Interlink unveils SlideLink: the first SideShow remote for Vista MCE

While SideShow, that snazzy forthcoming feature that lets you fire up slideshows, widgets, and other random goodies with actually booting up, has been garnering a good bit of attention lately, it's not much good without a equally flashy remote to control the action from afar. While there's been several devices parading around as Vista MCE remotes, CEPro is now reporting that Interlink Electronics -- the folks who sued Nintendo for jacking their motion-sensing technology and implanting it in the Wiimote -- is the "first company to officially announce a SideShow remote control." The firm asserts that the SlideLink will let customers "select songs, schedule recordings, navigate video clips and photographs, display TV program guides, and even browse recorded TV shows" right from the worn down cushion of your sofa. Still, we're not yet sure if this thing will utilize RF, Bluetooth, or some other short-range wireless format, and since this doesn't seem to be the company's "first priority" (see lawsuit mentioned above), who knows when we'll see this thing in the flesh.

[Flalex @ Dec 20th 2006 10:36PM]

I WANT ONE I WANT ONE!!!! Like that Side show. Nobody sees the things that are not apple copies.

[Intrepid @ Dec 20th 2006 11:06PM]

That is very cool. Another great Microsoft concept made real by a clever manufacturer.

[Toph @ Dec 21st 2006 12:23AM]

Pretty cool. It's nice to see manufacturers starting to take advantage of SideShow. But since Interlink likes their motion sensing so much, how about throwing that in there in a top-of-the-line model? You could use it for... uhhh... controlling little game gadgets on the SideShow screen? I don't know, maybe it'd just be totally pointless...

P.S.--

"While SideShow, that snazzy forthcoming feature that lets you fire up slideshows, widgets, and other random goodies **with** [emphasis mine] actually booting up, has been garnering a good bit of attention lately..."

I take it you mean without? :)

[Alcaron @ Dec 21st 2006 12:43AM]

Yes they are suing someone so that is clearly their primary focus...yuppers, makes total sense.

Yay engadget!

[D (tenacious) @ Dec 21st 2006 1:02AM]

I guess I'm missing the point, but what's the point of this if the damn thing is used to control a device THAT'S CONNECTED TO A HUGE, HIGH RES SCREEN ANYWAY?

I mean, WTF?

[Mart @ Dec 21st 2006 4:37AM]

Hang on - why aren't there any apple fan boys saying that this is a rip-off of mac or OSX? because FrontRow and MCE are SO.. similar, they both have TV recording, scheduling "out of the box", program searches, freezing and rewinding live tv - like a Tivo or Sky+ that you can play games on.. oh right, I remember now FrontRow can't do any of that "out of the box" - jeez, I though the Mac was supposed to be the fun computer (best I don't mention the games as it's the holiday period)

By the way, I'm using XP, used MCE (it was great), had a MacMini (sold it), and buying a 24" Mac (to put XP on - ask me why if you want - but the poeple using XP know why)

[Intrepid @ Dec 21st 2006 6:14AM]

Haha! Spot on with those comments Mart.

[Intrepid @ Dec 21st 2006 6:38AM]

Haha! Spot on with those comments Mart.

[Trojan @ Dec 21st 2006 8:22AM]

The comment in the article about it not being their top priority is about a company called Exceptional Innovation, which had a Sideshow enabled remote shown this year on stage. (looks a bit like a cellphone, actually).

"To be fair, a prototype SideShow remote from Exceptional Innovation was shown on-stage at WinHEC this year, but EI's Mike Seamons say it's not the company's highest priority right now. They'll have similar (though more robust) applications for Win CE-based devices."

[drzeller @ Dec 21st 2006 8:37AM]

D (tenacious) - how about being able to quickly see weather or channel listings without taking over the TV screen? Perhaps seeing headers from new emails?

D.

[John A. @ Dec 21st 2006 5:12PM]

"...goodies with actually booting up..." — I'm pretty sure that ought to be "without".