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Windows Hardware Showcase
WinHEC 2004 Fact Sheet: Demo Descriptions


Windows Small Business Server 2003
For most small businesses, what runs on their servers is mission-critical. So providing “hardware fundamentals” for a small-business server means building great features so the user doesn’t need to be a server guru. It also means designing form factors that fit well: small and quiet, with support for wireless LAN to avoid network cables. A great operating system plus a great hardware platform allows users to concentrate on their business — not on working to keep their servers running. Microsoft® Windows® Small Business Server 2003, together with Janus Server by First International Computer Inc. (FIC), is a server platform solution ideally suited to the needs of today’s small businesses.

Windows VOIP Conferencing
Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) conferencing is hot. Come see how industry leaders are leveraging Windows VoIP technology and Microsoft Office Live Communications Server to deliver greater knowledge worker productivity by enabling instant messaging, presence awareness and high-quality videoconferencing. No longer relegated to movie portrayals, high-quality videoconferencing has been made possible through powerful integration of hardware and software. This solution features hardware created by Toshiba Corp.

Windows Biometric Authentication
With so much critical and confidential information being stored on end-user PCs, the risk of password compromise and unauthorized access to data is increasing for corporations and consumers. Windows biometric authentication offers convenient, fast, local-machine logon, without the complexity of managing passwords. Security is strengthened because the password is unique: the individual user’s fingerprint. See the variety of biometric solutions available from industry partners, including DigitalPersona Inc., Gateway Inc., IBM Corp. and Sony Corp.

Windows “Longhorn”: Communications Experience
The PC is used increasingly for communications. Last year at WinHEC, Microsoft Corp. and HP demonstrated the “Athens” PC prototype, a vision for a future communications PC. In 2004, the “Longhorn” Communications demo shows the next steps, including Microsoft’s plans for the next version of Windows, code-named “Longhorn.” The demo also shows how communications hardware plays a role in this experience.

Currently, the PC typically is used for PC-focused communications such as e mail and instant messaging. However, much of a person’s communication is conducted on other devices such as cell and landline phones, alternating among these disconnected methods throughout the day. As a result, data is spread across silos and extra overhead is required to find data and manage presence, while users must maintain multiple address books for contacts and multiple communications logs, ranging from an e-mail inbox on a PC to a call list on a cell phone.
The “Longhorn” Communications demo shows how these scenarios can be integrated into a seamless experience in which data is shared and synchronized across the PC and devices. The demo shows call-handling functionality for any type of phone communication, from cell phone calls to VoIP. Any of these phone calls can be complemented with other communication channels such as video or simultaneous viewing of photos and documents. The demo shows “Longhorn’s” plans for integrating communication across different software and devices into one unified history, with quick access to data. Hardware such as cell phones and a communications control panel are integrated with the proposed software experience. The combination of these features results in a PC optimized for communications.

Windows Network Connected Device Technology
Connecting devices to a home network can be as easy as connecting them to a PC. Microsoft shows how this is possible with Windows XP Service Pack 2 (SP2), the Windows Network Connected Device Driver Development Kit (DDK) and WS-Discovery — a Web services specification co-authored by BEA Systems Inc., Canon Inc., Intel Corporation and Microsoft. By integrating Web services with the existing Plug and Play infrastructure, devices can be easily and securely connected to the typical “unmanaged” home network. In this example, a new digital picture frame powered by a small-form-factor chipset from VIA Technologies Inc. is added to a typical home network. The picture frame is found, added to the network and configured as if it were directly connected to the PC. The frame can display images stored on the PC and from the Internet through a Web service run by Corbis. Digital pictures also are transferred wirelessly to the PC by a Nikon digital camera. These pictures can be displayed in the picture frame or printed to a Web-services-enabled laser printer from Canon. Key technologies include these:

§ Windows XP SP2 and Windows Network Connected Device Technology DDK

§ WS-Discovery specification, co-authored by BEA Systems,

Canon, Intel and Microsoft

§ Nikon digital camera

§ VIA small-form-factor chipset

§ Canon Web-services-enabled laser printer

§ Corbis Web services

Windows XP Media Center Edition Hardware Innovation
The ways in which people enjoy media on their PCs are being redefined by Windows XP Media Center Edition. Innovations by Microsoft’s hardware industry partners that take advantage of Windows XP Media Center Edition are resulting in exciting new media experiences. A few highlights presented here include these:

§ The unique design of the Niveus Media AVX, inspired by high-end audio equipment, enables it to use full-powered PC components while providing extremely quiet operation — it is completely fanless. Using a powerful processor and video card, the system supports playback of stunning Windows Media® Video High-Definition DVDs, bringing high-resolution discs to the consumer home entertainment experience while leveraging the power and flexibility of the Media Center PC.

§ Consumers have complained about the complexity required to record a television program. Microsoft and One Voice Technologies Inc. have developed a wireless microphone integrated into the Media Center remote control and supported by innovative voice command software. Users can now simply say what they want to do — record their favorite program, locate content or view what they recorded.

Technologies that are part of this solution include these:
§ Windows XP Media Center Edition

§ Passive cooling (fanless)

§ High-definition Windows Media Video (WMV)

§ Remote control with built-in wireless microphone

§ Digital video control through Microsoft DirectX®

§ Modem with Telephony API (TAPI) Caller ID

Windows XP Media Center Edition Hardware Showcase
See the broad range of innovative form factors and hardware solutions being brought to market that support Windows XP Media Center Edition. Microsoft and industry partners are working together to ensure that well-integrated hardware and software solutions deliver new, exciting and superior customer experiences. The breadth of solutions available will leave you inspired.
Windows Smart Network Key
With the growth in adoption of home networks among consumers, the typical user is still challenged to set up and configure a network. To help users, Microsoft partnered with leading hardware and device manufacturers to develop the Windows Smart Network Key solution. This solution allows users to easily configure devices and PCs on an 802.11 wireless home network using a USB flash drive and Windows XP SP2. Industry partners showcased in this solution include HP and AboCom Systems Inc.
Windows XP 64-Bit Edition
Formerly available only to high-end workstations, the recently released Windows XP 64-Bit Edition supports a new level of performance for consumer applications. Together with leading industry partners, Microsoft is encouraging adoption of the x64 platform for consumer, prosumer, gaming and mobile computing. This demo shows examples of applications harnessing the power of the x64 platform. Included here is “Far Cry,” from Ubisoft and Crytek GmbH, which is the first PC game available for 64-bit and 32-bit Windows running on an AMD 64-bit system. With software that leverages new Microsoft DirectX 9 features, users experience an enhanced gaming experience as a result of shader modeling and translucent rendering, plus increased performance from software that takes advantage of the larger memory address spaces available with the x64 platform.

Microsoft Power Sense Technologies
Microsoft Power Sense is a set of evolving technologies that combine improvements in PC hardware architecture and the Windows platform to provide customers with better power management options. On PCs running Windows XP with Power Sense technologies, users can enjoy direct access to media, helping save time and improve their PC experience. Power Sense functionality also reduces PC noise, so that Windows can quietly perform unattended tasks such as recording video, remotely streaming media and downloading software updates while the PC appears to be turned off.

Microsoft Research Real-Time Collaboration Prototype
Microsoft Research has developed a real-time collaboration prototype that integrates newly affordable hardware with enhanced communications software for real-time information exchange in meetings, especially when most participants are in one conference room or family room while a few others are elsewhere. This greatly extends end-user experiences that previously have been possible only with expensive videoconferencing solutions.

Windows Home Concept
Home computing is expanding to every room, complementing the flow of life in homes. The Windows Home Concept is a vision of seamless computing, featuring high-fidelity entertainment and integrated communication experiences. Innovations in Windows and hardware that focus on simplicity, availability, high-quality entertainment and communications serve to enable the Windows Home Concept, delivering always-ready, connected and consistent computing experiences. New business opportunities for software and hardware are created around the evolving home computing platform and form factors.
http://download.microsoft.com/download/D/A/A/DAA7245D-E01D-46A4-AB70-3A95ED3F6934/DemoDescriptionsFS....