But Wait, There's More: i-mate Ultimate In Bed with Vista

[Darius Wey]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.channelinsider.com/article/IMate+Unveils+Windows+Mobile+6Vista+Sideshow+Phones/200919_1.aspx' target='_blank'>http://www.channelinsider.com/artic...s/200919_1.aspx</a><br /><br /></div>So, it turns out the <a href="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=53890">i-mate Ultimate devices</a> make great portable office and media companions. An article posted at <a href="http://www.channelinsider.com/article/IMate+Unveils+Windows+Mobile+6Vista+Sideshow+Phones/200919_1.aspx">Channel Insider</a> reveals that the devices are <a href="http://www.microsoft.com/windows/products/windowsvista/features/details/sideshow.mspx">SideShow-compatible</a>, meaning they can operate as gadget-displaying secondary screens for Windows Vista. Furthermore, the devices can act as <a href="http://www.microsoft.com/windows/products/winfamily/mediacenter/default.mspx">Windows Media Center Extenders</a>, so that great Media Center experience is always within reach.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/web/2003/wey-20070213-vistamc.jpg" /><br /><br />All credit goes to i-mate here for raising the bar. Whether it's the 8150 (candybar phone with numeric keypad) and 9150 (flip phone with numeric keypad) and their 2.6" VGA touch screens, the 7150 (clamshell phone with QWERTY keyboard) and its 3.8" VGA touch screen, or the 5150 (slider phone) and 6150 and their questionable form factors, there's an Ultimate here to suit almost everyone. All five are expected to hit store shelves in June. Unfortunately, pricing is still anyone's guess.

[Paragon]

There's an unusual amount of Windows Vista integration in the Ultimate phones. The phones will come with an application to serve as a Windows Vista Sideshow device, working as a remote control or secondary screen for a Vista PC. The Ultimate line also functions as media extenders for Windows Vista media center PCs, 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.

Why does iMate always have to make it sound like THEY just invented the wheel and the services it provides are exclusive to them. Not to mention that at the end of it I feel like my teeth will be whiter, my breath fresher, I'll get better gas milage, and the value of my house will double.

This integration app is a Microsoft application as Darius' links point out. It's cool, but we can do most of that now, and iMate didn't invent it. There's every reason to believe that this is going to be available on many other devices as well. Plus, what's this "Snowbird" application that iMate has codenamed...(it was a guarded top secret till yesterday) I can watch pre-recorded TV programs now with nothing more than Windows Media Player. Most of the other functions they mention are available now using applications that are readily available, by using applications MS has included in every Windows Media device

I might like some of this. The Media Center Extender sound cool, but I feel the wool being pulled over my eyes by iMate every time I read something based on one of their press releases, and it overshadows the simpler truth.

My apologies right up front for what some may see as another argumentative post. :)

Dave

[Tierran]

Not to mention I just can't get over how ugly these things are :lol:

[Jason Dunn]

Media Center Extenders? Reeeeealy? 8O I somehow have a hard time swallowing that the device would be a Media Center Extender in the same way that my Xbox 360 is an extender...hmm. I wonder how much of this is marketing fluff?

[Paragon]

Media Center Extenders? Reeeeealy? 8O I somehow have a hard time swallowing that the device would be a Media Center Extender in the same way that my Xbox 360 is an extender...hmm. I wonder how much of this is marketing fluff?

Jason, I'm curious, have you used this "Media Center Extender" application at all, such as on your Xbox, or any other device? It sounds pretty cool. I must admit I have never heard of it till now. Have you heard anything about in on the Mobile Devices Division side? Do you know of any mobile devices that it will run on, other than iMate's claim. Your statement sounds like you are as surprised and suspicious as aonyone.

.....NDAs understood.

Dave

[Jason Dunn]

Jason, I'm curious, have you used this "Media Center Extender" application at all, such as on your Xbox, or any other device?

This is the FIRST I've EVER heard of it. I'm going to dig for more info, but it's very puzzling...

[Paragon]

Thanks, Jason. Keep us posted.

[virain]

"Starting June 2007 i-mate will start selling phones fully designed by i-mate engineers and manufactured according to i-mate designs in Asia. "
News Release.
So, now I-mate not ONLY DISTRIBUTOR, it makes its own phones! :roll:

[Paragon]

"Starting June 2007 i-mate will start selling phones fully designed by i-mate engineers and manufactured according to i-mate designs in Asia. "
News Release.
So, now I-mate not ONLY DISTRIBUTOR, it makes its own phones! :roll:

Take a look at the release. Nowhere does it mention anything remotely close to that. At least nothing I saw, after reading it twice. I'm not sure where mr.mobiles.com is getting that idea.

Dave

[galt]

As Dave saw on HoFo, I got very excited when I first saw the announcement that i-mate was adding Media Center Extender functionality to their new devices, but after thinking about it for a while and re-reading their announcement 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?

There's a big difference between native extender functionality and other work arounds, I can't wait to see how this turns out.

[Paragon]

....hey buddie....you following me? :)

[galt]

....hey buddie....you following me? :)I guess I am! I just go where the WM info and discussion is. Seems like we're both stalking the same devices... :lol:

[Jason Dunn]

...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.

[aroma]

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:
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!

[Darius Wey]

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.

http://www.theunwired.net/?itemid=3639

[Paragon]

Yep, looks to be marketing fluff. Arne has clarified just what type of media connectivity we're dealing with.

http://www.theunwired.net/?itemid=3639

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:

Dave

[Sven Johannsen]

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.

[Paragon]

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.

Dave

[Sven Johannsen]

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.
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. ;)

[Paragon]

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. :D Too slippery for me. I'm never sure just what is what when it comes from iMate. ;)

Dave

[Sven Johannsen]

I swear, Jim Morrison (imate CEO) and iMate have become like used car salesmen.
Jim Morrison is alive and working for I-Mate??? Oh, wait, must be a different guy.

Guess I just don't get as worked up about marketing. I work for the Gov after all, DoD specifically. If I got worked up about spin, I'd be pukkin' all the time. Telling you the absolute truth isn't what they pay marketeers to do...heck anyone can do that ;)

[Paragon]

I swear, Jim Morrison (imate CEO) and iMate have become like used car salesmen.
Jim Morrison is alive and working for I-Mate??? Oh, wait, must be a different guy.

Galt calls him "The Dead Doors Guy" :D

[galt]

I swear, Jim Morrison (imate CEO) and iMate have become like used car salesmen.
Jim Morrison is alive and working for I-Mate??? Oh, wait, must be a different guy.

Galt calls him "The Dead Doors Guy" :DI remember seeing that posted somewhere, but it wasn't me! I tend to think of him as "that i-mate guy who's selling $1,000 devices with -$500 worth of support". Maybe they are actually trying to turn that around by using PPC Techs (who rock!) as their authorized repair, but their "value add" online/phone/subscriber-only forums support is balls-out the worst I've ever seen.

[Paragon]

Sorry Galt. I thought it was you who said that. My bad. :)