Xbox Media Center Unveiled: First Images

Bill Gates reveals new Portable Media Center for Xbox and PC. First images and details - but no Xbox 2 yet, and no Xbox remake coming.

CES 2004 kicks off today, and at his annual Pre-CES conference yesterday Bill Gates revealed the company's new integrated Media Center software for Xbox, PC and handheld devices.

The new technology lets users share media such as image files, movie files and audio files from any PC with Windows XP Media Center Edition, and on Xbox - in any room of the house. In a move squarely aiming to strengthen Microsoft's entry into the entertainment market, handheld media devices will be compatible - some not looking to dissimilar from Sony's PSP concept design, as you can see from these first shots.

To coincide, Microsoft will also release the Xbox Media Center Extender Kit, consisting of an Xbox DVD and dedicated remote control, allowing users to view the digital media anywhere in the house via Xbox, or something like that.

According to Microsoft, over 8,500 developers have downloaded software to build media applications and content for the new technology since it was made available from last September - including ESPN, which is reportedly aiming for a full content roll-out on the platform.

David Alles of Microsoft's Media Center team said at Bill's keynote presentation: "We have made this so easy that even a five-year old or a Chief Software Architect of a major corporation can actually use this."

After turning on the on-stage Xbox in a demonstration, Alles explained, "Now, we've seen Xbox launch in the way that it always does, but once that is done it starts reading the DVD, it searches out for the Media Center PC on the network, it starts what we call a Media Center session and then, boom, the person is back at the Media Center UI with access to their television, their pictures, their videos, their music, all of the great digital entertainment stuff that's on their PC today."

Microsoft announced 16 new films in Windows Media High-Definition Video (WMVHD) format from studios including Artisan Entertainment and IMAX Corp. Gateway, Creative Labs, Samsung, and SANYO will all be working with Microsoft to compatible develop devices like the one pictured here. No mention of a Sony device yet though. Companies like Napster and CinemaNow will be developing related entertainment services.

However, there is no sign of Xbox 2 just yet - with strong speculation pointing to a GDC unveiling in March.

On a related note, CXO Robbie Bach has stated to Reuters that Microsoft will not release a remodelled version of the Xbox, like PSone or PSX. "They do their tuning with hardware, we do our tuning with software," he said.

Adam Doree
Director, Kikizo.com