Microsoft hires WebGuide developer

by Brad Linder Sep 6th 2007

Firs there was Windows XP Media Center Edition. Then there was Windows Vista with media center features built into the operating system. But while Microsoft has built an excellent 10-foot interface for interacting with TV, video, radio, and and pictures from your couch, the company has never put together a simple interface for accessing your content from further away. Say, from the office or a friend's house.

Developer Doug Berrett stepped up to the plate and developed WebGuide, a popular tool for scheduling recordings remotely and for streaming recorded television programs over the web from your home PC.

Well, it looks like Microsoft noticed Berrett's work, and the company went and hired him. While this is great news for Berrett, it's also good news for you. Because it means that WebGuide is now available as a free download. No more $18 fee to register your software.

Berrett will be working with the Media Center team to push Media Center "into the high-end custom installation market," which means he won't be offering updates to WebGuide anymore. But he did push out one final release yesterday. Updates for Windows Vista and Windows XP MCE 2005 editions include:

Updated "now playing" screen to not update the progress bar as often in full screen mode
Fixed login text entry on Xbox 360
Added auto-redirect to mobile pages for mobile devices

Congratations Doug!

Tags: doug barrett, DougBarrett, media center, MediaCenter, webguide, windows media center, WindowsMediaCenter

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Keith said 9:25PM on 9-07-2007

I don't see where it is free now. It still wants a valid license.

Congrats to Doug, BTW. What a great product

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