We are back after a week off while while I took may iPad on a trip to Germany. We have a fun show for you talking My Movies, Windows Home Server, £15 computers, DoubleTwist, Airplay and Windows Media Center, The Green Button, waking up a PC from sleep, the Microsoft Home and much much more.
We are all back for this weeks show and to be honest it was an interesting show (listen and you will understand what I mean)
This week we talk waking a Windows Media Center PC from sleep via an Extender, my Windows Home Server build, Media Center Standby tool, Sony’s Crackle, Tranquil PC servers and dirty gadgets plus many other topics.
Don’t forget our great giveaway, details in show 300 and 301 and keep the email coming!
This week Garry and Andrewwere to busy playing Angry Birds to join me on the show so Jason Combs from TDL Mobilejoins me to talk about the weeks news including Microsoft UK launching the Windowscollection, Apple updates, Broadway 2T for streaming TV to the iPad and Windows HomeServer documentation.
We also talk about the range of tablets I saw at the Gadget Show Live last week, from the good like the HP Touchpad to the bad like the Elonex and how each device was measured on how well it played Angry Birds.
Don’t forget our great giveaway, details in show 300 and 301
This week Garry, Andrew and I met up at the Gadget Show Live press day to recorded the show. The Gadget Show Live is a show aimed at tech and gaming enthusiasts with stands from manufactures and venders. So Garry, Andrew and I got together and sat down at lunch time to record the show. We discus the major changes coming to The Green Button.com, new Media Center Theming tools, Plex updates, Twonky for iOS and new Media Center addins. We also talk tablets and migrating to Windows Home Server 2011.
As ever we had fun recording the show and its always nice to meet up in person, we hope you enjoy the show.
Don’t forget our great giveaway, details in the show
The whole team are back this week to talk TV tuners, re-using old PCs as Windows Media Center systems, Media Center library bugs, Windows 7 Phone updates, new laptops and other news items.
Checkout the new TDL Store and please keep the email coming podcast [at] the digitallifestyle.com
Andrew joins me this week to talk about file conversions for Media Center, tuner cards, watching media on netbooks, new Windows Entertainment clients, death of the Zune (again), IE9, iPad 2, iOS updates and our thoughts on Amazon’s Kindle
Checkout the new TDL Store and please keep the email coming podcast [at] the digitallifestyle.com
A special show this week as Garry and I are invaded by the TDL Mobile guys to talk about the iPad 2, Windows 7 Service Pack 1 problems with Media Center, My Movies, this weeks news and as they are Windows Media Center users we talk about how they are integrating Media Center in to their lifestyle.
It’s a bumper show this week running over an hour and half, I hope you enjoy it as much as we enjoyed recording it.
Checkout the new TDL Store and please keep the email coming podcast [at] the digitallifestyle.com
Welcome to show 294. This week Garry and I mull over the weeks digital lifestyle news including, Windows Phone 7 updates, we talk about iOS v Windows Phone development, Plex for Windows, DVBLink, new addins and whether Microsofthave a Windows Everywhere strategy
Please keep the email coming podcast [at] the digitallifestyle.com
Welcome to show 293 (wow getting close to 300!) and this week Andrew and I talk about Windows Server 2011 and whether you should install 3rd party drive extender addins, how to get Windows Home Server V1, SSD drives and Windows Media Center, the death of Zune and WebOS tablets, Windows Phone 7, Apple TV, Boxee and Twonky for iOS
Please keep the email coming podcast [at] the digitallifestyle.com
Finally Microsoft have the release candidate of Windows Home Serve Vail (now called Windows Home Server 2011) and Andrew can talk about it, so we let him out of his box for a bit to talk about what is new in WHS 2011.
Garry and I also talk about some of the news items from the last week including GMAbooster for booting netbook performance, BBC iPlayer for iPad, VideoRedeo, new Media Center addins, Android Remotes, and DVBLink competition winners
Earlier this week, HP held their much anticipated “Think Beyond” event in San Francisco. Jose and Sheldon break down all the announcements from the event, including the super exciting Touchpad. We look at how this stacks up against the competition, what innovations it brings and how other new products like the Palm3 and the Veer fit in. Could this all add up to be a game changer? Not much room for anything else this week, oh except for some talk of the rumoured iPad2!
Also, don’t forget to contact the show with any news, views, comments or questions – all the details you’ll need are below!
Welcome to TDL Mobile Show 63, this week Jon, Jose and Jason talk Android Honeycomb, we could hardly have a show without it after this weeks announcement from Google. We look at the latest release of the OS and how it fits on the Xoom tablet. We also talk about what could be HP/Palms first WebOS tablet which the crew at TDL Mobile have been excited to see for a while and if it comes to fruition then Jose's predictions from when HP purchased Palm are just about spot on! And Nokia moving from Symbian to WP7, could it be?
We wrap up with some more of the news hitting the mobile world this week, so take a listen and get in touch.
Note: Jon and Jase mention at the end of the show about MWC being next week but in fact its the week after, 14th - 17th Feb, apologies for that :)
We have a packed show for you this week. We have the start of a new giveaway , thanks to DVBLogic we are giving away copies of DVBLink Network Pack (details in the show)
We talk about Microsoft's attitude to consumers products and whether the failure of some of Microsoft’s consumer products are going to cause problems in the future or whether they are right to focus on the revenue. We talk about Windows Home Server Vail and a potential release candidate, Blackgold DVB-T2 tuner issues, my experiences with making a Windows Media Center Setup box install with Windows Embedded, Android Windows Media Center apps, Intel Sandybridge problems and hybrid disk drives.
First up on this weeks show Jose, Jason and Sheldon look at the Motorola Atrix and ask if this is the start of a major shift in the mobile space? Equally exciting is news of the Playstation phone: but will it live up to all the hype and is it really needed? We break down everything you need to know. We look ahead to Mobile World Congress and round up the release rumours including news of a high end Facebook phone. Plus there's the latest Windows Phone 7 numbers hot off the press, including worrying news from some app developers. We also look at the latest line up from Samsung and ask: are phones from some manufacturers just too darn similar?! So grab that coffee, sit back and let's catch up on all things mobile...
Back to our normal format this week, Garry and Andrew join me to talking about streaming TV, we share our post CES thoughts, talk about VLC updates, XBMC on Apple TV, Freeview HD with Windows Media Center and Android Tablets
We also have the the results of the TDL Product Of The Year, your votes have been counted and the results are here! As you can see from the shownotes we have a packed show this week
A great show for you this week, as Jason catches up with Ian Dixon, fresh back from CES 2011. Ian and Jason cover a lot of the mobile tech Ian saw in Vegas, much of which could be big news over the coming months. They look at the coverage for Windows Phone 7 along with how Apple managed to play a big part without even being there. There’s tablet talk aplenty, with expectations for the iPad 2 and news of it’s competitors. Plus news from nVidia and an insight into travelling with the Kindle.
Also, don’t forget to contact the show with any news, views, comments or questions – all the details you’ll need are below!
Welcome to the second and final batch of CES interviews. As mentioned last week Windows Embedded team had a private room showing a great range of Media Center systems powered by Windows Embedded, including set top boxes, TVs and entertainment systems and I have an interview with Mark Pendegrast from the Embedded team talking about Media Center. Mark explains what the embedded team are doing with Windows Media Center and what kind of systems we expect to see. They are doing some great work with Media Center and Embedded and Mark talks about embedded set top boxes, TVs and entertainment devices all powered by Windows Media Center
I also have some great other interviews, Ford talk about Ford Sync and applink and how you can get apps running in the car with iPhone or Android. Charlie Mertz from Evolve Media talks about their embedded Windows Media Center systems. Dolby's Kevin Brennan talks about their PC software and how they are working with OEMS to enhance the sound coming from laptops. Then we have Michael Martis from the BYOB podcast, Garry and Andrew recorded at a bloggers party and an interview Garry conducted with Morgan eBook readers and tablets
I also want to thank DVBLogic for making TDLs coverage of CES possible, Garry was using DVBLink to watch live UK on his iPad from the press room at CES and its great stuff
Make sure you look at the videos I produced from CES:
In a follow up to show 57, we've gone all Windows Phone 7 again! Tonight we're absolutely delighted to welcome Will Coleman to the show. Will is Product Manager for Windows Phone 7 at Microsoft in the UK and joins us to give us some news and views from the inside. Working on the apps side and with developers, he's able to give some great insight in terms of how things have gone from that perspective as well as some tips for must have apps. We discuss hardware differentiation, the upcoming OS update, app publishing across regions and also look to the future - exploring how things may develop in terms of cross platform experiences. Thanks to Will for joining us, if you have any interest in WP7 or smartphones in general then you're going to love this one!
Welcome to the first show of 2011, back from CES where we saw a lot of tech, some of it good and some of it very strange! This week on the show I have the first batch of CES 2011 interviews. At CES I was a little disappointed that Microsoft’s booth didn’t feature Windows Media Center as it had in the last few years but they did have a press room with lots of Windows Media Center systems powered by Windows Embedded which looked great and I have an interview with Mark Pendergrast from the Windows Embedded team but you will have to wait till next week for that.
Cyberlink talking about MediaExpresso transcoding software
Snapstick talking about their set top box and iPhone app
DTS talking audio technology
Roku talking set top boxes
Sonos
HP talking notebooks
I also want to thank DVBLogic for making TDLs coverage of CES possible, Garry was using DVBLink to watch live UK on his iPad from the press room at CES and its great stuff
Make sure you look at the videos I produced from CES:
Welcome to the Christmas edition of the show and this week Garry, Andrew and I are joined by Bjorn Morris from Cybersmart systems. Bjorn is installing iPads as part of this Windows Media Center custom installs and he expains how the iPad has moved home automation away from the TV screen to the mobile device.
We also talk about the weeks news including CES Windows Tablet rumours, XBMC, Microsoft getting in trouble over Media Center TV ads, DVBLink 3.2 and who is using Apple TV.
The discount code for the wirefreehifi that Garry talked about a couple weeks ago is DLS10
Don’t forget you can now get the TDL Podcast Player on iPhone and Android
And we are back, fresh after last weeks round table with plenty of mobile news to get our teeth into and rip apart. We start off by chatting about the new Amazon Window Shop UK app for iPad then move into talking a bit about our thoughts on mobile streaming, piracy and what we think is in store for the future. We then wrap it up with some of the news hitting the net this week including an impressive new offering from LG!
So sit back, relax and get your fill of mobile news!
We had fun recording this week so I hope you enjoy it. This week Garry, Andrew and I talk about the weeks news including Windows 8 mock-ups, new addins for Windows Media Center and email on archiving TV shows.
We also we are kicking off TDL Product Of The Year, were we each pitch for a what we think our product of the year is and you can vote in at the bottom of this post. Plus we have another bonus interview from Garry who is talking to Facevision about their HD Videocams
Great show for you this week. Andrew, Garry and I discuss email sent in to the show including topics on whether we will ever see our vision of the connected lifestyle, the future of Extenders and distributing TV content. We also talk about topics hitting the blog in the last week including, Voice Control for Media Center, Apple TV,updates for DVBLink. My Movies and how I have got my Media Center system working really well at the moment.
Garry also has a special interview with Wire Free Hifi about their audio streaming solutions for iOS devices (and a listener discount offer at the end)
It’s good to be back and thanks to Andrew and Garry for covering for me last week. Unfortunately this weeks news has been dominated by the bad news around Windows Home Server and Andrew is not happy. But we do have good news around Freeview HD working in Windows Media Center and other news
Back for another instalment, Jon and Sheldon dive pretty deep into the weeks news. From a pretty intense discussion on the good and bad of location based services and Apples efforts in the enterprise, we lighten the mood with talk of a release for the fabled Playstation phone, new iPad-only magazines and talk of exciting new hardware from Dell, Motorola, HTC and Pocketbook – plus news of the latest eReader platform. It’s cold outside, so our advice is to pour yourself a nice cup of tea and warm up with the latest and greatest from the world of mobile….
I am working away this week so we make Andrew do the hard work for a change. He takes charge and Garry joins him to talk about the weeks news including iPad updates, media streaming, EPG apps, Xbox Kinect and planning for the next user group
We start this weeks show with an apology. Despite our best efforts, we missed putting out a show last week and we explain why. The good news is it gives us plenty to talk about in this weeks bumper edition! From news of the follow up to the Nexus One, we cover the new handset from Sony-Ericsson, plus news of the worlds first dual core Android handset. Plus we provide a round up on tablets, news of how Rovio is approaching the Android market differently, rumblings of SIM ready cameras and the latest on that elusive iOS version 4.2 update.
So settle in and enjoy what’s probably the best darn mobile podcast on the planet…!
This week Andrew joins me to talk about the weeks news including Freeview HD Media Center PCs, using Play To with iOS, Extendergate and running Media Center on a Macbook Air. Plus Garry joins in live from Microsoft's TechEd conference in Germany where he is spending all his time play with Xbox Kinect.
Next week we will have a special HTPC Q&A show with Evolve Media's David Simpson so send in your questions!
t has been quite a while since our last installment. Ian and I pick things up again after several months by taking a look at what has been going on in the industry and how it impacts our custom installs. Naturally, we want you to listen to the Podcast, but here are some of the topics we cover.
HOW ARE YOU GOING TO EMBRACE ALL OF THOSE "NEW LITTLE BOXES" THAT HAVE STARTED FLOODING THE MARKET
There has been a barrage of media/content/streaming/web/search/set top boxes that have hit the market recently.Not that there is anything wrong with a little competition, but it is becoming overwhelming – and the announcements just keep on coming.Not only are there all of these new pieces of hardware we may have to manage and support somehow, but there also seem to be firmware and software updates for each one rolling out constantly.How are we, as custom integrators, embracing them and keeping up with the idiosyncrasies of each one?I imagine it is with a lot of difficulty.
There are several other podcasts and blogs delving into the particulars of each device, so Ian and I do not address those aspects here.Instead, we discuss the potential impact the popularity of these boxes has on our designs and installations.
It used to be that we were in control of the hardware driving the displays and audio systems.We could dictate the devices we could integrate, control, and support and our clients pretty much went along with our recommendations.But now, the times, they are a changing.
My view is that there is going to be a huge influx of these little boxes starting this holiday season and our clients are going to expect them to just “plug and go.”We have seen some of this previously with devices like the Xbox 360, PlayStation, and Wii, but what is about to happen is different.There were only of few of these options with wide-spread adoption and we could plan for and support them without jumping through too many hoops.The market space has started to get crowded already and there is no consistency in form factor, connectivity, functionality, control, or integration between them.
Some require the box to sit “in line” with the HDMI runs.Some require cabling them to separate inputs (and some still are component video only).Some really could use features like the Audio Return Channel for HDMI as a way to get the audio back into our surround sound or distributed audio systems, but we have not seen any with HDMI 1.4.Some require (proprietary) RF remotes and others use IR.Some will understand IP-based control commands, but few supply documentation on how to do it.More and more now require keyboards of some type, too.Others now integrate with mobile phones or tablets over Wi-Fi, while others use docks as a way to leverage mobile devices.Some could fit in racks while others are designed to sit out in the entertainment area - and a few make it impossible to mount them at all!You get the picture.All in all, none really are designed to integrate with a custom installation or complex systems.And it does not look as if it is going to get better anytime soon.
We do not provide many solutions in this Podcast, but we do offer some suggestions:
1) I think the most relevant one is to appoint a Product Champion for each of the major products.You need at least one person who understands how each product works and what it takes to connect it up and make it deliver on its promises.It would be great if that champion also could create templates for your control/automation offerings, in addition to documenting what you will need to configure and support it.That person then trains the staff and becomes the Subject Matter Expert (SME) for that device.There will be an initial outlay to purchase the devices and dedicate the time to know them inside and out, but it will be a good investment as part of a strategy for keeping abreast of these new trends in the marketplace.It surely beats being blind-sided when your clients call up needing help the day after Christmas.Naturally, you want to plan on recouping your investments by offering your design and integration services for this new wave of entertainment devices.
2) An often overlooked option is to look at ways to provide the same functionality with what you already have in place.One of the advantages of a platform like Windows Media Center (or any other HTPC solution) is that it is extensible.There are some great new add-ins that give you the same features offered by using these separate boxes with more being developed constantly.While it used to be questionable whether you should install additional software into WMC, Windows 7 has provided a much more stable platform that allows you to offer these packages reliably.Once again, appointing a Product Champion for these may be a good approach.
3) Get on the front-end of these purchases, especially before the holiday season really kicks in.There never is a bad time to have an excuse to meet with your clients again.You know their tastes, lifestyles, and purchasing habits.Find out if they are planning to make any “impulse” purchases for one of these boxes and take advantage of a reason to “enhance” their system to support it.Of course, if you have designed the structured wiring and connectivity platform with flexibility in mind, you probably already have the connection points sitting in the walls or baseboards just waiting for a new box to be plugged in.All you have to do is incorporate your new control templates into their current automation systems and you are ready to go!
There is so much momentum in the industry that you no longer can ignore this trend.It is time to start getting on board and finding new ways to take advantage of the opportunities it offers.The worst thing you can do is simply ignore it.Your customers will be expecting you to know how to integrate your systems with their shiny new play toy - and if you cannot deliver, you may lose out on some great new money-making opportunities.
MICROSOFT’S KINECT
What an awesome device.I think the Kinect is going to usher in a new generation of interactivity, gaming, and content consumption (maybe not for Windows Media Center, but definitely for other services Microsoft is starting to deliver).At first, it seems innocent enough and just another gaming peripheral.However, from an integrator’s perspective, it opens a lot of possibilities – and a lot of potential problems.
Kinect really could drive the need for multi-purpose and/or game rooms - in addition to “video chat areas” throughout the home.For gaming, it definitely takes a lot of space to play – more than the Wii or Move, for sure.It is an all-body workout for multiple people and it gets pretty crazy in the room (as in no breakable equipment nearby).The ideal distance from the players to the Kinect device is somewhere around eight to twelve feet.Everything, including furniture, needs to be out of the way.Currently, that eliminates its use in most home theater environments unless you have designed in motorized seating and platforms tiers that easily can be tucked into the walls or at least out of the way.This could change the whole way you design the area in front of the screen and the types of furniture you use.Additionally, it works better with some decent lighting.Most room lighting systems we design do not have “audience-facing” lights nor do the existing lights cover the area in front of the screen very well.You should consider adding an extra circuit or two worth of lighting at the front for illuminating the play area.
From a Windows Media Center perspective, there is not much new.Kinect does not control that experience.However, you can start to see where Microsoft is taking the technology via the Kinect Hub from within the Xbox Dashboard.They do give you the ability to control the Zune Marketplace, Last.fm, Netflix, and some other content resources.It is not quite there yet, but it definitely removes the need for a controller or remote for those experiences.It also might be worth considering as a control interface for those clients with accessibility issues.
Another “feature” is the ability to do teleconferencing (or Telepresence/video chats) using the built-in color camera and microphone.This feature also takes the Xbox 360 out of the multi-purpose gaming room and into other parts of the house.We see this as an excellent alternative to the video chat capabilities being built into some of the newer TVs and displays while there definitely are some new avenues of business opening up for those integrators who start getting into it early.This especially is true for those clients who work at home and need to communicate with theoffice or for small businesses who do not want to invest in some of the more expensive video conferencing alternatives.
There also are great possibilities for “add-on sales and services.As mentioned, the lighting becomes critical to pull this off successfully, but there are some other things we can sell if we start getting creative.What about the backdrop?How distracting are the piles of clutter or walls behind most couch areas or home offices?What about putting in some automated screens that drop down from the ceiling with painted nature scenes or even using video screens with a rear-facing projector and some nice backdrop scenes?Many clients would see a lot of value in that, even for chatting with the grandkids in some other state.
Yes, the Kinect is ushering in a whole new playing field for gaming and entertainment interaction.I look forward to the first automation controllerapplications written using the XNA developer’s toolkit for the 360.And, by the way, the same applications will run on Windows Phone 7.
One last area to consider is how the Kinect impacts your equipment layouts.If you have the Xbox 360 located in the front of the room near a “standard” TV or display, it is no big deal.What about those installations where it resides in a rack, at the back of the room, or in a console between the theater seats?How will you connect it up?Since it comes with a USB adapter and power supply, you may want to consider using a USB extender, although many integrators currently have not worked much with these.What about the majority of theaters with screens instead of flat panel displays.Where are you going to put the Kinect unit itself?It does have some definite placement limitations that need to be considered as part of your designs.
Get to know this device.You are going to be seeing a lot more of them and you need to be prepared.Take advantage of the new opportunities it offers.
CONTENT INTEGRATION
We also spend some time discussing the integration of various content platforms.This whole wave of mobile device integration in with tablets and other portable devices tied to more and more on-line services in with the ability to purchase content from various sources while being able to play whatever your clients want on any device from anywhere really taxes our ability to make the whole concept of content consumption transparent.I will not try to write up all of the permutations and some approaches to making the various experiences seamless here.We do discuss some of the issues in this podcast, but it is going to take a series of Installments to cover this topic.Stay tuned.
CABLECARD
One last area I wanted to touch on is the Ceton tuner cards that finally are making their way into the wild.As you will recall back in our earlier installments around Installment 00B (http://thedigitallifestyle.com/cs/TDL/b/custom/archive/2009/04/16/pre-cursor-to-installment-00b.aspx) delving into the guts of CableCARD, we talked about the MCIA Digital Cable Tuner Diagnostic Tool and how great it is for understanding and troubleshooting CableCARD-based installations using Windows Media Center.I wanted to remind everyone that the DCT Diag Tool now is available to download for anyone from The Green Button at http://thegreenbutton.com/files/folders/wmc_installers/entry451891.aspx. Do not forget to check out the help file.It is very informative, if I must say so myself (since I wrote it).This tool has been tested with the Ceton CableCARD tuners and is a great way to optimize your setups and to make sure all of the channels work as subscribed.
That about wraps things up for this Installment. Next time we will cover some more industry news and then start on power designs and their implications. Thanks for listening and reading.
Jon’s back! And with him a shiny new iPad. He shares his experiences with it so far, and even records the show using it. And could Flash be hitting the iPad imminently? Possibly (well sort of). After a few weeks dominated by Windows Phone 7, we take a look at some other players including details on the Facebook mobile event this week, Amazon opting to sell the Kindle on the high street and a brand new way of input for your mobile- the 8pen (small keyboards are so 2009).
So click the link, grab that coffee and be up to date on all things mobile within the next 60 minutes!
Garry and Andrew are back from their travels and we have lots of news to catch up on. We have emails on DLNA, meta data problems with Media Center, lots of remote control solutions and Media Center keyboards.
We also talk about Freeview HD in Media Center, Andrews experiences with Google TV and Apple verses Microsoft new product availability. As ever we have good fun recording the show so I hope you enjoy this weeks show
Microsoft’s Charlie Owen joins me to talk about how the industry has progressed since he left the Windows Media Center team just over a year ago. Charlie has some great thoughts on Google’s TV effort, the way Apple are going and Microsoft approach. We also talk about al-carte TV consumption verses subscription and whether internet delivered content can replace broadcast methods.
I always enjoy my chats with Charie and he has been a great supporter of the Windows Media Center community so I am really pleased to get him back on the show.
We’re back with a bumper show this week, covering everything from the Nook Colour to the PSP phone that seems destined to land very very soon. Jose joins Sheldon to pick through all the big news, including some first thoughts on living with Windows Phone 7. If you love mobile tech, you really don’t want to miss this one!
Back for show 52 and with a guest presenter as well! No Jon this week, and with Jose stepping away from a regular slot for the forseeable future, Jason Coombes (aka DatabaseJase) joins Sheldon on this weeks show. Jason has some great insight into the WIndows Phone 7 launch in the UK, and we ask if things could have been handled better. Plus, based on recent comments from Steve Jobs and Eric Schmidt we ask is it open vs closed, or integrated vs fragmented? Are we happier with a consistent experience or with the opportunity to configure our smartphones the way we want them, rather than having the experience forced on us? Plus there’s news on Apples record quarter, the new Palm Pre 2 and we look at the staggering numbers around advertising on mobile platforms. So what are you waiting for - download and enjoy this weeks show!
I return this week while Andrew and Garry are off around the world so this week Jason Coombs and Daniel Vieira join me to talk about the weeks digital lifestyle news and we have a chat about how they are using Media Center in their home. Jason uses DVBLink to distribute TV around his home and Daniel uses Media Center as a backup to a Virgin Media box and we talk about streaming verses recording.
Please keep your emails coming to podcast at The Digitallifestyle.com or follow me on twitter
Despite Jose` anouncement last show about how he was going to be stepping back for a few weeks he couldnt resist jumping on to this weeks show to talk Windows Phone 7. In fact Windows Phone 7 really does dominate the news this week with Mondays Microsoft keynote anouncement of the launch of their new mobile platform.
Join us for our throughts and some of the other news hitting the mobile world this week.
Sorry about the audio quality on this one folks, I lost my headset while moving house and the netbook mic wasnt really up to it but iv done as best I can with the edit.
Unfortunately I was unable to record this week but Garry and Andrew did a great job filling in for me. They have a great chat about the Meteor Windows Phone app, Kylo TV and Google TV and plenty of other topics
The reason the show title is “2 MVPs” is because as well as Andrew Edney being an MVP for Windows Home Server Garry has been awarded an MVP for Windows Media Center (now called a Windows Entertainment and Connected Home MVP). I am really please that Garry has been awarded the MVP he has been a great part of the Media Center community and certainly helped me out for a number of years.
Please keep your emails coming to podcast at The Digitallifestyle.com or follow me on twitter
This week Garry and I chat with George Hines about using Windows Media Center to cut the cord from pay TV and reduce the monthly bills. George has documented his experiences on his blog where he talks about how to get the content you want and not have to pay massive cable bills. So Garry and I talk with George about his experiences over the last 6 months and find out the pros and cons of his solution.
I also talk about the weeks news with Garry including the HP Slate, MCE LoveFilm, Simple.TV, Media Center Health Monitor updates and My Moives
Please keep your emails coming to podcast at The Digitallifestyle.com or follow me on twitter
Well, we made it to show 50! This week we cover about HTC's latest handsets, recent leaks of HP's Windows 7 slate, and of course the PlayBook. For our feature discussion, we turn to Nokia's stance of hardware ruling over software and share our own thoughts as to which is more important to us and which we think really makes or breaks a device. We are also giving away two TDL iPhone app (check out The Missing Remote's review here) licenses courtesy of Ian. The giveaway is restricted to US listeners only, but we're making it really easy to enter the drawing. Simply tweet any (or all) of us with the hash tag #TDLMobile (and a friendly "Hi if you like), and we will draw two people at random when we record next week's show. You can find our Twitter names below. Good luck!
Yes I have decided to rename the show to reflect the broader scope of the podcast. The main focus of the show will be Windows Media Center and the connected ecosystem but as we all try to integrate other components in to our lifestyle I thought it would be good to rebrand the show. So returning this week are Garry Whittaker and Andrew Edney to talk about new Embedded Media Center v Extenders, new Media Center addins, Windows Phone 7, Zune expanding to new markets and VLC for the iPad. We also talk about Niveus dropping Windows Media Center and discuss if its time to rename Windows Media Center
As ever we have a great time recording the show and I hope you enjoy it.
Please keep your emails coming to podcast at The Digitallifestyle.com or follow me on twitter
We swap Jose for Jon this week, and manage to bag ourselves a special guest appearance from none other than Mr Ian Dixon. Plenty to discuss as ever, including our use of mobile tech whilst travelling, the upcoming release of WP7, a new Android PAYG phone for less than £100 and more woes with carriers rolling out Android 2.2 updates.
We also take an in-depth look at who is winning out in the Enterprise world. With Blackberry losing mindshare and support for alternatives growing, is there a new king in town?
And if you use multiple cloud providers, be sure to check out our App of the week. We wrap up with news of an exciting giveaway planned for our 50th Show!
So kick back and join us for a 60 minute journey on all things mobile.
Main Topics: Who will win the Enterprise? Topical: Given the lukewarm response to BB Torch, the releases of WP7 and a Juniper VPN for iOS plus Google Apps for tablets, is the landscape changing, and how quickly is it likely to happen?
This week Andrew Endney and John Zajdler from HomeServerShow.com join me to chat about the weeks news including Pinpoint for Windows Home Server, streaming media over the internet, the Boxee Box and we talk about the new Apple TV. Also this week there has been the first glimpses of Windows Media Center in Windows Embedded so we talk about the new boxes and what we want to see from a set top box
A brief hiatus and delayed post, but show 48 is here. A quick one this week as we recap the Apple and Samsung events from a couple of weeks ago, but we focus our discussion around the need (or lack thereof) for dedicated media players. Do they still have a role and if so, what is it? Have a listen to hear our differing views on the subject and don't forget to share your own thoughts with us!
This week I am talking to the developer behind MediaBrowser RC which is an iPhone/Android remote control application for MediaBrowser which is the the Media plugin for Windows Media Center. We are going to be talking about the features of the application and why the developer started the project.
The MediaBrowser RC application is an open source application that works in conjunction with a Media Browser web services developed by evorgevol
I also talk about the disappointing new Apple TV and Zumocast. Bad news for fans of the Edney drinking game no mentions this week!
Back from my break and I return with Garry and Andrew to talk new network based tuners from AverMedia. Boxee, MediaBrowser iPhone apps, hacking Media Center for unlimited tuners and Windows Phone 7 remote control apps
Plus we have email and if your in the Edney drinking game make sure you are topped up before the show
A ton of news in mobile over the past couple of weeks. Tons of device leaks/rumors/announcements from HTC, Samsung, LG and Sony Ericsson; Sheldon gives his impressions of WebOS compared against Android and iOS; and we wrap things up with a discussion about mobile gaming. Enjoy!
I am on holiday so Garry Whittiker and Andrew Edney take over and host the show for me this week. They discuss the new EPG app for Windows Phone 7 from Niall Ginsbourg, remote controls for Media Center, Windows Home Server Vail, CableCARD updates and Sky’s Media Center addin
Garry and Andrew have done a great job hosting the show and have a good time recording the show, Its nice for me to be able to listen to the show for a change!
No Jose this week but Jon and Sheldon hold the fort with this weeks news as well as some thoughtful insights into the possible future of mobile computing in the cloud. As usual take a listen and give us your feedback, we are always keen to get your thoughts on anything from future show ideas to reactions about our comments.
I return this week while Andrew and Garry are off around the world so this week Jason Coombs and Daniel Vieira join me to talk about the weeks digital lifestyle news and we have a chat about how they are using Media Center in their home. Jason uses DVBLink to distribute TV around his home and Daniel uses Media Center as a backup to a Virgin Media box and we talk about streaming verses recording.
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