The Hidden Surprises and Easter Eggs in Microsoft Inspire Events

How Microsoft likes to sneak in some fun and humor in its annual partner conference

Microsoft Inspire is the annual partner conference where Microsoft showcases its latest innovations, solutions and programs for its global partner community. It’s a great opportunity to learn from Microsoft executives and experts, network with peers and industry leaders, and discover new ways to grow your business with Microsoft. (And the ’23 one is ongoing at the time of this article publication time — register now!)

But Microsoft Inspire is not just about serious business. It’s also about having some fun and humor along the way. Microsoft likes to sneak in some hidden surprises and easter eggs in its Inspire events, ranging from subtle animations to witty jokes to geeky references. These easter eggs are not only entertaining, but also reveal some of the personality and culture of Microsoft and its partners.

In this article, I will share some of my favorite easter eggs from the past few years of Microsoft Inspire events. Let’s take a look!

The Spinning Cog

In Inspire 2021, Microsoft announced a new Windows 365 service that allows users to stream Windows 10 or 11 from the cloud to any device. However, some eagle-eyed viewers noticed that the demo video showed a spinning cog icon when right-clicking on the Settings app in Windows 11. This is a subtle animation that was also present in the Notepad app in Windows 10.

The spinning cog is a cute and simple easter egg that adds some life and movement to the otherwise static icons. It’s also a nice way to acknowledge the hard work and dedication of the developers and engineers behind Windows.

The Holographic Dragon

In Inspire 2019, Microsoft revealed a new HoloLens 2 device that uses mixed reality to create immersive experiences for users. One of the demos showed how HoloLens 2 can be used to create holographic dragons that can interact with the environment and the user. The dragon could fly around, breathe fire, roar, and even respond to voice commands.

The holographic dragon was a cool way to demonstrate the capabilities and potential of HoloLens 2, as well as to appeal to the fantasy fans and Game of Thrones lovers out there. It was also a nod to the popular culture and media that inspire many of the creative minds at Microsoft.

The Smart Barbecue

In Inspire 2018, Microsoft showcased a new Azure Sphere solution that provides security and connectivity for IoT devices. One of the examples was a smart barbecue that can monitor the temperature and doneness of the meat, as well as send notifications to the user’s phone. The smart barbecue was connected to an Azure Sphere device that ran on Linux.

The smart barbecue was a humorous example of how IoT can enable new scenarios for everyday devices, as well as how Azure Sphere can support diverse platforms and ecosystems. It was also a clever way to make the audience hungry and curious about what else Azure Sphere can do.

The Hidden Message

In Inspire 2017, Microsoft announced a new Microsoft 365 offering that combines Office 365, Windows 10 and Enterprise Mobility + Security into a single subscription. One of the slides showed a hidden message in binary code that read “There is no cloud. It’s just someone else’s computer.” This was a playful reference to a popular meme that pokes fun at the concept of cloud computing.

The hidden message was a humorous way to acknowledge the skepticism and confusion that some people may have about cloud computing, as well as to highlight the importance of security and privacy in the cloud. It was also a clever way to challenge the audience to decode the message and discover the easter egg.

The Hidden Joke

In Inspire 2016, Microsoft introduced a new Microsoft Professional Degree program that provides online courses and certifications for various skills and technologies. One of the courses was about data science, and it featured a hidden joke in the syllabus. The course description said “This course will teach you how to use Excel to perform data analysis on data sets larger than 640K.” This was a sarcastic remark on the limitation of Excel in handling large data sets, as well as a reference to Bill Gates’ famous quote “640K ought to be enough for anybody.”

The hidden joke was a funny way to poke fun at Excel’s reputation as a data analysis tool, as well as to pay homage to one of the most iconic quotes in computer history. It was also a clever way to show the contrast between the old and the new technologies and skills that Microsoft offers.

These are some of the easter eggs that I found across the various Inspire events. I hope you enjoyed them as much as I did. I think they show that Microsoft is not only a serious and innovative company, but also a fun and humorous one. They also show that Microsoft values its partners and wants to make them smile and laugh along the way.

What are some of your favorite easter eggs from Microsoft Inspire?