Sean Alexander, who demoed Windows Media Center onstage with Bill Gates last week, posts Behind the scenes at the Digital Entertainment Anywhere event in LA:

Windows is a platform first, and Media Center is for the first time, offering a new way of building applications that work with a remote control or a keyboard/mouse.

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In Microsoft’s Home Media Center 2.5 Marc Canter responds to Michael Gartenberg from Jupiter Research’s recent MCE post.

I just love it when other people talk about a digital lifestyle. So where’s the blogging? Social networking? Mobile gateways? VideoBlogging, Podcasting? RSS reader?

While we have built what we hope to be the best of breed ten foot version of photos, videos, music and TV we simply cannot build ten foot experiences for everything. Instead we have built a platform so anyone can build the next killer app. If you think video podcasting is the next big thing, here is the SDK: http://msdn.microsoft.com/mce.

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Showing up late in the product cycle as a new employee straight out of college means that you might get stuck with one of the less glamorous feature ownership areas. My first area of ownership was the settings space and within two weeks of being at Microsoft I was expected to whip it into shape.

Now imagine my surprise when a reviewer actually touched on this feature! From HTPCNews.com’s review:

I will only be going over this section briefly as some of it has already been seen in other sections of this review, and there is a lot here to see.

Click through to their review, they have lots of screenshots of the settings space :).

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The new Media Center SDK. If you’re interested in the SDK also be sure to read Michael Creasy’s blog. Today he has a post about How To Build An Add-In For Windows Media Center Edition 2005.

Where is your killer app?

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CNET, Windows Media Center 2005: third time’s (almost) the charm:

MCE 2005’s biggest challenge, however, remains TV image quality. From our early tests, we can see some improvement from past versions of the OS, but 2005 still leaves something to be desired. The picture looks good–not great–with the PC connected to a computer screen, but the prototype Media Center Extender we tested performed poorly when connected to a TV.

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Highlights from the Media Center 2005 launch in LA. The event is being hosted by Bill Gates and the other presenter is Sean Alexander.

• Bill is emphasizing that it’s important that consumers have the choice of which devices they use as well choice amongst media stores.
• WMP - 17 million downloads
• MSN Music - 1 million tracks available in 17 Countries
• MSN Music - Exclusive AC/DC content! :)
• Showing off an Audiovox phone that has WMP 10 so you can watch TV on your phone (in addition to viewing photos and listening to music).
• What works with what? Look for Plays For Sure logo. Eliminates the need for consumer to worry about file formats.
• 1 million copies of Media Center sold
• Showcasing HP hardware that doesn’t like like a PC, add to queue, burning, memory card reading, photo touch up, Windows Connect to configure networks, sharing via printing, burning, and Ofoto, dual tuner support, no service fees for the guide, movie portal, hidef support, MCE as a platform, showing off NPR, MSN Video, instant messenger, Queen Latifah is now on stage, MSN Music is available for MCE,…
• Video from Intel
• As Sean and Bill move to the ‘bedroom’, ‘You can get it wherever you want it’ - I think they’re talking about media :)
• Demoing the Extender and XBox Media Center kit
• Demoing Portable Media Center connecting to a mini-van DVD system

Update 0: Thomas Hawk has the definitive list of articles about MCE 2005

Update 1: Peter Near has a really good play by play of the launch. I was too busy watching to blog :).

Update 2: Engadget has an MP3 of the event

Update 3: Photos of launch from CNET

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Joe Wilcox is in LA and has a post on the launch of MSN Music.

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We’re not in LA at the Shrine but we are watching the launch live from Redmond.

Should start any minute….

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Michael Creasy, a software design engineer in test on the Media Center team has a ’summary of the highlights’ on his blog.

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Thomas Hawk has a great roundup of the MCE related coverage

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