Windows Vista SideShow coming to Windows Mobile?

Filed under: OS Updates, Windows, Windows Mobile, Microsoft, Mobile Minute

Windows Vista SideShow coming to Windows Mobile?

by Brad Linder Nov 24th 2007

Windows Vista may have some compatibility and reliability issues. But it also sports some pretty cool new features like a 3D window manager and animated backgrounds (if you shell out the money for the "Ultimate" edition). One Vista feature that we'd love to see more of is SideShow, but unfortunately hardware makers have been slow to create SideShow capable devices.

In a nutshell, SideShow lets you access certain Vista features from a secondary display. For example, you can check your email without opening your laptop's lid. Or you can schedule a TV recording on Windows Media Center using your case's front-panel display. You know, if you have a laptop or PC case with an external display.

If not, you're pretty much out of luck. But maybe not for long. Microsoft has just published an SDK for SideShow with support for Bluetooth and QVGA screens: two features that many Windows Mobile devices already have. The folks at the::unwired speculate this could mean a Windows Mobile SideShow application is on its way. In other words, you'd be able to fire up a program on your phone or PDA that will give you control over your desktop. Your PDA could become your favorite remote control, web browser, or email tool.

Earlier this year Microsoft announced that a Windows Mobile Sideshow program was on its way, but we've been waiting about half a year to see anything materialize. Hopefully the SDK launch means we won't have to wait much longer.

[via Engadget]

Tags: SideShow, Vista, Windows-Mobile, Windows-Vista

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

RikF said 5:10PM on 11-24-2007

"Your PDA could become your favorite remote control, web browser, or email tool. "

Because it can't already do the last two already? Or because we all want a remote control with a boot time/bluetooth connection time?

If this is all it has, I'd rather stick to apps on my PDA and a separate remote control

James said 4:34PM on 11-26-2007

I think the reason SideShow has seen slow adoption is that it really doesn't bring any "big value" to the table. It's a neat toy, but that's about it. It provides a standard interface for making e.g. a remote control out of a handheld, but that's about it. It can tell you about the music you're playing, or run a stock ticker, or show system information like CPU/RAM load, but three's nothing you can't do with a tray icon or second monitor.

I don't think SideShow is going anywhere until it gets a "killer app" that makes it genuinely more useful than simply using the computer's mouse/touchpad to accomplish the same damn thing. Maybe somebody will make a WoW plugin for it... heh.

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