New Delhi, May 26 (IANS) Microsoft is betting big on cloud computing and innovative software that makes devices more interactive and intelligent, the software major's chief executive Steve Ballmer said here Thursday.

 
 "You have to build compelling new experiences. The cloud would leverage internet as a programming surface," said Ballmer, adding that about 300,000 jobs will be created in India as a result of cloud computing boom here.
 
 “This cloud computing phenomena will drive growth. It will enable businesses to use IT more productively. We expect and predict that there will be over 300,000 jobs created in the next five years alone in India,” Ballmer said.
 
 Talking about some of the companies that are using its cloud computing platform, Ballmer said the Royal Challengers Bangalore of the Indian Premier League were being given real time information and analysis on various aspects of the game by Sporting Mindz -- a Bangalore based IT firm.
 
 The Microsoft chief executive is in India to share his ideas on emerging technology and innovation and is also scheduled to deliver  IIT-Delhi's Golden Jubilee lecture.
 
 Ballmer also said that innovations in technology within the next five years would enable devices to become simpler to handle and smarter.
 
 "The way in which we interact with technology will become simpler and more human over the course of next 2-5 years. When I say technology, it could  be a phone, a TV, PCs. The evolution (of these devices) is going to be more and more in the way how people work," the Microsoft biggie told a packed conference room here.
 
 Citing the example of Kinect -- a controller free gaming experience, which enables users to control and interact with the company's popular gaming platform Xbox 360 - Ballmer said devices in the future will be highly interactive and sense what the person needs. Kinect Sensor for Xbox was launched in November last year.
 
 "You can wave at it, touch it and without having anything in your hand, the sensors recognises your hand and it can project, when you point to something, on the big screen," said Ballmer.
 
 "So voice, computer vision, touch, these are all fundamental natural user interface technologies which will be very very important," he added.
 
 Another innovation, Ballmer spoke about was smarter computers that carry out detailed activities by just simple commands.
 
 Talking about the success of its Windows 7 operating system, Ballmer said that since the launch of Windows 7 about 500 million PCs have been shipped. He, however, chose not to comment on the launch of Windows 8 version.
 
 “The race is on to push Windows to new form factors,” he said.