Last weekend catching up on Fr. Roderick's webcast, I noticed he's producing his show on Windows 7 Beta.  He's using an app to do screen capture and noted that sometimes the new Windows arranging feature created an issue for him during production, closing windows when he moves the mouse.  So I checked with the leprechauns and learned you can turn this feature off - handy for video production or similar.  Just go into Control Panel>Ease of Access>Ease of Access Center>Make the mouse easier to use and check "Prevent windows from being automatically arranged."

Note this will also disable the "Shake" feature where grabbing and shaking a Windows will minimize all others - frankly one of my favorite features.

Looks like Dell is serving up a little Apple compete with their new teaser for the "Adamo" which in latin means to fall in love with/lust after and in Dell's case looks to be a near-unibody laptop.  Everyone knows geeks like to see brand new tech taken apart and here Dell does it in reverse in all its whitewashed glory. Coincidentally, the style is reminiscent of the WMV HD "Robotica" trailer from the early 2000's and the PC Design Competition video I produced many years ago with the Industrial Design Society of America (IDSA). I hope the hardware is as good as the Dell concept video.

Source: Engadget and others

If you've been keeping up with the Windows 7 beta, you've probably noticed that Windows Media Center has really been focusing on fit and finish across the platform making it quite possibly the best DVR on the market.  Two features for me really, make the TV features sing: Color-coded program categories and extensibility to support station logos.  Here are the categories:

• Green   - Sports
• Purple  - Movies
• LtBlue  - Kids & Family
• Orange - Special
• Yellow  - News

Turning on Color-coded Categories

This feature is actually really easy to set. To turn it on, go  into Settings>TV>Guide Page Options, and click the first checkbox option to "Apply colored backgrounds to shows, based on their category". You'll also notice the ability to set channels by name, a useful feature if you can never remember the numbers or your cable operator keeps moving the lineups around (or both, in my case).

Adding Channel Logos into the Guide

Next up is My Channel Logos for Media Center. I consider this to be one of the first, and most useful PowerToys exclusively for Windows 7, courtesy of some enthusiasts from The Green Button.com.  This add-on plugs in the network logos for most major networks directly into your EPG.  It also enables you to create/add your own custom logo for channels.  The application effectively extends this feature in MediaCenter by placing the appropriate logo file in a cache.  MediaCenter finds the cache and updates.

Of course, your mileage may vary, especially with Beta on beta software.

It's been a while since I've posted - a bit of a blog break in favor of Twitter and FriendFeed I guess.  But today's post is one worth noting for Digital Media professionals- the release of the IIS Smooth Streaming module for IIS7.  Why does it matter?  Well, this is in part, the technology that enabled the NBC Olympics experience to deliver buffer-free HD streaming last summer.  Based on that experience and the learnings, this standards-based solution (using HTTP and MPEG-4 container + VC-1, H.264/AAC to come).  Authoring is possible with Expression Encoder 2 update as well.

To learn more about this release visit Ben Waggoner's blog at On10.net. You can see demos as well at SmoothHD.com (created in partnership with Akamai). I'm sure you'll  hear more about this at MIX09 as well.

Watching the rollout of Windows 7 Beta, I have been pleasantly surprised by the number of friends and colleagues (outside Microsoft) that have asked if they should try it.  Generally they're a mix of XP and Vista users and new to the "beta craze" seen during the Windows 95 days.  It this Win95 redux?  No, I don't think so (it was a different time) but as consumers are looking to get more value out of their existing purchases - from buying tracks for Rock Band and Lips, to keeping that car going a little longer - Windows 7 is seen as having the promise of doing the same for your PC. That said, Windows 7 will also present a great opportunity to upgrade for many after trying out the beta on an older machine laying around.  If it performs well, just imagine what it can do on a new PC.

So, my guidance is this:  If you have an older PC sitting around that you don't mind turning into a weeknight/weekend project - go ahead and download the beta.  Here are a few resources to get you started:

• How to Get, Install and Play with Windows 7 (Gizmodo) 
• 10 Really cool Windows 7 Media Center features (Gizmodo) 
• Using Touch with Windows Media Center 7 (The Digital Lifestyle)
• Windows Live Essentials - must have download for Win7 (Live.com)

My prediction - touch interfaces are here to stay, and will be most impactful on a PC.  Just looking at the buzz Microsoft Surface generated a few years ago, followed by the iPhone/iPod Touch ushering a new generation of gestural interfaces.  Windows 7 will be able to support touch as well as a mouse and keyboard.  Just keep those fingers clean ;).

Those that read this blog know I'm a fan of my Data Robotics Drobo for storage and backup of all my music/videos/photos/documents etc.  But with my wife now toting her own laptop and my older son asking to spend more time in front of the computer, IT support needs in our home are expanding.  Spending a few hours rebuilding a laptop just doesn't have the new car smell it used to. 

I've been a fan, but not a user of Windows Home Server for a while now, mainly for lack of a Media Center solution. Instead my quad-core desktop runs all the time.  The thought of another PC running or having to transfer all of my content from my 2GB Drobo is daunting at best. Michael Gartenberg's opinion of the new HP MediaSmart EX485/487 over at MediaBistro.com has me rethinking this pain.

Points for Windows Home Server

• Automated backup on all my Windows PCs
• SkyDrive and Cloud storage and drive mounting
• Remote access (easily) via easy to remember domain name
• Vista Caller ID add-in
• No $129 startup + $49/year cost for Firmware updates like DroboCare requires
• Extendable past 4 drives via eSATA
• Robust application development and enthusiast community
• Mac TimeMachine support & iTunes
• Hack to stream Zune directly from WHS

Points for Drobo

• Fast USB file transfer (and 1394 on some units) from my desktop system for large HD videos.  With WHS it will have to run over the home network.
• No issues with CableCard-based Windows Media Center setup or My Movies 2 client.
• Little interesting or compelling add-ons when connected to a PC

So my main issues become speed of transfers and transcoding/connectivity to Xbox 360s as extender devices (via DLNA or Media Center).  I have all this working well with TVersity and Vista Media Center/Extenders.  Do I really want to risk breaking it?

It looks like the HP MediaSmart EX487 would be the right solution for my needs.  If I do make the switch, I'll post about my experiences migrating from Drobo.

Last week, I got two emails from readers asking if there was a way to get the old Yule Log Visualization for Windows Media Player running in Vista.  Originally released  as a part of the Windows Media Bonus Pack for Windows XP, in 2001 I hired Frog Design to re-create the classic Yule Log that so many of us enjoyed during the holidays on TV.  The problem is the installer hasn't been updated to support later Windows operating systems.  So today I'm happy to  unofficially release an updated stand-alone installer that works with Vista including 32 and 64-bit.

Download:

After installing, just go to Now Playing>Visualizations>Yule Log and fire up your music (sorry I couldn't resist).  If you want to tweak the effect, choose "Options", then select the Yule Log Visualization and click the Properties button.  You'll find a slider for sensitivity.

If you like the visualization, please donate a few dollars to your favorite charity.  Given the wintry weather, I'm also working to track down the original holiday skins and AutoPlaylists for WMP which I may also package up if there's interest.

Happy Holidays from our family to yours!

As those who have read my ramblings here know, I'm always looking for the perfect holiday mix.  This year, it's been easier thanks to two services I've been playing with: Zune Marketplace and Pandora. 

Tip#1: Find Great Holiday Music on Zune

Zune Marketplace serves up a broad range of musical suggestions, but if you click on the "more" option under Genres, you'll find the latest programming for the holidays.  Select, "Seasonal" and you'll find some great playlists - Christmas Classics and Holiday Cocktails are two of my favorite playlists.

Don't have Zune?  It's a great time to take advantage of the two weeks free offer or you can sample the catalog for ideas on Zune.net.

Tip #2: Serve up Pandora's Holiday Stations

A tip of the hat to the Pandora team for sharing some tips for creating Holiday stations on Pandora! Just start by entering the name of a holiday song you like. To create a station based on an artist who performs holiday music, enter their name, followed by the word 'holiday' (for example, 'Ray Charles Holiday').  

•         Classical Christmas    Listen Now
•         Rockin' Holidays         Listen Now
•         Swingin' Christmas    Listen Now
•         Jazz Holidays             Listen Now
•         Country Christmas     Listen Now

Having spent the majority of this weekend boxing up our house for our move, I can attest that these work great on Pandora on Sonos as well. (Note: Pandora also now powers MSN Radio here.) 

And don't forget last year's Holiday Trivia Picture pack - great to put as a slideshow on your TV or Digital Picture frame during holiday parties. Happy holidays all!

I just discovered these gems on Channel 10 - upload plug-ins for Facebook and YouTube coming to Windows Live Photo Gallery.  I've often wondered where the rest of the upload wizards are.  Now, can we just get one plug-in that handles upload to multiple services at the same time?

• Download LiveUpload for Facebook (Beta)
• Download LiveUpload for YouTube (Beta)

More Zune news trickles out. Customers spoke and Zune listened.  The people said

"We want all you can eat music, but let us keep the ones we like." 

"Oh and make sure the songs are MP3s"

"P.S. Make sure the music doesn't suck. Make the MP3 library a part of the offer"

So now as a Zune Pass subscriber you can download from millions of tracks, and you can keep 10 songs a month as MP3s in your permanent collection for $14.99/mo.  Even if you don't like the subscription model, this is still a pretty sweet deal.  I know my Zunes and other devices will be happy during the holidays.

Hot on the heels of releasing the Zune 3.0 release in September, the Zune team went into full swing this week for the holiday season:

• Starting with a new Zune TV spot during Monday night's episode of Heroes.  The ad is funky and features crossover DJ/Artist Common and featuring the Mixview feature I'm officially addicted to for exploring new artists.  Apparently we'll be seeing the ad during NFL games, and a lot of playtime on MTV networks.
• Then came the Zune 3.1 update on Tuesday.  Three new games: Checkers, Sudoku, and Space Battle add some WiFi-multiplayer action as well as updates to Zune Social, and rounding off some edges in the software and firmware
• And lastly, a Zune price drop for US and Canada (the current markets for Zune). Flash-based devices and accessories dropped for the 4GB from $129.99 to $99.99, and 8GB from $149.99 to $139.99. Additional details on accessory price drops can be found on Cesar's Zune Insider Blog here.  You should find the new prices at ZuneOriginals.net and major retailers.

If you've been wondering what Zune is all about, my recommendation is to download Zune and take advantage of the free trial period. Remember there's a large library of DRM-free MP3s waiting inside if you prefer to go the non-subscription route.  If you like what you see, the rest is up to you and your wish list. :)  As always you can make fun of browse my music collection with ZuneTag: Vhyper.

Last night, Microsoft unveiled the official Microsoft Store online in the US, offering direct purchase of Microsoft products online, including the largest library of Microsoft digital downloads.  Additional countries will be coming soon including UK, Germany, Korea, Japan, France, Spain, and the Netherlands.

If you're looking for an Xbox 360 or accessories for the holidays, Microsoft published games like Gears of War 2, Lips, or Zune devices and accessories, this is a great place to start.   With Xbox 360 bundles starting at $199, there are some good deals to be found.

Tip of the hat to Brandon LeBlanc at the Windows Experience

There are a few essentials my wife has in her purse and/or diaper bag - wallet, snacks for kids, emergency juice box, and a Flip Mino video camcorder. It's so fast and easy to use for the first time she's taking home videos on a pretty regular basis (vs never before). We have a great Canon HV20 that shoots 720p video but I'm the only one that seems to use it.

I've been on an HD kick, shooting all our home video on the Canon when I can think of it, but it turns out a lot of our video is now shot on the Mino.  This grates on my nerves because the quality has been so poor compared to the Canon.  Enter the new Flip MinoHD announced just today.  For $180, only $50 more than the original Mino, you get 1280x720 (720p) video in a tiny package that fits in any bag.  The Mossberg Solution wasn't so keen on the companion software and there's few details so far other than it records in MPEG4.  There's also no optical zoom on the camera which is disappointing but for capturing those quick moments, this looks to be a winner with fewer compromises in video quality.  I'll post more with videos over the weekend after I've had a chance to put one through its paces.

Read more at The Mossberg Solution

My old buddy Charlie Owen has posted an outstanding overview of Windows Media Center in Windows 7.  This oft-overlooked feature is getting a number of refinements. While PDC is focused on developers, there is a lot of goodness happening here.  A few of my favorites:

• Turbo Scroll- an essential for those of us with large libraries
• Refined Album Art Presentation
• A great new Now Playing view with animated album art
• Shared Libraries - yep, that's right - navigate Photos, Music, Video and even Recorded TV stored on other computers in your Home Group
• Pictures with Ambient Slideshows and Ratings - more needed refinement
• The Slideshow Creator - Now just give me the ability to order the photos to tell a story.
• For Video, H.264 playback out of the box.  Yes, you heard that right.  Even on Media Center Extenders.
• Bookmarking for videos so you can return to where you left off.
• HD Pivot in the Movies Guide

Kudos to the Media Center team.  Apparently I need to start testing again.  Time to dust off my old(er) PC for some Windows 7 goodness.  Beta can't come fast enough.

My favorite home audio solution just got a little sweeter and just in time for the holidays.  On top of over 15,000 radio stations being added, Sonos now has Pandora and Last.FM support for FREE. When Pandora support was added last year, it carried a monthly fee after an evaluation period, leading many customers (including myself) to evaluate and discontinue in favor of our own music libraries. Now with the support of arguably the two largest "free" personal music services, Sonos ups their game.

But it gets even better with support for Sonos Controller for iPhone and iPod Touch.   Let's admit it, the Sonos Controller first introduced in 2005 is getting a little long in the tooth.  While it continues to be best of breed, the lower-resolution display and large form factor just don't add up as well in today's marketplace.  While no less than four 3rd party solutions hit the market a short while ago, this natively supported application is a great addition for consumers who have an iPhone or iPod with WiFi support.  It also effectively drops the entry price for Sonos to about $350 for customers who already own a Sonos unit.  The application is also free, adding new value to their customers.  Check out the video for even more.  In a tough economic time when many companies are looking for any way to improve their bottom line by charging for updates and service packs, it's nice to see companies such as Sonos continue to innovate and add value for free.  Their higher price tag certainly looks better when you factor in the free updates.  Now how about support for Zune playlists? ;)

More here

Today, NetFlix announced that they have begun deployment of their new player to their customers, incorporating dynamic streaming for DVD-style fast-forward and rewind over the Web. This is a big shot in the arm for Silverlight 2, and hot on the heels of the overwhelmingly successful NBC Olympics coverage in Silverlight 2 beta.

It's hard to believe it was 18 months ago at the Microsoft MIX conference that Netflix first demonstrated their instant streaming application on-stage. One of the top features of this Netflix player was the ability to view movies on Mac and PC, and have a richer viewing experience. I'm very excited to see this happen as it brings one of my favorite Silverlight projects full circle.

When we first approached NetFlix, we had an idea for the player. I quickly wrote a two-page speclet describing the functionality.  For fun, I codenamed the project, "Big Red".  The concept was approved by Netflix and one of our top design partners refined and built the prototype in less than six weeks. Many didn't think the app would be done in time to see the stage in time at MIX, and others didn't think it would ever get released. I'd prefer to think this proves that good things come to those who wait, not to mention a ton of better instant watch content thanks to deals with Starz, The Disney Channel and others providers.  Combined with the new Xbox experience with NetFlix coming soon, it's going to be a NetFlix-powered holidays around the Alexander household.

Congratulations to the Netflix and the Silverlight teams.