NewsGator for Media Center Edition Computers: RSS on the Big Screen

[Jason Dunn]

http://www.newsgator.com/news/archive.aspx?post=34

"NewsGator Technologies launched NewsGator Media Center Edition today, which allows users to read syndicated content feeds on their TV with Windows XP Media Center Edition. Both text and multimedia content is supported, with an interface designed to be used with a remote control from across the room. NewsGator Media Center Edition shows information that has not already been viewed on another device by synchronizing user subscriptions with NewsGator Online Services.

Audio and video content is only one click away. Users see visual cues when a feed contains multimedia content; they can then instantly view this content using the remote control. There are a number of featured feeds for the launch, including a video feed from Microsoft.

This is the latest step in the "any time, any place, any device" strategy that distinguishes the NewsGator product line. Users typically use more than one device throughout the day, such as Microsoft Outlook at work, a mobile phone on the road, a web browser in their home office, and a TV in their living room. NewsGator Online Services allows users to read one set of content from any of these devices, without any duplication. The combined power of NewsGator Media Center Edition and Online Services offers customers a productive and fun way to access their personalized subscriptions and information from any device, whenever they need it."

RSS on the big screen would be quite cool, although if the feed contained only a partial story, you'd need to launch your browser and go to the site - and as far as I know, Microsoft hasn't done any work with Internet Explorer to give it a friendly "ten foot view". Sure, you can bump up the font size, but that's not exactly an elegant solution. ;-) This press release also mentions multimedia content in the RSS feed, which would be very cool - I haven't seen that implemented yet on any of the feeds I watch. Have you?

[Jason Dunn]

http://www.newsgator.com/news/archive.aspx?post=34

"NewsGator Technologies launched NewsGator Media Center Edition today, which allows users to read syndicated content feeds on their TV with Windows XP Media Center Edition. Both text and multimedia content is supported, with an interface designed to be used with a remote control from across the room. NewsGator Media Center Edition shows information that has not already been viewed on another device by synchronizing user subscriptions with NewsGator Online Services.

Audio and video content is only one click away. Users see visual cues when a feed contains multimedia content; they can then instantly view this content using the remote control. There are a number of featured feeds for the launch, including a video feed from Microsoft.

This is the latest step in the "any time, any place, any device" strategy that distinguishes the NewsGator product line. Users typically use more than one device throughout the day, such as Microsoft Outlook at work, a mobile phone on the road, a web browser in their home office, and a TV in their living room. NewsGator Online Services allows users to read one set of content from any of these devices, without any duplication. The combined power of NewsGator Media Center Edition and Online Services offers customers a productive and fun way to access their personalized subscriptions and information from any device, whenever they need it."

RSS on the big screen would be quite cool, although if the feed contained only a partial story, you'd need to launch your browser and go to the site - and as far as I know, Microsoft hasn't done any work with Internet Explorer to give it a friendly "ten foot view". Sure, you can bump up the font size, but that's not exactly an elegant solution. ;-) This press release also mentions multimedia content in the RSS feed, which would be very cool - I haven't seen that implemented yet on any of the feeds I watch. Have you?

[OSUKid7]

Originally Posted by Jason Dunn

This press release also mentions multimedia content in the RSS feed, which would be very cool - I haven't seen that implemented yet on any of the feeds I watch. Have you?

Well, I think the MCE version of NewsGator was developed for the Channel 9 site. They're the only one I know of that uses video blogs. It's a nice feature. (Now I just wish I had a media center pc. )

[James Fee]

Originally Posted by OSUKid7

Well, I think the MCE version of NewsGator was developed for the Channel 9 site.

You have that correct. Greg Reinacker says so on his blog.

http://www.rassoc.com/gregr/weblog/a....aspx?post=717

Great screenshot here...

http://services.newsgator.com/images/tour_ngmce7.gif

[gregr]

Originally Posted by OSUKid7

Well, I think the MCE version of NewsGator was developed for the Channel 9 site.

Actually, that's not the case...there are other video-enhanced feeds besides Channel 9. If you get a chance to try NewsGator Media Center Edition, there are some others to choose. We just chose the Channel 9 feed to use for screenshots, and to talk about.

Also, some folks regularly post video in their feeds; Adam Curry comes to mind as one such person...but there are others as well. I would expect more and more feeds to start carrying multimedia content, especially since there are now tools that deliver a great user experience for this kind of content.

Greg Reinacker
NewsGator Technologies

[James Fee]

Originally Posted by gregr

I would expect more and more feeds to start carrying multimedia content, especially since there are now tools that deliver a great user experience for this kind of content.

I think that is the great hope. I'd also like to see some of these audio blog entries also being captured.

[OSUKid7]

Originally Posted by gregr

Actually, that's not the case...there are other video-enhanced feeds besides Channel 9. If you get a chance to try NewsGator Media Center Edition, there are some others to choose. We just chose the Channel 9 feed to use for screenshots, and to talk about.

Also, some folks regularly post video in their feeds; Adam Curry comes to mind as one such person...but there are others as well. I would expect more and more feeds to start carrying multimedia content, especially since there are now tools that deliver a great user experience for this kind of content.

Greg Reinacker
NewsGator Technologies

Ah, ok. Well, I'd try it, but as I said, I don't have a Media Center PC. lol

[spg]

Very cool stuff... I will definitely have to check this out when I get my Media Center PC.

Jason - On the thing about RSS feeds only containing part of the post, I agree that could be a problem. For me that is a problem with the desktop experience too... I hate it when people with RSS feeds do that.

[Jason Dunn]

Originally Posted by spg

I hate it when people with RSS feeds do that.

Ah, but you're a Webmaster, so think about it from the publishers point of view: why would I want to provide my entire content via RSS, advertising free? There's no revenue model in it for me...

Ultimately I think we'll see a reduction in content on RSS unless there's a revenue model behind it (like full feeds for subscribers for example...<cough><cough>)

[ctmagnus]

Originally Posted by Jason Dunn

Ah, but you're a Webmaster, so think about it from the publishers point of view: why would I want to provide my entire content via RSS, advertising free? There's no revenue model in it for me...

Ultimately I think we'll see a reduction in content on RSS unless there's a revenue model behind it (like full feeds for subscribers for example...<cough><cough>)

So that's why the Thoughts' feeds have been shorter lately

[Jason Dunn]

Originally Posted by ctmagnus

So that's why the Thoughts' feeds have been shorter lately

We're experimenting with a few things...we'll make an announcement about it when we make a decision. :-)