Companies Show Off New Entertainment and Gaming Tech
Cox News Service
Friday, September 28, 2007
NEW YORK — PC makers Dell, HP and Gateway touted sleek new products at the Digital Life technology show Thursday, but perhaps the biggest hardware splash came from software giant Microsoft, which unveiled gadgets meant to blur the lines between computers and TVs.
Microsoft Corp. showed off several "media extenders" due out this holiday season. The devices, made by partner companies, aim to link computers running higher-end versions of Windows Vista with television sets, allowing consumers to send photos, music and high-definition video stored on a PC throughout their homes.
 RICHARD DREW/AP Photo Joe Belfiore, corporate vice president of the eHome Division of Microsoft, describes Extenders for Windows during an address at DigitalLife at the Javits Convention Center in New York, Thursday, Sept. 27, 2007.  MICROSOFT CORP The 'niveus' one of Microsoft's media extenders that bridge the divide between home computers and TV sets. The set-top boxes connect wirelessly to computers running the Home Premium or Ultimate flavors of Windows Vista and enable users to use their TV sets to watch movies, TV shows and Internet video that is stored on their computers. |
One feature allows viewers to pause video in one room and resume watching from the same place in another.
"Your PC is really getting to know your TV," said Joe Belfiore, vice president of Microsoft's entertainment and devices eHome division. "These two things should work deeply together."
Two extenders, which plug into TVs and can connect wirelessly to a home network, are expected to go on sale in November from Cisco Systems Inc.'s Linksys division. A basic model is $300, while a larger one with a built-in DVD player is $350.
A $350 D-Link model includes a USB port to link to external flash drives or hard drives.
A price was not revealed for a more costly extender from Niveus intended for high-end home theater enthusiasts.
Microsoft also said an upcoming software upgrade will allow Hewlett-Packard Co.'s MediaSmart high-definition TVs to act as extenders.
Other companies have pursued similar technology. Apple Inc. introduced its $300 Apple TV device in March to connect iTunes libraries with televisions.
Microsoft's only current Windows Vista extender is the Xbox 360 game console, which has multimedia functions beyond gaming.
Gaming was the big focus on Thursday for Dell, which launched a game-oriented laptop dubbed "the Beast."
Dell's XPS M1730 notebook, which starts at about $3,000, includes an extra LCD panel for viewing game stats and other information. The notebook has a special processor to make fast-moving graphics appear more realistic.
The basic model is built around an Intel Core 2 Duo T7500 processor running at 2.2GHz.
On the outside, Dell says the notebook "features an aggressive, brawny design that can be personalized with four color accent choices: Crimson Red, Sapphire Blue, Bone White and Smoke Grey."
The Dell notebook comes a day after the launch of the Envy M:152 gaming laptop from HP's Voodoo division. HP executives noted the laptop's processing muscle and its custom colors made from automotive paints.
"It is built for people that want to push the limits of mobile computing, and look good doing it," said Rahul Sood, chief technology officer of HP's global gaming unit.
Looking good also was a focus for Gateway Inc., which debuted an all-in-one desktop computer called the Gateway One. It resembles a black, flat-panel TV with a wireless keyboard.
Executives touted the simple design, saying the computer is something "you want to show off as much as you want to use."
On the Web:
Digital Life show: www.digitallife.com
Microsoft: www.microsoft.com
Dell: www.dell.com
HP: www.hp.com
Voodoo: www.voodoopc.com
Gateway: www.gateway.com