| NEWS FLASH: R.I.P. Smart Displays? |
Jan. 06, 2004
 After several years of investment in the technology, Microsoft is widely rumored to have reached the decision to abandon its Smart Displays program. Microsoft's Smart Display concept, originally codenamed "Mira", was unveiled by Bill Gates in a keynote address at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas in early 2002. Since that time, a number of vendors have introduced products based on the technology, including Fujitsu, NEC, Philips, Trigem, and Viewsonic. But the market never bought into the technology, apparently judging it to be too expensive and too limited in capabilities.
What's a Smart Display?
Basically, the webpad-like Smart Displays (running an embedded Windows CE .NET operating system) make use of 802.11 wireless communications coupled with .NET services to provide a portable, "remote desktop" for computer users. The Smart Display device operates as a thin client input/output console for a PC running Windows XP Professional, which has Microsoft's remote desktop protocol software running on it. Virtually all of the functions available on the desktop PC are thereby offered on the Smart Display (including sound), which has mouse-like navigation buttons, handwriting stylus, and a PDA-like touch-input "soft keyboard" for user inputs.
Microsoft's original vision for Mira was . . . "A new set of Windows CE .NET-based technologies, code-named 'Mira', will enable a new generation of smart displays that give people the freedom to experience the power of Windows XP from anywhere in their home. Harnessing the remote desktop and wireless networking features of Windows XP and Windows CE .NET, 'Mira'-enabled smart displays will deliver to consumers the freedom of the complete experiences in Windows, including browsing the Web, sending or receiving e-mail messages, listening to music, and editing and displaying digital images, from any room in the home."
What happened to Microsoft's Smart Display program?
In response to WindowsForDevices.com's inquiry regarding the rumored discontinuation of Microsoft's Smart Display program, Microsoft provided the following statement earlier today: "After evaluating current market trends Microsoft is not at this time working on the next version of Smart Display technology. Microsoft continues to remain dedicated to working with its partners to develop products that both meet the demands of it customers as well as, from a development perspective, make good business sense. We are hearing that consumers are looking for ways to easily access the information that resides on their PCs in more relaxed settings, and Microsoft will continue to evaluate this market and work with partners to determine the best, and most cost efficient, way to meet this demand. We will continue to keep you updated as we have news to announce."
A cameo of existing Smart Display products
Below are photos of existing Smart Display products -- click each image to enlarge . . .
Fujitsu FMSDP-101
NEC PK-SD10
Philips DesXcape
Trigem Play@PAD
ViewSonic airpanel
Additional coverage
To provide further insight on this change in Microsoft's strategy with respect to the Smart Displays program, here are links to several other stories on this topic from around the web . . .
Related stories:
(Click here for further information)
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