’t announced at CES. And neither was the PlayStation 2, the PlayStation 3, or the Wii. Or Windows 95. Or TiVo. Or the PalmPilot. I could go on.”

So if we can theoretically look forward to Apple-style company launches from Microsoft in 2012, what should we expect from Ballmer’s keynote? CNET says...

“...rather than force news that's not quite ready, and fight for attention with the other product launches at CES, Microsoft will use this year's event to highlight announcements it's already made.”

So look for a some Windows 7 talk, a little Windows 8, definitely some Windows Phone and ultrabook pics and maybe even a dash of Xbox discussion. But perhaps just as likely, a few watery eyes as Microsoft says goodbye.