Microsoft has begun rolling out a new application for Windows Vista Media Center that lets users browse, search, and watch videos from MSNBC News on their media center PCs. The new MSNBC News Beta should be available under the TV + Movies section in Vista Media Center. If you don't see it, try forcing an update by navigating to the automatic downloads option in the settings tab and hitting the download updates button.

Microsoft has been making some MSNBC content available through the Internet TV menu for the past year. But the MSNBC News Beta application has a completely new interface. You can browser top stories, election related stories, or view weather forecasts for your area. There's also a search box which lets you find recent news videos related to a specific topic, like Sarah Palin.

The interface is also unusual in that you can easily browser for additional content while watching a video in full-screen mode. Just click the OK button on a Media Center remote control and a window will pop up allowing you to navigate through the various news categories.

It's nice to see Microsoft release a new application for Windows Media Center. It would be even nicer if Microsoft would make more of the content that's available on MSN Video available using the 10-foot Media Center interface. Hulu content, perhaps?

Windows Media Center includes a decent music player for songs stored on your PC. And you can use plugins like RadioTime to listen to pretty much any streaming radio station you can find. But until recently there was no good way to listen to songs from music recommendation and streaming service Last.fm. Well, now there is.

MceFM is aplugin for Windows Vista Media Center that lets you stream music from Last.fm. All you have to do is type in the name of an artist or song and Last.fm will dig up music by that artist and then find similar songs you might like and start playing one song after another.

You'll need to sign up for a Last.fm account if you haven't already, because MceFM won't play a single note if you're not logged in. Once you're connected, all you have to do is enter an artist name and MceFM will connect to Last.fm, find your music and set up a playlist.

The plugin can also find music similar to songs and artists already on your computer. Just locate a track in your music library and then click the More button on your remote (or hit the Ctrl+D keys on your keyboard to bring up the context menu and select More), and you can search Last.fm for similar music.

[via Ian Dixon]

Facebook raised some controversy over plans to broadcast users personal information like movie ticket purchases and travel arrangements. But the truth is that many Facebook users are perfectly happy to let the world know what they're up to through frequent status updates. If you're the kind of person who doesn't like to go to work, sleep, or the bathroom without changing your Facebook status, we've got a Windows Media Vista Center plugin that could save you a few seconds of typing time every day.

Developer Jussi Palo has put together a little Facebook application that will automatically update your Facebook status to reflect what you're watching with Windows Vista Media Center. If you're watching a live or recorded television program, your Facebook status will include the program name. If you're listening to a song, the artist and song title will show up. And if you're watching a DVD or movie, well, you get the idea.

In order to run install the Facebook Media Center plugin you'll need to download an executable file to your Windows Vista machine, run the installer, and reboot your system. Then you need to login to Facebook. Everything else happens in the background. Unfortunately your login information won't be remembered, so you may have to login to Facebook every time you restart your PC.

[via Ian Dixon]