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Remember -- it was probably eons ago -- when Gateway
tried to sell consumers on the idea of purchasing
one of their computers with a 31-inch Princeton
monitor?
The whole idea was that you would attach the computer
to the monitor and, using a combination video/TV
tuner card, you could use that 31-inch tube to either
do something computerish or watch your favorite
show.
Unfortunately the public wasn't ready for this
revolution in home entertainment and the concept
was relegated to the scrap heap.
Now Uncle Bill has taken up the gauntlet and is
vigorously campaigning for the Freestyle home entertainment
package, which is basically the old Gateway concept
on steroids.
Is now the right time? I think so. Folks have now
become accustomed to attaching foreign elements,
such as VCRs, digital cameras, CD/DVD players, and
other devices, up to their PCs so they edit, play
and convert video and audio. They're also plugging
notebooks and "second" computers into
their sound systems to play MP3 and other digital
music files in true surround sound.
Also, with Tivo and Microsoft's Ultimate TV becoming
so popular, people have become used to recording
their favorite shows onto mammoth hard drives so
they can get better video and audio than they can
from VCRs.
Freestyle is just the next logical step.
Since the functions of most of the devices we're
now using can easily be handled by a computer, why
not develop a way that we can watch TV and DVDs,
listen to music and view photos without the clutter
of 17 different peripherals?
Of course there will always be naysayers like my
uncompromising offspring, who probably were against
the lightbulb because it was too much work to replace. |
Just when you think things can't get worse, rich
ole Bill Gates from Microsoft has come out with
another vision.
Freestyle: The power of Windows XP and enhanced
media center experiences
View it for yourself at here.
What does this all mean? Well, I'm not exactly sure.
However Mike and I were trying to find something
to debate about and this seemed to be the best thing
out there. Next week we'll be talking about Hulk
Hogan's return to the WWF. Scary, huh?
Freestyle seems to allow you, the unsuspecting home
user, to use Windows XP as a media center -- an
enhanced one -- controlling everything from the
TV, music CDs, DVDs, picture slideshows, so on and
so on. All you need is a dollar, a dream and a remote.
There are probably software and hardware requirements,
however these aren't outlined on Microsoft's website
(figures!). Remember, this is still a preview and
a vision.
Hmmm, so if the computer crashes, will the TV, DVD
player and fish tank crash as well? Quite possibly.
Microsoft's notorious for tying everything into
their operating system. Who knows how many extra
cables and components you'll need in order to get
this to work.
You may need to upgrade your computer's processor,
memory, hard drive, speakers, stereo equipment,
TV, computer monitor, on and on and on. It won't
be as simple as pointing a remote at your computer
and pressing the Go button.
Me? Well I'm not interested. I use my computer for
one thing and one thing only, looking at very attractive
women with fake anatomy on the Internet.
And, while you were probably thinking that I made
it through a Berman vs. Berman without getting angry,
here you go -- what annoys me is that these rich
schlubs like Billy boy have these visions and all
it does it make more work for poor schleps like
myself!
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