Windows SideShow Devices Run $80? - Gizmodo Comments

Windows SideShow Devices Run $80?

jennyfur — Mon, 18 Jun 2007 12:29:24 EDT

In fact, here's a great post by Chris Lanier that talks about a lot of the usefulness SideShow could have:
[msmvps.com]

By the way, Ricavision is the maker of the products Giz mentioned above. They're also the ones making that remote I just referred to. Giz has already had posts about the remote before. I think they also had a post about a messenger bag with a SideShow device built in.

jennyfur

Windows SideShow Devices Run $80?

jennyfur — Mon, 18 Jun 2007 12:01:05 EDT

Wow, it's great to hear that the price of SideShow devices is actually quite reasonable. And I'm rather surprised at the number of people who were entirely missing the point of these devices. At least Serpent2 pointed out some of the possibilities this technology holds. They're incredibly useful. I've been waiting for SideShow capable remote controls to show up ever since CES back in January. I personally want it for Media Center use so that there isn't always the necessity to turn on a big screen TV just to play music or do some menial task.

jennyfur

Windows SideShow Devices Run $80?

celcho — Mon, 18 Jun 2007 10:38:09 EDT

cool concept. we'll see how well it actually works in practice. that keyboard is miserable. if you're going to have one, why not make it decent? one advantage to MS land, though, is that many companies will make competing products and hopefully some company will make one of these that is worth a crap.

celcho

Windows SideShow Devices Run $80?

rjfarquhar — Sun, 17 Jun 2007 20:39:12 EDT

Jeepers, that keyboard looks rinky-dink!

rjfarquhar

Windows SideShow Devices Run $80?

Serpent2 — Sun, 17 Jun 2007 12:26:21 EDT

The idea is to have these intergrated into the top covers of laptops, too, as a detachable unit and being able to access the informaiton ont he hdd without turning on the laptop completely. That means access to MP3s, emails, docs, etc without turning on the laptop.. which translates to 200hrs of battery life some how (from what I read. Must be refering to caching the mp3s/docs/emails you will be using onto the device and using the laptop as a charging station inbetween uses). So it is kind of a cut down PDA and synching I guess. I am all for this as I think it is great. The decice shown in the article is of particular interest to a lot of people becuase basically it looks like it can be a txt device that you can use from anywhere in your house. If multiple decives can be connected to a PC it could save a lot of family fueds between who gets to use the computer. A lot of times sisters just want to go to chat with their frrends while us dudes like to play games and stuff. Anyway, you can see that there are so many different applications for this type od technology.

and quikboy: M$ stole the concept from apple.. It is too cool for M$ to have thought this up. /sacrasm. No, it was a joke becuase everytime there is a new implimentation of hardware or software widget (search, a web browser, a callander, etc) applites shout how Apple pioneered the whole thing and ushered in a new era of the way people use their computers.

For some reason I keep thinking that a smalkl company came up with the concept/design/device and nvidia bought them out

Serpent2

Windows SideShow Devices Run $80?

Mark Wilson — Sun, 17 Jun 2007 09:48:34 EDT

@heyyou: There is a lot more than pictures going on and you can be more like 50-100 feet away according the the manufacturer. And while a laptop makes these devices less practical, they will stretch PC functionality into other rooms.

Mark Wilson

Windows SideShow Devices Run $80?

strider_mt2k — Sun, 17 Jun 2007 09:39:32 EDT

So it's got a new hat?

strider_mt2k

Windows SideShow Devices Run $80?

nobodyzhome — Sun, 17 Jun 2007 09:16:05 EDT

Yeah, but do they run Linux?

nobodyzhome

Windows SideShow Devices Run $80?

Michael — Sun, 17 Jun 2007 06:43:37 EDT

Wow. I want one. And I'm a rabid Apple fanboy.

Michael

Windows SideShow Devices Run $80?

deusdiabolus — Sun, 17 Jun 2007 03:27:05 EDT

With the continual advancements in display technology, these could be even cheaper by the time they come out.

deusdiabolus

Windows SideShow Devices Run $80?

VakeroRokero — Sun, 17 Jun 2007 02:31:16 EDT

not to mention Microsoft doesn't want it to replace their other stuff. Even then this needs to be integrated since yesterday, not become an addon 5% windows Vista users have to be a selling point..

VakeroRokero

Windows SideShow Devices Run $80?

VakeroRokero — Sun, 17 Jun 2007 02:26:06 EDT

first it needs a reason to exist. Even at $50 its expensive for a little screen that just display filler. especially for a touchscreen.

VakeroRokero

Windows SideShow Devices Run $80?

quikboy — Sun, 17 Jun 2007 01:24:18 EDT

@Serpent2:

Exactly what are they stealing from Apple? Where similiar technology could Apple have?

quikboy

Windows SideShow Devices Run $80?

heyyou — Sun, 17 Jun 2007 00:47:35 EDT

maybe ive missed the whole slideshow thing(i have). but correct me if im wrong, all these things do is show pictures. and if it has to be hooked up to your computer(i really dont know, looks like it) whats the point?

your monitor should be bigger than that (hopefully) and your computer would be about 6 feet away.

the only reason i would get excited about this is to hack it, (slidelinux anyone?)

heyyou

Windows SideShow Devices Run $80?

Kichigai Mentat — Sun, 17 Jun 2007 00:41:05 EDT

K, I admit, I would like to own one of these. I kind of wish Apple put something like this into OS X. I could think of a number of useful things for this. Displaying dashboard widgets (iStat Pro, wewt!), IMs, videos, iTunes info, The progress of a certain job (IE: transcoding process in ffmpegX being shown on one of these), showing off my massive collection of Cat Macros to friends whole putzing around on Gizmodo, displaying lists of shortcuts/key shortcuts (list of what key does what in PhotoShop), or RSS feeds (especially if it uses that same display the Apple RSS screensaver uses).

Apple really ought to consider using this technologies, especially if it can use the displays on people's existing devices (read: iPod and iPhone). THAT would make it a killer app, and might even get me to pay for an iPod dock.

Kichigai Mentat

Windows SideShow Devices Run $80?

Serpent2 — Sat, 16 Jun 2007 20:32:04 EDT

There goes M$ stealing Apple's inventions again.

All of the posts seem generally postive except one.

Anyway, I agree that this could be very big but they really need to stop stealing Apple'$ idea$

Serpent2

Windows SideShow Devices Run $80?

drumz0rz — Sat, 16 Jun 2007 16:40:59 EDT

that could actually be really cool. My only excuse for going on my computer a lot of times is because I just want to chat on AIM. If a sideshow device lets me do this, while I can leave my computer on my desk, it would be wonderful.

drumz0rz

Windows SideShow Devices Run $80?

MIKEAWESOME — Sat, 16 Jun 2007 16:11:43 EDT

What would really be cool for me is if this could somehow function as a means to send/recieve IMs or Chats while away from the computer.

Say I finally get around to building that power-house PC and I put it in my room. Then I go to my TV to play my 360, someone IMs me on my PC and I can then IM them from this SideShow device. Another thing that would be cool, in this instance, is if I could view my Music on my PC, create a playlist, and then have the playlist stream from my PC to my 360 over the LAN (which is something I do fairly frequently right now, this would just take steps out of the equation).

MIKEAWESOME

Windows SideShow Devices Run $80?

electrikecho — Sat, 16 Jun 2007 15:44:04 EDT

I think I'll be getting an Eee PC, before I consider Vista or a sideshow device. I'm quite content with my WM Pocket PC for the time being.

electrikecho

Windows SideShow Devices Run $80?

bmg50barrett — Sat, 16 Jun 2007 15:35:46 EDT

hey...quiksilver, people will always buy stuff, and even though it may not be 100% usefull, people will still use it. Poeple dont care about how practical it is...i mean, i could say the same about GPS or a palm pilot. Get a freaking map instead of an expensive GPS, and just wait to use your laptop instead of your Palmpilot.

Practicality is not the only selling point. Pragmatism never goes far in marketing.

"Hey...our new computer system that we will be selling only really needs to do a few things, and will be pretty cheap..."

"Yeha...but if we add a few useless features, some fancy gadgetry, and cool visuals, we can charge more and people will still buy it..."

"Ok!"

bmg50barrett

Windows SideShow Devices Run $80?

keh — Sat, 16 Jun 2007 14:27:50 EDT

Maybe I'm behind on the times on this, but by using bluetooth, won't you be broadcasting the data to anyone within range (possibly up to 100 meters away)? Or have they introduced (or will they be introducing) security measures for bluetooth? I'd be a little hesitant to use these devies for that reason. I once had a 900Mhz cordless phone, and was having a conversation , when some stranger chimed in in the middle of my conversation to give their opinion on the topic at hand... I was not amused, and promptly stopped using that phone - not a unique experience I gather, the way cordless phones have since gone through three generations of changes (increases in frequency, and security measures), but, for me, "once bitten..."

keh

Windows SideShow Devices Run $80?

quiksilver — Sat, 16 Jun 2007 14:22:11 EDT

Just another useless gadget... I can't think of any major useful uses for this. If you have a laptop, just use it. If you're in a location where you can't use your laptop, then just wait.

Oh well

quiksilver

Windows SideShow Devices Run $80?

almostinfamous — Sat, 16 Jun 2007 13:46:43 EDT

if these take off, it would be freakin awesome

almostinfamous

Windows SideShow Devices Run $80?

werk — Sat, 16 Jun 2007 13:43:17 EDT

Oh and Error404, I thought they were supposed to implement it in WM devices...hell, if you go to the SS control panel, it has a help link that says "How do I use my mobile phone or other device with Windows SideShow?" Guess an update or the next version of WM...bummer.

werk

Windows SideShow Devices Run $80?

werk — Sat, 16 Jun 2007 13:14:33 EDT

Hey, that's some good news. Hopefully that means SideShow VMC remotes won't be too expensive either.

And jawzxy, I can't see why SideShow wouldn't work on your Mac under BootCamp...once the drivers are installed, as far as Windows cares it's just another PC.

werk

Windows SideShow Devices Run $80?

QWERTYthon — Sat, 16 Jun 2007 13:07:53 EDT

If I can use Sideshow if I install Vista on my Mac, you bet I'll be buying it in the next few weeks.

QWERTYthon

Windows SideShow Devices Run $80?

quikboy — Sat, 16 Jun 2007 13:07:47 EDT

Awesome. I hope we see more new designs at not so high prices.

quikboy

Windows SideShow Devices Run $80?

Mless — Sat, 16 Jun 2007 12:44:53 EDT

The website says:
"A high-end SideShow device with a slide-out Qwerty keyboard will cost 'approximately $150'"
so I assume the $80 is the one without the keyboard.

Mless

Windows SideShow Devices Run $80?

rcarydon — Sat, 16 Jun 2007 12:39:20 EDT

It was never horrible.

rcarydon

Windows SideShow Devices Run $80?

Illicom — Sat, 16 Jun 2007 12:13:21 EDT

Yeah, this is amazing.

Might encourage me to upgrade to Vista at some point.

On that subject, is compatibility with old programs any better yet, or is it still horrible?

Illicom

Windows SideShow Devices Run $80?

Error404 — Sat, 16 Jun 2007 12:00:34 EDT

BTW, what I don't get is... why can't they implement this function in WM devices as a bonus...

Error404

Windows SideShow Devices Run $80?

Error404 — Sat, 16 Jun 2007 11:58:30 EDT

$80 bucks for a MS Decive... the price really Deceives...

Error404

Windows SideShow Devices Run $80?

uberstumpy — Sat, 16 Jun 2007 11:53:40 EDT

Haha, "Decives"
Kidding aside, they do look kinda neat.

uberstumpy

Windows SideShow Devices Run $80?

Wegmans — Sat, 16 Jun 2007 11:50:59 EDT

Hey cool! When will we see these on sale?

Wegmans