We’re still about 36 hours from Microsoft’s CES keynote. Yet the Seattle Times looks to have stolen a bit of CEO Steve Ballmer’s connected home thunder:
Microsoft’s going to make a splash in this market with a stripped-down version of Windows tailored for set-top boxes and connected TVs. The software is a version of its embedded device software, overlaid with the Windows Media Center interface, with media streaming and remote-control capabilities.
This doesn’t come as an entire surprise, and was alluded to last spring. Yet, it’s been a long time since we’ve seen any new Media Center extenders (beyond the Xbox) and Microsoft’s been conspicuously absent from the small form factor set-top play… somewhat surprising their long history in this space.
In fact, this isn’t first time MS has attempted to port the Media Center experience onto a consumer electronic device – as they tried to take on TiVo in 2005/2006 with the LG DVR pictured above. Hopefully this latest foray into the living room fares better. The market is ready, assuming they can successfully execute and offer something compelling/competitive. However, I’ve said it before and I’ll probably keep on saying it, MS is best served by more tightly integrating their properties and initiatives, such as Mediaroom and Media Center.
(via Business Insider)