Few ideas are completely in a vacuum, but Microsoft has added great value to some ideas. Right off the top of my head they produced the first decent mouse, and Photosynth takes VR photography to a whole new level (I've done VR photos, it was never this cool and easy).
Microsoft's first mice were not noticeably different from Genius mice and the optical technology was acquired from Agilent Systems.
Photosynth was developed by Seadragon Software and acquired by Microsoft in 2005.
Microsoft is magnificent in leveraging their considerable war chest to buy innovation and putting on a fresh layer of shrinkwrap.