This unique dashboard, to be launched next month, will provide a variety of information through select keys on the screen by integrating itself to various related database, said Karthik Padmanabhan, product manager (desktop and applications).

Other new features in the pipeline include webstore, mobility in wireless and intelligent interfaces. These will be launched in an year's time, he said.

Webstore is a concept which will help store any kind of data related to a particular topic, be it text, voice or even e-mail, all on one website.

While mobility in wireless is expected to be achieved by integrating computers withcommunication devices such as cellular and wireless phones, so as to conduct live meetings via phones akin to tele-conferencing, intelligent interfaces will see computers working by oral commands. This would be made possible by introducing concepts such as natural language processing and voice recognition in computers.

These new features are an outcome of the thrust on knowledge management (KM) initiatives of Microsoft, said Karthik. The focus of the KM initiative is to bring technology closer to people so as to help them arrive at right decisions at the right time, he added.

Knowledge management is that management discipline which treats intellectual capital as a managed asset. It is integrating technology with diverse knowledge sources such as database, websites, employee's personal experiences (referred to as knowledge assets). The employees themselves are referred as knowledge workers.

Microsoft has logged on to KM initiative with a view to extracting more information out of technologicaladvancement, said Karthik. More advanced features can be expected to be introduced in future in line with this thrust area, he said.