I absolutely HATE linking to the New York Times as they require registration and the articles go behind their wall of free news after about a week, but, that being said, the Microsoft PR machine has been set in motion with the launch of their new MCE 2005 this week in Los Angeles. This post will serve as continued coverage.
Update: Ok, the coverage today was pretty massive from the mainstream media. All of the links are below.
Some highlights and lowlights.
I can’t believe that the best the Mercury News, Silicon Valley’s premier newspaper, can come up with is a regurgitated Bloomberg story. They subsequently posted the AP story instead of writing their own. Things must be tight at the Merc. Update: Ok this morning they have their original story up. Better late than never.
It’s nice to see the bloggers come out of the woodwork. Michael Creasy did a nice write up as did MCE program manager Matt Goyer. Still waiting for Andy Vanosdale to post though. The last we got from him was from yesterday, “Are you ready… I said, Are You Ready?” Yes Andy, we are ready, so give it to us.
Peter Near provided a great recap of the launch itself and CNET has pictures of the event as well as some of the better indepth coverage on MCE 2005. CNET also did a nice commentary piece. They were probably the best mainstream news source on coverage today.
Paul Thurrott continues his detailed analysis of Microsoft products.
Joe Wilcox had a couple of good articles out today.
Joshua Schipmann did a very long but very interesting review as well as showed you how you can completely change the feel of your MCE by incorporating skins. Very cool.
PC Magazine review a lot of the new units.
Are they really spending $20 BILLION?!?! Somebody tell me that’s a typo. Didn’t they spend like $1 Billion marketing XBox? A few articles pick up on that big $20 Billion number.
Slashdot has the most indepth comments from the tech masses with their usual anti-Microsoft feel. One of the comments that I thought was especially insightful though was a little bit of a TiVo bash, “I don’t understand the slashdot crowd??? Software has spyware and you guys go ape****. Yet this hardware was able to determine the number of people who rewound the Janet Jackson clip and you guys give it a pass. Is spyware ok now?”
The Washington Post had good coverage and actually mentioned the Thomas Hawk review and coverage.
The Register and Inquirer ring in as usual. I can’t stand either of those publications.
Engadget does a much better job covering it than Gizmodo including an actual mp3 link of the launch. I think I saw something about Engadget passing up Gizmodo in readership a ways back. Good work Peter.
PVR Blog has some nice articles.
Those are some of the highlights and lowlights but there are many more articles that were out today including all of the standard players, New York Times, USA Today, Reuters, AP, etc. as well as many of the tech news sites.
Microsoft’s Official MCE 2005 site
My own review
Peter Near’s Excellent Coverage
CNET’s Full Coverage
Mercury News Article
Business Week article
More from Engadget, including an mp3 of the launch talk by Bill Gates
I can’t believe that all theThe Mercury News can come up with is the reguritated Bloomberg Story. Come on guys, you are in the heart of Silicon Valley
CNET’s News.com Commentary
CRN. The angle from an OEM’s perspective.
CNET has an article about the prices coming down on MCE machines
The Mercury News’ stellar coverage. Straight from AP, how original.
I like how in Australia they refer to it as a “lounge room push” instead of “living room push.” Australian IT
Engadget shows you where you can buy a standalone copy of the software
A Picture’s Worth a Thousand Words, Photos of the launch event from CNET
Paul Thurrott’s Supersite for Windows
MCE 2005 Features, First Take, by Joe Wilcox
Media Center Changes Beyond Features, by Joe Wilcox
MSNBC’s article complete with a nice picture of Bill Gates
Blurb from the Seattle Post Intelligencer
The Hollywood Reporter
Microsoft Stretches Reach of Digital Entertainment, eweek
AFP Article via Yahoo! News
Tom’s Hardware Guide
Internet News
Engadget Reviews the new Gateway 820GM Media Center PC
Media Center 2005 by Joshua Schipmann, thanks to the Unofficial Microsoft Weblog
PVR Blog, Niveus adds HDTV/Media Center XP 2005 to Denali
Game PC’s Review
Engadget, All the New Media Center PCs
PC Magazine, The Home PC Perfected
PC Magazine Reviews the HP Media Center Photosmart PC m1050y Series
PC Magazine Reviews HP Extender Unit
CBS Market Watch
Dow Jones Story
Extreme Tech, Media Center PC 2010, The $20 Billion Research Project
Microsoft Opens Windows to the Home, ZD Net
Engadget Reporting that XM Satellite will be included in MCE
Washington Post Coverage
Another Publication I hate, The Inquirer
Reuters Launch Story
Joe Wilcox, The Windows Marketplace
Wall Street Journal (Subscription Required)
IT World.com, Microsoft Aims High with Media Center Update
Keralanext, Microsoft sets aside $20bn to establish media software clout
Forbes, Third Times the Charm
Revolution, Microsoft’s TV dream moves closer with $20bn launch
Neowin on the official Media Center 2005 Theme (Royale)
PC World, Microsoft to Announce Media Center OS Update
More from Engadget on the “Plays for Sure” technology via MCE
USA Today Article
Slashdot picked it up
CNET’s article
The Reuters Story
I can’t stand The Register
Tech World News, Microsoft Wires XP to TV with Media Center
Slashdot Covers a New Media Center Bathroom Extender
ZD Net, Why Microsoft’s Media Center is Stuck on the Edge
PVR Blog
New York Times Article
Seattle Times Article
Tech News World
News Factor
Investor’s Business Daily
Addicted
Seattle PI.com
The Official AP Story
CNET’s Early Story
Engadget’s Early Story
PVR Blog’s Early Story
Gizmodo’s Early Coverage
Microsoft MCE Blogger Matt Goyer
Microsoft MCE Blogger Sean Alexander
Microsoft MCE Blogger Michael Creasy
Microsoft MCE Blogger Bojana Ostojic
Microsoft MCE Blogger Tim Ahlers
Mark Salloway’s MCE Blog
Andy Vanosdale’s Blog
The Green Button
Check out AnandTech’s review – a slightly different slant than most sites, with more focus on performance and tons of screenshots.
I like the helpful info you provide in your articles. I’ll bookmark your blog and check again here regularly. I’m quite certain I’ll learn many new stuff right here! Best of luck for the next!