...I'm suspicious that they are referring to some other PC to device streaming functionality, not true Extender functionality. If it's truly possible, why isn't MS making this announcement about awesome integration between their just launched Vista OS and their just announced WM6 OS?
Exactly. If it's TRUE extender functionality, it would be a HUGE coup...but everyone is nearly silent on this issue. I've emailed some people at Microsoft, so I'll dig up what I can, but I'm leaning toward this being marketing hype and using the term incorrectly.
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This initially had me pretty excited. The orginal 1st generation Media Center Extenders (from Linksys and HP) where based on CE. So I could see this as being feasable. However, I'm very sceptical that this is what everyone hopes it is. Especially after re-reading the quote from the orginal story:
Quote:
so you can see the Vista PC's electronic program guide or watch prerecorded TV, either through a Wi-Fi or 3G cellular connection. Using a TV application codenamed "Snowbird," aUltimate 5150 streamed recorded TV programs over Wi-Fi from a Vista PC.
This doesn't sound like true Extender functionality, especially the omision of watching Live TV, not just recorded TV. (This is a huge feature of Extenders.) My Take? I would expect we'll see an applet that's installed on your Vista PC which will serve up the guide info and will transcode recorded shows and steam to the handheld device.
My other thought is that if true Extender functionality true, it would make more sense as a WM 6 feature more so than a custom app by iMate. And if that was the case, I would think we would have seen MUCH hype of this in all the WM 6 hoopla thats been floating around lately.
My rulling is fluf / miss-leading terminology. But here's hoping I'm wrong!
Exactly. If it's TRUE extender functionality, it would be a HUGE coup...but everyone is nearly silent on this issue. I've emailed some people at Microsoft, so I'll dig up what I can, but I'm leaning toward this being marketing hype and using the term incorrectly.
Yep, looks to be marketing fluff. Arne has clarified just what type of media connectivity we're dealing with.
So it really is nothing more than we can do with Media Player for prerecorded media, and what ORB does now for live media....I'm taking all bets that iMate's fee for use of their server will be more than ORB charges. Plus the client side of the equation won't even be developed for months yet.
iMate seem to be refining their ability to sell containers of chocolate ice cream, but when you open them you find a couple of scoops of mud. :twisted:
I don't get why you guys are so negative about this. So maybe it isn't a breakthrough. I've been able to stream stuff to a PPC and control my Media Player on the desk for years. My HP3715 (Media Companion) let me do that out of the box. I have a Pocket Medias Center that has a pretty Media Center-ish interface, it's just a software front end after all. I can stream live TV to my PPC using Slingbox.
So what if I-Mate has integrated a lot of that into an MCE extender like interface. I don't see that this is going to be an I-Mate server thing. Sounds more like they are creating a server client relationship between the MCE box and the PPC...which is what streaming is in the first place. Now if they actually work the same way real extenders do, logging in as a second user on the MCE box, that would be cool, but not essential.
People have been clamoring for a software MCE extender they could load on their other PCs since extenders came out. If I-Mate is creating something that functionally does this on a PPC, more power to them.
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I don't get why you guys are so negative about this. So maybe it isn't a breakthrough. I've been able to stream stuff to a PPC and control my Media Player on the desk for years. My HP3715 (Media Companion) let me do that out of the box. I have a Pocket Medias Center that has a pretty Media Center-ish interface, it's just a software front end after all. I can stream live TV to my PPC using Slingbox.
So what if I-Mate has integrated a lot of that into an MCE extender like interface.
Hey Sven...... Longtime.
You are right about the existing ability to do what iMate claims to do. If they can do even more, more power to them. When I first saw this reported elsewhere I thought it was pretty cool. I thought I would be able to turn my device into an actual extender, which would streamline the whole media system, making it much easier to use. After digging into it a bit I find that it's not.
My argument has been that iMate made claims of this being an actual Media Center extender, which it is not. They also portrayed it as somehow being their invention and that you needed one of their "Ultimate" devices to do it, which is not true. If their devices were actual Media Center extenders great, but as I have already stated iMate are refining their ability to pull the wool over potential customers eyes.
My argument has been that iMate made claims of this being an actual Media Center extender, which it is not.
We don't really know what it is yet do we? Even if it is just a 'terminal services' sort of thing that recreates the MCE interface/experience on the PPC, what more do you want. Calling it a media center extender may be as accurate as some of the so called smartphones and ultra-mobile PCs floating around.
Quote:
They also portrayed it as somehow being their invention and that you needed one of their "Ultimate" devices to do it, which is not true.
If they put it together sufficiently uniquely on their own devices, sure you do. Just like you can only get Switcher Bar on a Dell, and iTask on an iPaq, though they are just task managers.
If you think we need to hold marketing guys to the absolute truth, then my car dealer owes me a blonde, based on the commercials.
I've yet to be able to do anything, anytime, anywhere with my PPCs as was originally promised back in 2000.
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Sometimes you are the anteater, sometimes you are the ant.
I've yet to be able to do anything, anytime, anywhere with my PPCs as was originally promised back in 2000.
LOL, Sven. You're right.
It just seems to me that iMate have been expanding the truth a lot lately. This just seemed to be the final straw for me. If they had of stated exactly what this application was right from the beginning instead of making it out to be an actual extender app I would have been very happy with it, but instead I was left with a bad taste in my mouth.
I swear, Jim Morrison (imate CEO) and iMate have become like used car salesmen. If I were buying a used car I wouldn't be surprised to see the salesman stand in front of a dent in the fender. If it were Jim Morrison, he would stand in front of the dent, and when I asked him about it he would tell me that iMate puts a dent in each one of its cars because customers have told them they want that "feature" because thieves are less likely to steal a car that looks beat up. Too slippery for me. I'm never sure just what is what when it comes from iMate.
Plus the client side of the equation won't even be developed for months yet. 
Too slippery for me. I'm never sure just what is what when it comes from iMate. 
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