Bill Gates is set to open this year's Consumer Electronics Show with his ninth consecutive kickoff address--his 11th in just under a decade-and-a-half. By many accounts, the speech is set to be a touch more bitter than sweet this year, which many predict will be his last, though, it should be noted that pundits had suggested as much before.

It hasn't exactly been a banner year for Microsoft, which has long been a--if not the--dominant force in personal computing. Vista was, by many accounts, something of a failure, and while it must be pointed out that such statements are certainly relative, the unsteady launch of the OS was a major stumbling block for a company, which, for the past couple of decades, has been expanding its dominance with no sign of relenting.

The company has also been struggling to gain some traction in the world of digital audio, unquestionably dominated by Apple, who had spent the better part of 90s unable to creep out from the massive shadow cast by Gates' Microsoft. The second iteration of the Zune was certainly more impressive than the first, but the iron industry grip of the iPod shows no sign of abating in the near future. Even the Xbox 360, expected by many to dominate the next-gen console war, was eclipsed by the unexpectedly massive success of Nintendo's family-friendly Wii.

Predictions for this year's keynote are decidedly mixed, some expecting new multimedia announcements for existing products, and others suggesting that Gates will play up the importance of the company's stunning Surface tabletop interface. I've spoken with very few folks, however, who expect Gates to introduce some earth-shattering killer app.

Gates' keynote is set for tonight at 6:30 PST, at the Venetian, here on the Vegas Strip. One thing's for sure--whatever transpires tonight, Gearlog will be bringing it to you. Look for our liveblogging updates tonight, as the keynote unfolds.

For our full CES 2008 coverage, check out PC Mag.com.