Chris Lanier's Blog : Media Player

Short Bits: Vaio LT, Album Art, HD DVD, Plug-ins

chrisl — Wed, 29 Aug 2007 12:46:00 GMT

In October, Sony will start selling their Vaio LT HD PC/TV. It’s an all-in-one PC 22-inch LCD TV with a PC built-in. There will be a standard and an HD model that includes Blu-ray and CableCARD, I’m assuming only a single tuner though. Cool idea, but I don’t see this pushing too many units. Sony, like HP has a few innovative PC concepts out there but I don’t think the general public is really ready for something like this.

A week or so ago Jason Dunn wrote an article about Microsoft not getting embedded album art. I agree, I’ve been struggling with some album art recently and it’s ridiculous that I have to spend time troubleshooting and thinking about something like album art. Not only that, the either Windows Media Player team is behind the times. Microsoft is concentrating too much on thing like the Zune and online services and not putting enough time into their flagship player. Windows Media Player needs a lot of work, and it seems very little gets done with every release.

There have been tons of HD DVD deals out in the past few days. First of all, if you pick up a Toshiba HD-A2, HD-A20 or HD-XA2 at Amazon you also get five free HD DVDs via snail mail and an addition three free as part on a promotion that ends on the September 23. Figuring $20 a disc, you are basically getting a HD DVD player for free or really cheap. There is also a deal where you can get the Xbox 360 HD DVD drive for $180 and get nine HD DVDs with that!

And lastly for a free plug-in notes, MCEBuddy is a DVRMSToolbox-like application that could be considered to have a more understandable UI for beginners. Looks pretty cool. Converts files to other formats, remove commercials, etc.

Ryan Hurst got around to updating one of the most popular applications for Media Center, My Netflix is now updated for a better Vista install. Other changes include the images and bug fixes.

Short Bits: Apple TV, Ubuntu on Dell, WMP Remote

chrisl — Tue, 22 May 2007 22:04:00 GMT

No One Likes Apple TV?

Ubuntu, Dell PC Multimedia Codec Issue

WMP Remote from the maker of DVRMSToolbox

Internet Explorer 7 Overwriting Album Art with Black JPEGs?

chrisl — Thu, 02 Nov 2006 01:49:00 GMT

There has been an interesting problem reported that strangely relates to Internet Explorer 7, overwriting existing album art with pure black album art. The issue has been seen at The Green Button (and AVS Forum) and I have a repro on my system.

Only two albums out of my 350+ were affected, so I haven’t looked into the issue deeply. Those who have had large amounts of their album art broken are reporting that reverting back to Internet Explorer 6 fixes the issue which I find kind of interesting. I didn’t look into how the uninstall process goes for Internet Explorer 7, but I assume if the album art is reverting back then System Restore must be being used in the uninstall process.

It’s an interesting bug, exactly how does the installation of Internet Explorer 7 actually overwrite the album art itself? I don’t know if it’s been reported, but does this stop at album art? Does anyone have any JPEG’s on their machines that have been overwritten?

This is a pretty serious bug, it’s not often that a bug that actually causes data loss makes it into a final build.

Anything from an Internet Explorer, Windows Media Player, or Media Center team would be greatly appreciated.

The screenshot below shows an album on my computer those album art has somehow been overwritten with pure blackness.

Windows Media Player 11 for Windows XP Released

chrisl — Mon, 30 Oct 2006 19:16:00 GMT

Windows Media Player 11 for Windows XP | Windows Media Player 11 offers great new ways to store and enjoy all of your digital media. It's easier than ever to access all of your music, video, pictures, and recorded TV on your computer. Play it, view it, organize it, and sync it to a portable device for enjoying on the go, or share with devices around your home - all from one place. Windows Media Player 11 is designed to work with all versions of Windows XP with Service Pack 2, including Windows XP Home Edition N and Windows XP Professional N.

PLEASE NOTE: Many of the great stores you know in Windows Media Player 10 are available in this version of the Player. Check out a list of online stores at the Online Stores page.

For more information, see the Readme.

NOTE: Please read Installing the Player on Windows XP Media Center Edition for directions on installing Windows Media Player 11 on Windows XP Media Center Edition.

Windows Media Player 11 Beta 2 Released

chrisl — Fri, 01 Sep 2006 18:27:00 GMT

Windows Media Player 11 Beta 2 | What's new in this beta release compared to the first beta release of Windows Media Player 11 for Windows XP?

The following list highlights some of the major changes since the first beta release of Windows Media Player 11 for Windows XP.

Fixing issues. Fixes have been made for issues that occurred in the first beta release of Windows Media Player 11 for Windows XP.
Additional online stores are now available. More online stores are available in this beta release of Windows Media Player 11 for Windows XP. For a listing of online stores that are now available, see Availability of online stores.
Changes to sharing digital media content. The functionality of Windows Media Connect is now integrated into Windows Media Player 11 Beta 2 for Windows XP as the new Media Sharing feature, which lets you enjoy the contents of your Windows Media Player library from anywhere in your home. If you have a home network (wired or wireless), you can use Windows Media Player 11 to stream the contents of your library to networked devices such as Xbox 360 or other digital media receivers. For more information, go to Digital Media at Home.

Note that digital media sharing is targeted for home users; therefore, computers that are joined to a domain might experience issues when trying to share digital media.

Release Notes for Windows Media Player 11 Beta 2 for Windows XP

Windows Media Video 9 Advanced Profile Update Beta

chrisl — Thu, 06 Jul 2006 15:51:00 GMT

Windows Media Video 9 Advanced Profile Update Beta | This update allows applications such as Windows Media Encoder 9 Series to create VC-1 Advanced Profile content. The package also includes an update to the Windows Media Encoder 9 Series command-line encoder script (wmcmd.vbs) that adds support for Advanced Profile.

Quick Details
File Name:   wvc1dmo.exe
Version:   V1
Date Published:   6/27/2006
Language:   English
Download Size:   900 KB

MTV Networks Unveils URGE on Windows Media Player 11 Platform

chrisl — Thu, 18 May 2006 21:20:00 GMT

MTV Networks Unveils URGE Digital Music Service on Microsoft’s New Windows Media Player 11 Platform | MTV Networks, a division of Viacom International Inc., and Microsoft Corp. today unveiled the public beta of URGE and the new Windows Media Player 11 beta. URGE, MTV Networks’ new digital music service, is seamlessly integrated with the new Microsoft Windows Media Player 11, and builds upon MTV Networks’ renowned music heritage, offering rich, handcrafted programming, first-rate editorial and innovative music discovery features to create a truly immersive entertainment experience. URGE is the recommended digital music service in Windows Media Player 11 beta, which offers enhanced search and media management capabilities, a visually driven user interface and optimized portable music player support. MTV Networks and Microsoft collaborated closely on the development of URGE and Windows Media Player 11, creating a unified and integrated user experience.

Just as MTV, VH1 and CMT are recognized for their ability to curate music, URGE offers unparalleled context to all styles of music, as well as rich music programming to guide users through a world of virtually infinite music choices. Innovative features also bring music discovery to the fore, exposing users to new artists and genres they might not otherwise encounter.

“When we first set out to design URGE, our goal was to create an immersive experience that surrounded fans in all things music,” said Van Toffler, president of MTV Networks Music/Logo/Films Group. “URGE distinguishes itself through handcrafted programming, innovative music discovery features and unique integration with Windows Media Player 11. It’s an important pillar of MTV Networks’ overall digital strategy, and as our audience continues to embrace digital music delivery, URGE will serve as a vital vehicle to connect fans with all the music they love.”

“We wanted to create a media player that delivers the most powerful features in a program that is intuitive and fun to use,” said Mike Sievert, corporate vice president of Windows Client Marketing at Microsoft. “So in designing Windows Media Player 11, we incorporated a significant amount of feedback from music fans and worked hand in hand with MTV Networks. As a result, Windows Media Player 11 truly revolutionizes the way we enjoy music and provides a test drive of the breakthrough entertainment capabilities people will experience in the forthcoming Windows Vista operating system.”

Read Full Press Release

Windows Media Player 11 Beta Released

chrisl — Thu, 18 May 2006 21:18:00 GMT

Windows Media Player 11 Beta | Windows Media Player 11 for Windows XP offers you unmatched choice and flexibility for your digital media. Easily manage your libraries of digital music, photos, and videos on your computer, and then sync with a variety of portable devices so you can enjoy it all wherever you want.

PLEASE NOTE: If you use Windows Media Player to access a favorite online store, some are not available for this beta release. The following stores are available in the Windows Media Player 11 beta release: Audible, f.y.e., Live365, Movielink, MSN Music, Napster, Passalong, Puretracks, URGE, Wal-Mart and XM Radio. For more information, see the Readme.

Quick Details
File Name:        wmp11-windowsxp-x86-enu.exe
Version:            11
Date Published: 5/15/2006
Language:         English
Download Size:            23.0 MB

Windows Media Player 11 for Windows XP in June

chrisl — Thu, 20 Apr 2006 15:11:00 GMT

Windows Media Player 11 for XP Due by June (Microsoft Watch) | Mary Jo Foley says that Microsoft officials say they are planning to release the Windows Media Player 11 version for Windows XP in June. Thomas Hawk seemed to be happy about the announcement, but I’m not sure that the Media Library performance increases will come in this version. I think you will be waiting until Vista to get that performance jump.

Security Update for Windows Media Player 10 for Windows XP

chrisl — Sat, 15 Apr 2006 00:36:00 GMT

Security Update for Windows Media Player 10 for Windows XP (KB911565) | A security issue has been identified that could allow an attacker to remotely compromise your Windows-based system using Windows Media Player and gain control over it. You can help protect your computer by installing this update from Microsoft. After you install this item, you may have to restart your computer.

Quick Details
File Name:      WindowsMedia10-KB911565-v2-x86-ENU.exe
Version:          911565
Security Bulletins:     MS06-005
Knowledge Base (KB) Articles:        KB911565
Date Published:          4/11/2006
Download Size:           2.4 MB

Microsoft Unveils Windows Vista Product Lineup

chrisl — Mon, 27 Feb 2006 05:06:00 GMT

Microsoft Unveils Windows Vista Product Lineup | Microsoft Corp. today announced the product lineup of its upcoming Windows Vista operating system. Scheduled for release later this year, the Microsoft Windows Vista product lineup will bring clarity to customers’ digital world by helping them easily accomplish everyday tasks, instantly find what they want, enjoy the latest in entertainment, improve the safety of their personal information, stay connected at home or on the go, and help ensure PCs are up-to-date, more secure and running smoothly.

The Windows Vista product lineup consists of six versions, two for businesses, three for consumers, and one for emerging markets: Windows Vista Business, Windows Vista Enterprise, Windows Vista Home Basic, Windows Vista Home Premium, Windows Vista Ultimate and Windows Vista Starter. The number of offerings is the same as the number of offerings currently available for Windows XP. More important, the lineup is designed to deliver clear value to a broad range of customers, each product tailored to meet specific needs of various segments of customers — home PC users, small and medium-sized businesses and the largest enterprises — and is aimed at bringing 64-bit, Media Center and Tablet PC functionality into the mainstream.

“We live in a digital world that is filled with more information, more things to do and more ways to communicate with others than ever,” said Mike Sievert, corporate vice president of Windows Product Management and Marketing at Microsoft. “The PC needs to give people the clarity and confidence to handle this ‘world of more’ so they can focus on what’s most important to them. With our Windows Vista product line, we’ve streamlined and tailored our product lineup to provide what our customers want for today’s computing needs.”

Windows Vista: Designed for Businesses of All Sizes

Business customers can choose from two versions that are designed to meet their needs, based on the size and scale of their organizations:

Windows Vista Business. Windows Vista Business is the operating system designed for organizations of all sizes. For small businesses, Windows Vista Business will help keep PCs running smoothly and more securely so they are less reliant on dedicated IT support. For larger organizations, Windows Vista Business will provide dramatic new infrastructure improvements that will enable IT staff to spend less time focused on day-to-day maintenance of PCs and more time on adding strategic value to the organization. These are some of the specific features of Windows Vista Business:

A new user interface, named Windows Aero™, is designed to deliver the most productive, highest-performing desktop experience possible. Windows Aero will provide a professional-looking, transparent glass design, with subtle effects such as dynamic reflections and smooth animations, along with Windows Flip and Flip 3D desktop navigation features.

In addition to these navigation improvements, Windows Vista Business makes it easier than ever to manage huge volumes of business documents. By integrating search throughout the operating system and providing new ways to organize files, Windows Vista Business helps business users quickly find exactly what they are looking for.

Windows Tablet PC technology provides built-in handwriting recognition and enables interaction with the PC with a digital pen or fingertip instead of a keyboard.

Windows Vista Enterprise. To better address the needs of large global organizations and those with highly complex IT infrastructures, Windows Vista Enterprise is designed to significantly lower IT costs and risk. In addition to all the features available in Windows Vista Business, Windows Vista Enterprise is designed to provide higher levels of data protection using hardware-based encryption technology. It will also include tools to improve application compatibility and will enable organizations to standardize on a single worldwide deployment image with the inclusion of all Windows user-interface languages. Windows Vista Enterprise will be available only to customers who have PCs covered by Microsoft Software Assurance or a Microsoft Enterprise Agreement. These are some of the specific Windows Vista Enterprise features.

Windows BitLocker Drive Encryption helps prevent sensitive data and intellectual property from falling into the wrong hands if a computer is lost or stolen.

Virtual PC Express is one of several built-in tools that improve application compatibility with previous versions of Microsoft operating systems. Virtual PC Express enables a legacy application to run unchanged on a legacy Windows operating system in a virtual environment on top of Windows Vista Enterprise.

Subsystem for UNIX-based Applications enables users to run UNIX applications unchanged on a Windows Vista Enterprise-based PC.

The new user interface Windows Aero is also available in this edition of Windows Vista.

Windows Vista: Incredible New Experiences and Choices for the Home PC User

Consumers can choose from three versions that deliver exciting new experiences for the home PC user:

Windows Vista Home Basic. Windows Vista Home Basic is a great choice for homes with basic computing needs. For consumers who want to simply use the PC to browse the Internet, correspond with friends and family through e-mail or perform basic document creation and editing tasks, Windows Vista Home Basic will deliver a safer, more reliable and more productive computing environment. It will provide new tools and technologies for making the PC more secure and enjoyable, including features such as a new Search Explorer, Sidebar and Parental Controls.
Windows Vista Home Premium. Windows Vista Home Premium will help consumers use mobile or desktop PC functionality more effectively while enabling the enjoyment of new, exciting digital entertainment experiences. Windows Vista Home Premium improves every aspect of digital entertainment experiences, including photos, video, TV, movies, music and games. Windows Vista Home Premium includes everything in Windows Vista Home Basic, along with additional features and enhancements such as the following:

The new user interface Windows Aero is also available in this edition of Windows Vista.

Windows Vista Home Premium integrates search throughout the operating system, helping customers easily organize and quickly find large collections of documents, pictures, movies, videos and music.

Windows Media Center capabilities turn the PC into an all-in-one home entertainment center. Consumers can use Media Center to record and watch TV shows (even high-definition TV) and access new kinds of online entertainment content. It also provides the ability to connect Windows Vista Home Premium to Xbox 360™, extending the Media Center experience to multiple rooms in the home.

Windows Tablet PC technology, which enables interaction with the PC with a digital pen or fingertip instead of a keyboard, is also available in this edition of Windows Vista.

Integrated DVD burning and authoring allows users to seamlessly burn personal videos photos and files to video or data DVDs, and easily create professional-looking DVDs from home movies that can be shared with family and friends.

Windows Vista Ultimate. Windows Vista Ultimate is the edition of Windows Vista that has it all. It is the first operating system that brings together all the entertainment features, mobility features and business-oriented features available in Windows Vista.

All new versions are available for either 32-bit or 64-bit systems, depending on the needs of the customer. Windows Vista Home Basic, Home Premium, Ultimate and Business will be available as a full-packaged product at retail and on new PCs. Windows Vista Enterprise will be offered only to business customers participating in Microsoft’s Software Assurance program.

Microsoft also will offer Windows Vista Starter in emerging markets. Windows Vista Starter is designed to empower families and entry-level PC users in these markets to experience the world of social and educational benefits that personal computer technology and the Internet makes possible. A 32-bit operating system designed specifically for lower-cost computers, Windows Vista Starter enables popular beginner PC activities and provides an easy-to-use and more affordable entry point to the Windows Vista family of products.

“Windows Vista is going to be a significant release for all Windows customers — including enterprises, small and medium-sized businesses as well as consumers,” said Al Gillen, research director for System Software at IDC. “Microsoft’s strategy to address different customer segments with versions of Windows Vista optimized for their needs should be well received by these diverse user segments.”

All versions of Windows Vista are scheduled to be broadly available in the second half of 2006.

Changes In-store for ActiveX Controls? Webmasters/Developers

chrisl — Thu, 19 Jan 2006 23:49:00 GMT

Activating ActiveX Controls (MSDN) | This was posted on MSDN a few days ago and might have a major impact on any site using ActiveX Controls. It sounds like Microsoft is updating ActiveX so that users will have to “activate” the control before it can be used. This would however effect any webpage using ActiveX Controls for something as simple as Windows Media Player. Webmasters should read the MSDN page to better understand these new changes. Thanks Bryan!

“This ActiveX Update will be making minor changes to how Internet Explorer handles some web pages that use ActiveX controls. Examples of ActiveX controls include Macromedia Flash, Apple QuickTime, Real Networks RealOne, Adobe Acrobat Reader, Sun Java Virtual Machine, and Microsoft Windows Media Player. With this update, users cannot directly interact with Microsoft ActiveX controls loaded in certain web pages. Users can interact with such controls only after activating their user interfaces. Web developers will have the ability to update their web pages using the techniques we suggest on MSDN at http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/default.asp?url=/workshop/author/dhtml/overview/activating_activex.asp, so that controls will function without user interaction.”

Microsoft Stops Windows Media Player For the Mac

chrisl — Fri, 13 Jan 2006 21:17:00 GMT

Microsoft Stops Windows Media Player For the Mac | “Microsoft Corp. has stopped developing Windows Media Player for Apple Computer Inc.'s Mac OS X, choosing instead to direct people to a third party that offers components for playing Windows Media files in Apple's QuickTime player.”[…]” Instead of providing a player, Microsoft, based in Redmond, Wash., directs Web site visitors to a page where they can download a free version of Flip4Mac.”

It’s about time! Windows Media Player for Mac sucks, and Flip4Mac should make the experiences better for WMV/WMA playback on the Mac platform. Now, if Apple would just work with Microsoft so WMRM could be updated past v1, Mac users could play protected WMV and WMA files.

Windows Media Components for QuickTime

chrisl — Tue, 10 Jan 2006 20:59:00 GMT

Windows Media Components for QuickTime | With Windows Media® Components for QuickTime, by Flip4Mac, you can play Windows Media files (.wma and .wmv) directly in QuickTime Player and view Windows Media content on the Internet using a Web browser.

Quick Details
File Name: Flip4Mac WMV 2.0.dmg
Version: 1.0
Date Published: 1/10/2006
Language: English
Download Size: 3.6 MB

Overview
With Windows Media® for QuickTime, by Flip4Mac, you can play Windows Media files (.wma and .wmv) directly in QuickTime Player and view Windows Media content on the Internet using a Web browser.

Optimized for High-Definition Playback:
Windows Media Components for QuickTime has been highly optimized for Power Mac G4 and G5 computers and supports playback of high-definition Windows Media video files.

Upgrade to Advanced Features:
Windows Media playback is provided for free. By upgrading, you can import Windows Media files for editing and create Windows Media files for distribution. To learn more about these advanced features, visit the Flip4Mac Web site.

Microsoft CES Press Releases

chrisl — Thu, 05 Jan 2006 02:40:00 GMT

Microsoft Showcases Windows Innovations to Help Customers Navigate Through the Digital “World of More”

Microsoft and MTV Networks Unveil New Windows Media Player 11 and Preview URGE, a New Digital Music Service

New Windows Mobile-Based Portable Media Centers Show Off Latest Features, Popular Movies and Sleek New Devices

Gates Outlines Vision for the Digital Lifestyle and Showcases New Products and Technologies From Microsoft

Gates Outlines Vision for the Digital Lifestyle and Showcases New Products

chrisl — Thu, 05 Jan 2006 02:32:00 GMT

Gates Outlines Vision for the Digital Lifestyle and Showcases New Products and Technologies From Microsoft | Highlighting key consumer products such as Xbox 360 and offering the first broad demonstration of the consumer features of Windows Vista, Microsoft Corp. Chairman and Chief Software Architect Bill Gates showed how the company is delivering on its vision for a digital lifestyle where devices, services and applications work together seamlessly. In his 10th annual keynote address at the 2006 International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, Gates demonstrated how Microsoft Windows Vista, Xbox 360, new mobile devices and the emerging wave of software-based services will deliver more connected and richly personalized experiences for consumers.

In his keynote, Gates said that the consumer electronics industry is poised to deliver a quantum leap forward in rich, interactive, high-definition experiences. “Technology has revolutionized how we listen to music, watch TV, play games, communicate, and manage and share personal information,” he said. “In the years ahead, further exciting innovations will unify the software, hardware and services in people’s lives, offering them even richer, more engaging and deeply connected experiences.”

Windows Vista Unveiled

In the first broad demonstration of Windows Vista for consumers, Gates showed how Microsoft’s next-generation operating system, due later this year, will offer customers powerful new advances in security, search capability and digital entertainment. He highlighted how Windows Vista will bring clarity to customers’ digital world and help them easily accomplish everyday tasks, instantly find what they want, enjoy the latest in entertainment, keep their personal information safe, and stay connected at home or on the go.

He highlighted some of the most compelling consumer-oriented features of Windows Vista, including a sleek user interface, richer multitasking experiences and deep integration of search throughout the operating system. He also showed the new Windows Photo Gallery, which will make managing and working with digital photos easier.

He showcased the most advanced Windows games platform for everyone from casual players to hard-core gamers, including stunning graphics capabilities, by premiering Microsoft Games Studios’ forthcoming “Flight Simulator X,” the most realistic flight simulator in the franchise’s 25-year history.

Gates was joined onstage by MTV Networks’ Music Group President Van Toffler to showcase the forthcoming URGE digital music service, which is designed to bring people’s emotional connections with music to the forefront of the digital entertainment experience. URGE will give users of Windows Media Player 11 instant access to more than 2 million songs from major and independent labels as well as exclusive MTV Networks programming and content.

Demonstrating the Windows Media Center capabilities of Windows Vista, Gates cited growing momentum around the platform by announcing that more than 6.5 million Windows XP Media Center Edition-based PCs have been sold from more than 130 computer manufacturers worldwide.

In another sign of momentum for Windows XP Media Center 2005, Microsoft announced that Comedy Central has joined a group of 110 Online Spotlight content partners and that forthcoming Media Center PCs will include CableCARD support for high-definition programming without a set-top box. This will allow users to plug their digital cable signal directly into their PC to watch and record premium cable content, including high-definition programming, without a set-top box.

Xbox 360 Leads the Way in High-Definition Entertainment

Just a month after the global launch of the new Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system, Gates discussed the product’s strong momentum in delivering high-definition hardware, games and digital entertainment experiences. Xbox 360 is on track to be the fastest-selling video game console ever, forecast to ship between 4.5 million and 5.5 million units worldwide by the end of June 2006.

Gates noted that Xbox 360 has also become a powerful application for high-definition television, adding that nine out of 10 Xbox 360 owners currently own or intend to purchase a high-definition television set.* He announced that more than 50 new high-definition Xbox 360 games will be available by June 2006.

Building on Xbox 360 leadership in high-definition experiences, the company announced plans to deliver a new Xbox 360 external HD DVD drive in 2006. The new drive will offer millions of Xbox 360 owners the ability to easily enjoy HD DVD movies and will provide consumers with even more choices for experiencing high-definition content, in either physical or digital form.

Using Xbox 360 and the Xbox Live service today, consumers are already able to access high-definition entertainment such as Xbox Live Arcade titles, game demos and high-definition movie trailers. Consumers can also use their Xbox 360 system to access high-definition television and movies from their Windows XP-based Media Center PC.

Gates’ keynote also showcased the momentum behind Xbox Live, announcing that more than half of all Xbox 360 owners are already connected to the online games and entertainment service, which boasts a worldwide community of more than 2 million members. He demonstrated Electronic Arts Inc.’s forthcoming EA SPORTS “Fight Night Round 3,” scheduled to be available in February 2006, and announced that a free, playable high-definition demo of the game is now available at the Xbox Live Marketplace, a one-stop digital download center where consumers can access high-definition games, music and movie content from leading industry partners.

Staying Connected With Powerful Windows Mobile-Based Devices

Gates highlighted the Treo 700w, an innovative new device that brings Palm Inc.’s celebrated ease of use to the Windows Mobile® platform. The Treo 700w, available exclusively on the Verizon Wireless network, combines a great mobile phone with easy access to wireless e-mail and business applications, giving professionals more ways to stay connected while on the go. The Treo 700w is available at retail Jan. 5.

The keynote also included a demonstration of how future technologies will transform the way people manage information in the office or on the go, communicate with co-workers in richer and more immersive ways, and be more productive wherever they are.

Continuing his keynote, Gates showcased Microsoft’s advancements in mobile entertainment by unveiling next-generation Windows Mobile-based Portable Media Centers from Toshiba Corp., Tatung Co. and LG Electronics. The new devices, scheduled to be available this year, will feature extensive battery life, support for new high-resolution and widescreen (16:9) displays, direct audio/video recording, gaming, FM tuners and direct connections to digital cameras.

New Content to Energize the Digital Lifestyle

Gates’ keynote address highlighted a number of new alliances that use Microsoft software to provide broader and richer content to consumers. He showed Starz Entertainment Group’s new Vongo video download service, which offers more choices and great experiences for people using Windows Mobile-based devices. Vongo subscribers will enjoy unlimited access to more than 1,000 first-run movies and video selections as well as the streaming Starz TV channel.

Microsoft announced a broad agreement with DIRECTV Inc. that will open up new ways for consumers to enjoy their digital media in the networked home and on portable devices. Microsoft and DIRECTV will work together to enable digital content to flow between Windows-based PCs, DIRECTV devices, PlaysForSure™-based portable media devices and Xbox 360.

It was also announced that Microsoft and British Sky Broadcasting (Sky), the leading pay-TV provider in the U.K. and Ireland, plans to create a Windows Media Center version of Sky’s forthcoming broadband content service, Sky by broadband. The service will enable millions of Sky TV customers to access video content from their PC, including hundreds of movies and sports clips.

Windows Live Services Deliver Rich, Seamless Experiences

In the area of software services, Gates previewed new Windows Live™ offerings, designed to bring together relationships, information and interests that are important to people on PCs and a wide range of devices. He unveiled two new telephones from Royal Philips Electronics and Uniden America Corp., designed to work with the voice communications capabilities in the upcoming Windows Live Messenger, the soon-to-be-released successor to MSN® Messenger, which has more than 200 million active accounts around the world. The new phones will allow consumers to make calls from a cordless handset connected to both the Windows Live Messenger service and public telephone networks. The Philips VOIP433 Dual Phone will debut in Europe, Asia Pacific and Latin America in 2006. The Uniden WIN 1200 Digital Cordless Phone will offer people another option for making calls over the Internet and will be available in North America in spring 2006.

Gates also previewed forthcoming services for Windows Live and Windows Vista that will help people find and manage their entertainment on the Windows-based Media Center PC or Microsoft TV IPTV Edition-powered set-top box from almost anywhere in the world. TV gadgets on Live.com will enable people to find, manage and share personalized TV recommendations as well as remotely schedule recordings on their Media Center PCs.

Gates concluded his keynote address by looking back on the great momentum of 2005 in consumer technologies and outlining key trends that will shape future innovation in the consumer electronics industry.

“The incredible momentum around all these new products and services shows that the digital lifestyle has truly gone mainstream this year,” Gates said. “Now it’s time to bring together the devices, software and services in people’s lives and take all these experiences to the next level.”

WMP Tag Support Extender (FLAC, APE, and Vorbis Metadata)

chrisl — Mon, 19 Dec 2005 19:51:00 GMT

WMP Tag Support Extender | WMP Tag Support Extender expand support of artist, title, etc. ("metatags") information in Windows Media Player.

It adds support of APE tag format (read & write), FLAC MetaData (read & write), and OGG Vorbis Comments (read-only).

You can then extract the information save in your files and modify it directly in Media Library.

No need to use an external program, you manage your library with just ONE tool !

It supports :
- Monkey's audio (*.ape)
- MusePack (*.mpc)
- WavPack (*.wv)
- OptimFROG (*.ofr)
- FLAC (*.flac)
- Vorbis Comments (*.ogg) <- READ-ONLY

Download Here

Windows Media Format 9.5 SDK x64

chrisl — Sat, 19 Nov 2005 05:58:00 GMT

Windows Media Format 9.5 Software Development Kit (SDK) | The Microsoft Windows Software Development Kit (SDK) provides the documentation, samples, header files, libraries, and tools you need to develop applications that run on Windows. The applications you develop with this edition of the SDK can run on the x64 based versions of Windows Server 2003 SP and Windows XP x64 Pro Edition.

Windows Media Encoder x64 Edition Released

chrisl — Sat, 19 Nov 2005 05:57:00 GMT

Windows Media Encoder 9 Series x64 Edition | Windows Media Encoder 9 Series x64 Edition is a powerful tool for content producers who want to take advantage of the many innovations in Windows Media 9 Series including high-quality multichannel sound and high-definition video quality on x64 platforms.

NVIDIA PureVideo Decoder Version 1.02-185

chrisl — Tue, 08 Nov 2005 15:04:00 GMT

NVIDIA PureVideo Decoder Retail Kit Version 1.02-185 | Windows Media Player and Media Center Edition Specific fixes...

Compatibility Fixes for Windows Media Center 2005 Update Rollup 2
Fixed a multi-source filter regression issue in transport-stream playback when feeding the Microsoft Demux.
Fixed a memory leak problem in the multi-source filter.
Fixed HD MPEG-2 video playback corruption issues on passively-cooled GeForce 6200 GPUs with TurboCache.
Limited the NVIDIA transport stream demux to connect only to NVIDIA PureVideo decoders.
Other compatibility fixes, click here to view the User's Guide