We've been hearing noise about the AMD 64 Live! entertainment PC platform for a while, and now it's time for the company to actually launch the marketing concept that trails six months behind Intel's similar hardware and software requirements it calls Viiv. Hey wait a minute, they rhyme, Live/Viiv. Oprah/Uma. Anyway, AMD says forty system builders will be rolling out their versions of Live! in June, including companies such as Alienware, HP, Gateway and Acer.
AMD's Live PC requirements include at least a dual core AM2-based Athlon 64 4200+ processor, Microsoft Windows XP Media Center Edition (MCE) operating system with the ability to upgrade to Windows Vista and display its Aero Glass graphical interface, at least a gig of RAM, a SATA hard drive and a DVD burner. Recommended are a TV tuner and HDMI support with HDCP. Since Windows Vista won't have any Media Center Edition, we're thinking this is all just a pointless public relations exercise to try to get people to buy faster PCs with AMD chips inside. Next year at this time, these specs will represent a garden-variety PC.
AMD launches Live! entertainment PC platform [TG Daily]