Windows XP Media Center Edition Goes Gold

Microsoft this week released to manufacturing the fifth version of Windows XP, designed to facilitate a new generation of media-centric PCs. The aptly named Windows XP Media Center Edition brings together digital music and video, photos, DVD playback, live television and PVR capability into a unified interface controlled via remote control.

"Windows XP Media Center Edition takes the great photo, music and video experiences introduced last fall with Windows XP to the next level and adds a new TV experience that only the power of the PC can deliver. It's an example of how innovation continues to make the PC even more central to people's lives," said Microsoft's vice president of the Platforms Products Group, Jim Allchin.

Numerous hardware partners have signed on with Microsoft to create media center PCs, including Hewlett-Packard and Samsung. ATI, Philips, NVIDIA, and others have also pledged their support. Intel has made special optimizations in its Pentium 4 processor platform for Windows XP MCE, and AMD will also ensure peak performance.

Microsoft expects the first series of media center PCs to ship by the holiday season.

"Every digital media enthusiast, every college student, every teenager, every apartment dweller, will love this technology," said Allchin.