• October 2, 2003 •
Microsoft Launches Windows XP Media Center Edition 2004
By: Arie Slob
This week Microsoft launched Microsoft® Windows® XP Media Center Edition 2004, the most recent version of the OS that evolves the home PC with easy-to-use integrated digital entertainment that consumers can enjoy. It combines the functionality of traditional PC applications such as Microsoft Word and Excel with the ability to enjoy music, television, personal video recording, pictures, digital video and DVD with remote control access.
"Windows XP Media Center Edition 2004 is a great example of integrating software, hardware and services to create simple and compelling experiences that enhance people's lives," said Jim Allchin, group vice president of the Platforms Group at Microsoft. "We've moved from designing feature by feature to designing complete scenarios that influence not just software, but also hardware and services requirements. We're entering the era of eXPerience Computing -- Media Center Edition 2004, which gives customers easy access to great entertainment experiences, is the first in a long line of product releases that will benefit from this holistic approach."
More than 40 original equipment manufacturers around the world will begin shipping Media Center Edition 2004 PCs to consumers in Asia, Canada, Europe and the United States. The following are among these PC manufacturers: Dell, Fujitsu Ltd., Fujitsu Siemens Computers, Gateway, Gericom AG, Hitachi Ltd., HP, NEC, NEC CI/Packard Bell, Samsung, Sony, SOTEC, Toshiba, TriGem.
Consumers are demanding more of their home PCs, and, according to a recent report issued by Jupiter Research ("Consumer PCs and Digital Entertainment"), entertainment has now evolved to become a mainstream consumer PC activity: "In the past, consumers bought PCs for connectivity and productivity applications -- e-mail, Web browsing, word processing, doing taxes, etc. Microsoft's second-generation Windows XP Media Center Edition will become the standard OS offering for midlevel PCs and some desktop replacement notebooks over the next 12 to 18 months."
Microsoft is responding to this demand by providing key feature enhancements including the following:
- Radio (FM). Consumers can listen to their favorite FM radio stations with one-button access from the remote control. Listening to NPR and missing an interview with a favorite author is no longer a problem: Listeners can simply press Replay and jump back seven seconds in the broadcast or Pause the interview if they need to step away.
- CD-copying capability. Consumers can copy CDs to the Media Library using the remote control: When they insert a music CD, it will automatically copy and show up in their music library.
- Enhanced photo features. Consumers can play slide shows from their summer vacation from the comfort of the couch by simply inserting a smart media or CompactFlash card or a CD to access photos. They can rotate, zoom, print and even remove red-eye with the touch of one button.
- Calibration Wizard. This feature helps consumers customize the best picture for a variety of monitors, including CRT (standard), flat panel (LCD, Plasma), rear projection and front projection displays.
- Enhanced 16 x 9 support. Users can take full advantage of wide-screen displays by using more of the screen for Media Center content.
Microsoft has worked with PC manufacturers to provide low-cost upgrade options for consumers currently using a Media Center PC. For a minimal cost* (S&H), customers can order a CD from their Media Center PC computer manufacturer that will allow them to take advantage of the Media Center Edition 2004 enhancements. Additional information on upgrading Media Center PCs can be found at the Microsoft Web site.
* Actual upgrade costs will be determined by individual PC manufacturers
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