REDMOND, Wash. — Feb. 9, 2011 — Have you ever wondered about the people behind the products at Microsoft? Have you ever wondered, who are the people that give us that “aha” moment when we see new, innovative technology? Well, the Windows Embedded News Center (WENC) editorial staff thought we would give a sneak peek into the lives of the people who are the brains behind Windows Embedded, to see what makes them tick and how they’re working to continually evolve the platforms that enable original equipment manufacturers to deliver the latest devices that are woven throughout our lives. Their work spans homes and cars to offices and retailers and beyond.
We recently sat down with Microsoft Windows Embedded Senior Technical Product Manager, Cuong Pham, to discuss where he got his start in technology, what he finds most interesting about advances in the field and how he came to be one of the brains behind Windows Embedded”
Windows Embedded Senior Technical Product Manager Cuong Pham
WENC: What makes you one of the brains behind Windows Embedded?
Cuong: I have worked with Windows Embedded and Microsoft going on five years now, so I’ve had a good amount of time to understand the world of embedded technology.
I received my MS in computer science from Northwestern University. Before working at Microsoft, I began my career at Lucent Technologies where my special project team prototyped the world’s first 3G wireless networks, mobile solutions and experiences.
In recent months, my team and I have been super busy creating technical marketing content for a number of upcoming products that will go to market later this year. We’ve developed everything from demos and videos to white papers and virtual labs to help better articulate how developers can use these new platforms to develop amazing devices and solutions.
WENC: What do you find most interesting about working on Windows Embedded initiatives/technologies?
Cuong: The products and software that I’m exposed to are interesting, but even more so are the super talented people on the Windows Embedded team and across Microsoft that I am in contact with daily. They enable me to learn something new every day, whether it be about embedded technology or other markets, and offer different perspectives on how embedded devices can be used and thought about by Microsoft’s audiences.
WENC: What is an interesting fact about you?
Cuong: I guess one interesting fact would be that in graduate school I had the opportunity to write artificial intelligence (AI) code and spent a good amount of my time chasing after robots.
WENC: What is an interesting aspect of technology that you follow and why?
Cuong: I find most advances in technology today pretty interesting. It’s mind boggling to think of how far we’ve come in developing various types of technology that make everyday tasks that much easier. I’ve always been fascinated by AI and robotics for that very reason. It’s fascinating to try to understand how we can use technology to model human-like intelligence and behavior.
WENC: What one word would you use to describe the Microsoft Windows Embedded Business?
Cuong: Family.
