It seems that only yesterday, Internet Explorer was a clunky abomination of a browser that lagged behind its competition in all features, crashed constantly, and was generally frowned upon by anyone with the knowhow to download something better. Seeing as the latest version, Internet Explorer 8, was just released yesterday, that embarrassing recollection of failure literally was last week.
Tag Archive: center
Dublin To Be Facebook HQ
Ireland has been developing a reputation as a tech center for several years, and that received a big boost yesterday with the news that social networking site Facebook has selected the nation’s capital, Dublin, as the site for its new international headquarters. And no, it’s nothing to do with the Guinness.
According to the company, the new HQ will be home to both sales and technical operations covering Europe, Africa and the Middle East.
COO Sharyl Sandberg said:
D-Link Ships DSM-750 Media Center Extender
D-Link is now shipping its DSM-750 MediaLounge Player, which is designed to work as a wireless Media Center Extender so users can pump video, music, images, and other content stored on their Windows Media Center PCs to other locations in the house without having to string cable everywhere. The DSM-750 can locate media content on a user’s home network and provide access on a television using the included remote control. The goal of media extenders like the DSM-750 is to enable users to download movies and other content directly from online sources, then painlessly access them from living-room entertainment centers—or TVs in a den, bedroom, game room, or other area of the house, since a single Media Center PC can support up to five media players.
Microsoft Announces New Home Extender
The PC and home entertainment center have been growing inexorably closer over the last several years – we play music, watch videos, TV programs and DVDs on our computers. But Microsoft wants more, which is why they’ve come up with several devices to connect your PC to your home entertainment center. Known as Extenders forWindows Media Center, these are different from the similarly-named Windows Media Extenders, debuted in late 2004. Those put a version of the Media Center interface on your television, using your homenetwork. It didn’t catch on, but it did spark more research, and more successful work with the Xbox360. This new version, for Vista Premium and Ultimate (sorry, all you XP fans), usesthird-party Wi-Fi hardware devices to connect your broadband-connected PC to your TV, meaning you can send video, HDTV, music and more to your television, and do things such as pause the stream inone room, then start again in another. So will this one catch on? Initially, it seems so. Linksys, D-Link and Niveus are all offering units to make this work, and the HP MediaSmart LCD HDTV will support this through an optional softwaredownload that Microsoft expects to roll out early in the new year. All other devices, which include DVD players will be out just in time for your Christmas shopping pleasure. At present, lessthan 10% of US households have extender devices connecting the PC and TV. Whether this can stir excitement remains to be seen, but Microsoft is obviously hopeful. “We are excited toreveal the first series of totally quiet, cool and sleek-looking Media Center Extender devices designed to deliver the ultimate entertainment experience to every TV set in your home," JoeBelfiore, Microsoft’s corporate vice president of the company’s entertainment and devices eHome division, told TechNewsWorld.
S1Digital Goes Mini for Media Computer
S1Digital, a builder of digital home entertainment systems, today announced the release of a small form factor Windows Media Center Edition PC. The new Media Center Mini Edition has a base configuration price of $1,200 and looks to be available now.
The S1Digital Media Center Mini Edition, said S1Digital, is about the size of a book. It is powered by an Intel Core Duo processor, runs Windows Media Center Edition 2005 with Rollup 2 and is Intel Viiv compliant. Features, depending upon configuration, include a touch screen interface for control without a keyboard, 1GB DDR2 RAM, 80GB hard drive, 5.1 channel audio with digital optical or analog outputs, 802.11 wireless connectivity, DVD+/-RW drive and a weight of 2.4 pounds.
CES 2006 Profile: Actiontec Electronics
Actiontec Electronics was on hand at CES in Las Vegas in early January showing off their new VoSky Call Center, a device designed to bring mobility to users of the Skype VoIP service. The VoSky Call Center is available now for $69.95.
The VoSky Call Center plugs into a USB port on any Internet connected computer and also a stationary or cell phone with which it will be used. Users can then use that phone to call a phone number to which the Call Center is connected and follow the voice prompts to initiate the call. Calls can received via Skype due to an incoming call forwarding feature and notification can be had on any phone when Skype contacts come online via a call return feature.
Microsoft Rolls Out Media Center Update
Microsoft today announced a software update for the Windows XP Media Center Edition 20005. Called Update Rollup 2, the chief feature of this update – which is available from Microsoft’s Windows Update site – is the ability for customers to stream digital music, videos, photos, and standard and high-definition television and movies from Media Center PCs to any television in their home via the Xbox 360 gaming system.
Intel to Be Inside Philips’ Showline
At this week’s 2005 International Funkausstellung (IFA) consumer electronics show in Berlin, Philips demonstrated its forthcoming Showline Media Center, which aims to position itself as a comprehensive hub for in-home digital multimedia without requiring the near-rocket science of managing a computer dedicated to media management.
Dell Rolls Out New Media PCs
Dell added some new computers to their Dimension line up today which they say will offer enhanced multimedia features, run quieter and blend better with home and office environments.
The new 5100c and 5100 offer up a redesigned chassis trimmed in alpine white and arctic silver colors. Both models feature technologies which Dell says help reduce noise and improve cooling.
The 5100c appears in a foot-tall form factor which is powered by Intel’s dual-core processors. It runs off of Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005 and comes with a Media Center Extender, TV tuner and DVD burner. The 5100c can fit in office spaces as wide as a business card or be installed horizontally inside a home entertainment center.
First Look: ABS Ultimate E2 Media Center PC
Quote from the article:
“The Ultimate E2 Media Center PC by ABS Computer Technologies is a home media computer powered by Microsoft Windows XP Media Center 2005. It is designed to fit into your home entertainment system, dropping the traditional desktop chassis in favor of a more vertical look similar to DVD players and audio receivers.
The E2’s Microsoft Windows XP Media Center 2005 features are many and offer the home entertainment fan a great deal of control over his or her audio and viewing experiences. At the heart of this latest version of Windows XP Media Center is an easy to use navigation system which displays the available functions (i.e. watch TV, listen to music) your E2 can perform.”
