Don’t forget I have moved my blog to TheDigitalLifestyle.com

I haven’t done a live show for a while so next Tuesday 8:30pm UK / 12:30pm PST I am going to hook up the webcam and do a live Q & A session. I am open for questions on any digital lifestyle or Media Center topic but I especially want to take the opportunity to talk about HP’s MediaSmart Connect as it will be connected up and we can try anything out on the device, lets see if we can break it (just don’t tell HP) lets see if we dive in to the feature set :)

I want to take your calls so you can call in via Skype or a landline (I will give the number out on Tuesday), or I can call you if you send me your number.

I will be using Yahoo Live to stream the session and if you have any question you want to send over before hand drop me an email (Ian at the digitallifestyle.com) or via Twitter

Listen Here

I have a great show this week, Warner Crocker from Gottabemobile.com talks about making your digital lifestyle mobile. We talk about the rise of the low cost mobile PCs, UMPCs, tablet PCs and MIDs (Mobile Internet Devices)  and how the product categories are getting blurred.

I also have your email, news items and don't forget about the HP Webinar on the new MediaSmart Connect I will be a guest on

Direct Download Link - Subscribe via iTunes - Subscribe via RSS - Vote for the show on Podcast Alley - Join The Media Center Show Group on Facebook - Catch me on Twitter

Show times and all the links in the podcast show notes

Don’t forget to register for HP’s Webinar on the new HP MediaSmart connect. The first one is with Ed Bott today at 10am PST and I will be the guest on Thursday 1pm PST (9pm UK) with Mike Garcen and Patrick Norton guest on future Webinars.

Here are the official details:

This summer, join HP and Microsoft for a series of webinars on HP's sleek, new connected entertainment device: the HP MediaSmart Connect, featuring Extender for Windows Media Center.

In this live online event you’ll get to meet the experts and learn why the HP MediaSmart Connect is the ’must have’ device that:

• Displays a single list of all the digital media gathered from all the hard drives on your home network

• Offers a rich Extender for Windows Media Center experience

• Supports Windows XP or Windows Vista-based notebooks and desktops, network storage devices, home servers, USB drives, and HP’s Pocket Media Drives

• Gives you access to great entertainment from Web sites like CinemaNow, Snapfish and Live365

Brian Burch, Director of Marketing for HP's Connected Entertainment group, will lead an interactive demonstration of HP's latest advanced digital media receiver, and discuss other products on the market today. Brian will be joined by these industry experts who will share their impressions of the HP MediaSmart Connect and their thoughts on how this device will transform your living room experience:

• Ed Bott, http://www.zdnet.com

• Ian Dixon, http://www.thedigitallifestyle.com

• Patrick Norton, http://www.tekzilla.com

• Mike Garcen, http://www.missingremote.com

Representatives from Microsoft will also be on hand to answer your questions about Windows Media Center and Extender technology.

REGISTER NOW for one of the upcoming events and take the first step towards taking back control of your digital life!

Click on the webinar date to go to the registration page for that session.

Tuesday, June 24th
10:00 am PST - Ed Bott - ZDNet

Thursday, June 26th
1:00 pm PST - Ian Dixon – The Digital Lifestyle

Tuesday, July 8th
10:00 am PST -Patrick Norton - Tekzilla

Thursday, July 10th
1:00 pm PST -Mike Garcen – Missing Remote

More details: http://www.microsoft.com/hpmediasmartconnect

Don't forget I have moved my blog to TheDigitalLifestyle.com

One of the most exciting products being at HP’s Berlin event is HP's new TouchSmart system. As I said before the hardware is a beautiful looking all in one design: This is combined with HP's own touch software that you can edit photos, view calendars, create playlists...

June 2008 Cumulative Update for Media Center for Windows Vista

Microsoft have posted the June update for Media Center:   SUMMARY Microsoft has released the June 2008 Cumulative Update for Windows Media Center for Windows Vista. This update rollup is intended for computers that are running...

Join me on one of HP’s Webinar on the new HP MediaSmart Connect

As Brian Burch from HP talked about on show 156 HP are launching the MediaSmart Connect a new Extender for Windows Media Center and over the next couple of months HP and Microsoft are hosting a series of webinars talking about and demonstrating the new...

Windows Media Center expands features in Japan

Microsoft looks to be expanding Windows Media Center features for the Japanese market. They will be adding ISDB-T support which is the Japanese digital TV format and multilanguage closed-captioning. Also being added is TV Asahi, NHK, NTV, TBS and Fuji...

Origami Experience 2.0 Released

Back at CES Microsoft where showing off the Origami Experience 2.0 for UMPCs. This is add on application for UMPCs that is designed for touch and the 7 inch screen. 2.0 looks like a complete re-write of the original software and has features like touch...

HP announce the HP MediaSmart Connect

HP have launched the MediaSmart Connect (formally known as the HP MediaSmart Receiver). This is the dedicated Media Center Extender first shown at CES that as well as being a Media Center Extender will also stream content from other sources. So far there...

Don’t forget I have moved my blog to TheDigitalLifestyle.com

As Brian Burch from HP talked about on show 156 HP are launching the MediaSmart Connect a new Extender for Windows Media Center and over the next couple of months HP and Microsoft are hosting a series of webinars talking about and demonstrating the new Extenders. Brian Burch (guest on show 156) Director of Marketing for HP's Connected Entertainment group will be leading the sessions along with:

Listen Here

A special show this week as for the last three days I have been in Berlin at HP’s Connecting Your World event. HP had a massive launch of new notebooks and the fantastic new TouchSmart System. I managed to get a range of interviews including Terry Walsh from Wegotserved.co.uk talking about Windows Home Server Powerpack 1 beta, GottaBeMobile.com’s Sierra Modro talking Notebooks and HP on the Notebook and TouchSmart launches.

Email and news items will be carried over to next week

Direct Download Link - Subscribe via iTunes - Subscribe via RSS - Vote for the show on Podcast Alley - Join The Media Center Show Group on Facebook - Catch me on Twitter

Thanks to the show sponsor Techradar.com

Links talked about in the show this week:

• Wegotserved.co.uk
• Release Candidate of Power Pack 1 ready for download
• HP Connecting Your World Keynote from Berlin
• HP MediaSmart Connect
• GottaBeMobile.com
• HP Conneting Your World
• Video: A quick play with HP's new TouchSmart system
• video: Video of HP's new TouchSmart system

Music by Ian Dixon

Technorati tags: Windows Media Center, podcasts

Don't forget I have moved my blog to TheDigitalLifestyle.com

On Monday I am heading over to Berlin for HP's Connecting Your World event. HP will be discussing their new products and strategy and I hopefully will be bringing you some interviews on systems for the connected home and the digital lifestyle.  On Wednesday I will be on a panel discussing mobile lifestyle so that should be fun.

So if you have any questions or issue you think I should ask let me know as intend to grab a bunch of interviews (post question as comments HERE or email me show [at] theDigitallifestyle.com) . I will be blogging when I can so keep an eye out on the RSS feed and I will be posting on Twitter regularly too.

It’s been a busy week with hardware announcements coming out of Computex 2008, like the AMD and ASUS launches plus Finally Windows Sideshow comes to Windows Mobile and I ask “How do you take your media with you?”

How do you take your media with you?

Most of us use Media Center centrally store our content, it could be TV, music, picture and DVDs . So what about accessing this content when your out and about? I have another a number of different ways of accessing my content. I have my Zune 30 which...

AMD Live! Home Cinema Changes Home Theater PC Market?

Somewhat overshadowed by the AMD’s “Puma” launch this week was AMD launch of AMD Live! Home Cinema at Computex 2008 and according to Jake Ludington this could be game changer.  Jake says that AMD’s chipset supports HD (including Blu-ray) through...

Video: Media Center University: Optimizing for Entertainment & Networking – Part 1

On Microsoft’s consumer electronics blog they have a link to part 1 of the Media Center University video. The video was taken at EHX Spring's Media Center University , I am watching it now, it has some good tips on connecting up a Media Center system...

ASUS Debuts World's First HDMI-Ready Sound Card

If your on the look out of the a new sound card and want the highest quality you should checkout the latest sound card from ASUS. The ASUS Xonar HDAV1.3 is the first HDMI ready sound card, the card is HDMI 1.3a compliant and decode audio from HD sources...

AMD Launches Next-Gen Notebook Platform "Puma"

AMD’s new platform for laptops “Puma” look interesting for mobile users wanting to take their content with them. It combines the AMD Turion X2 processor and a Radeon HD 3000 graphics chip and promises to deliver “ Full HD Experience ”. It will be interesting...

Consumer Electronics Installer Blog : CGMS-A, Broadcast flag and Windows Media Center

A few weeks ago there was a bit of outcry by some bloggers that Microsoft had enabled DRM in Media Center when users were blocked from recording “ American Gladiator ” ( see this story ) and that “once again Microsoft kills its products with DRM”. Chris...

Windows SideShow for Windows Mobile Developer Preview release

Finally Sideshow comes to Windows Mobile, well in a developer preview. This means that you will be able to use Sideshow gadgets on your Windows Mobile phone. I have just downloaded and installed it and the first thing I noticed is that its says you need...

vmcNetFlix goes Open Source

One of the Windows Media Center NetFlix addins vmcNetFlix has gone open source. While I can't take advantage of (no Netflix in the UK) I do think Windows Media Center is ideally situated to be the central point for download services like Netflix, why...

Listen Here
This week I am talking to Michael Toscano from Autonomic Home a company developing some interesting solution for Windows Media Center including control software for UMPCs and laptops. They also have a very interesting solution for whole home audio, using a 7.1 sound card to deliver 4 channels of stereo audio around the home.  I also have your email and news items, please keep the email coming!

Direct Download Link - Subscribe via iTunes - Subscribe via RSS - Vote for the show on Podcast Alley - Join The Media Center Show Group on Facebook - Catch me on Twitter

Thanks to the show sponsor Techradar.com

Show times and all the links talked about in the show are in the show notes