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Windows Home Server RC1 available for download
Microsoft has just announced a tasty banana for all you code monkeys out there, in the form of the first publicly available download (well, for non-beta testers at least) of the widely anticipated Windows Home Server operating system. Release Candidate 1, as this build is known, is said to offer a number of improvements over previous betas, and is the first version that participants in the Code2Fame Challenge can use to work on their entries. So go ahead, get your download on, and try to whip up some WHS add-ins that'll net you a portion of the $50,000 prize package.[Via Windows Home Server Blog]
Microsoft turns Xbox RoL into prototype Windows Home Server
In case you missed its debut at WinHEC, we've got a few pics of Microsoft's Windows Home Server reference design to get your gadget juices swishing. The mini "hockeypuck" sports a green halo (or is it Halo?) to indicate a healthy system. Presumably, it then switches to a red ring of death a la the Xbox Ring of Light in the event of trouble. Microsoft claims that no one has taken up their offer to turn the prototype production, although a Sony VAIO VGX-TP1 running WHS sure comes close.%Gallery-3437%
Gateway, LaCie and Medion join the Windows Home Server party
In addition to touting Vista sales, Mr. Gates also provided an update on their Windows Home Server (WHS) platform during his WinHEC 2007 keynote. While he didn't offer any updates to the ambiguous "later this year" release date, he did mention that Gateway, LaCie and Medion will join HP to delivery their own hardware products based on WHS. Specifically, the DLNA-compliant Medion Home Server will offer up to 2TB of storage and should ship before the year is up. Oh, and in case you're responsible for the corporate IT budget and staff allocation, you'll be interested to know that Gates and co. are on track with Windows Server 2008 -- formerly known as Windows Server "Longhorn" -- release for the second half of 2007.
Hands-on with Windows Home Server, HP MediaSmart Server
We stopped by Microsoft's booth earlier to actually get our hands on HP's Media Smart Server running Microsoft's latest operating system, Windows Home Server. Since Home Server runs headless, you'll use client software (accessible by clicking on the little "home" icon in the system tray above) to control the box. Check out our list of WHS features before checking out our gallery of configuration screens. Hands-on with Windows Home Server, HP MediaSmart Server
Engadget Podcast 096 - 01.08.07
While the show floor is just about to open, we've already had a few days chock full of content. Ryan and Peter sat down with some other members of the Engadget family to talk about some HD announcements, first looks at at new cameras and the big two keynotes of Sony and Microsoft. No enhanced show today, but we've got three more Engadget podcasts on tap while we're in lovely Las Vegas. Get the podcast [iTunes] Subscribe to the Podcast directly in iTunes (enhanced AAC). [RSS MP3] Add the Engadget Podcast feed (in MP3) to your RSS aggregator and have the show delivered automatically. [RSS AAC] Add the Engadget Podcast feed (in enhanced AAC) to your RSS aggregator. [RSS OGG] Add the Engadget Podcast feed (in OGG) to your RSS aggregator. Hosts: Peter Rojas and Ryan Block Producer: Randall Bennett Music: Solvent - Instructograph (Ghostly International) Program: 02:26 - Live from the Sony Keynote 05:40 - Sony's new camcorders, including four new consumer HD cams 05:56 - Sony's wireless boombox, the WA1 06:52 - Sony Vaio VGX-TP1 announced, loaded up with HDMI out, DVD burner 09:10 - Sony announces "BRAVIA Internet Video Link" for HD content 12:30 - Xbox 360 IPTV interface gallery 17:52 - Windows Home Server, everything you need: features rundown, screens, hands-on 20:44 - Wireless HDMI over UWB? Heck yes! 21:33 - Microsoft announces the HP TouchSmart PC 22:12 - Live from the Bill Gates keynote 26:10 - A lunchtime chat with Bill Gates at CES 29:20 - Sharp trumpets 108-inch LCD TV, world wonders why 32:15 - LG's BH100 hybrid Blu-ray & HD DVD player: $1,199 34:41 - Samsung builds on ATSC, develops A-VSB for mobile broadcasting 39:00 - Live coverage of Verizon's press conference 43:25 - Hands-on with the Samsung SCH-U620 for Verizon 44:10 - Hands on with the LG VX9400 for Verizon 44:57 - Nokia puts Nseries on a diet: the N76 47:38 - Hands on with the Treo 750 LISTEN (MP3) LISTEN (AAC) LISTEN (OGG) Contact the podcast: 1-888-ENGADGET, Engadget (Gizmo Project) or podcast at engadget dawt com
Microsoft announces HP MediaSmart Server powered by Windows Home Server
One of the batch of devices unveiled at the Microsoft keynote is the HP MediaSmart Server, which is going to run the rumoured and now officially announced Windows Home Server. The new OS version was developed to help consumers deal with managing media across multiple PCs and devices in the home, and will provide automagic backup functionality and remote access as well as central file storage and management. The HP MediaSmart Server itself is going to roll out later this year running the new OS (beyond that Microsoft was slim on other specs), and we hope it's a positive step towards untangling the distributed media madness that describes the current state of many multiple-machine households.
Microsoft launching Windows home server product at CES
We know there's been a bit of speculation this way or that as to whether Microsoft would launch a home (media) server version of Windows to accompany its alread home media serving-centric Media Center (and Vista Ultimate) Windows builds, but we can finally say with some certainty that they will. A trusted source confirmed with us what ZDNet is referring to as "Windows Home Server". We don't yet have a final working name (it's internally codenamed Q and Quattro, as we understand), exact launch details, or real ideas of how it's going to operate, we know it'll be announced by Microsoft at CES. Our gut tells us it's going to turn out like an end-user version of Windows Storage Server 2003, which is a slightly obscure embedded-devices / network storage Windows build intended specifically for headless network-accessible NAS and SAN devices. Then again, maybe they'll release the server OS for desktops of all shapes and sizes so we can all have something to do with our old junker PCs that might still be a little too good to take over duty as a m0n0wall box. Either way, as we said, we know it's coming, it'll be announced at CES, and we're a little stoked that maybe Microsoft will have something here that'll take some of the common annoyances out of home media and data serving.
