Viiv Falls Flat

smilingman writes "The Washington Post (Retina Scan Required) is reporting that Intel's Viiv media center, which was supposed to revolutionize home entertainment and kill the living-room PC as we know it, fails miserably to deliver in its first incarnation. From the article: 'During a presentation at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, chief executive Paul S. Otellini unveiled Viiv -- a combination of hardware and software that would combine functions of the TV, the DVD player, the VCR and the video game console... In April, Viiv doesn't look much like that vision. On a typical Viiv box, Hewlett-Packard's Pavilion m7360y, it amounts to a smattering of free Web video clips and discounts on online music, movie and game rentals -- plus a nifty rainbow-hued Viiv sticker on the front of the computer.'"

Comments

It takes care of Windoze.

[twitter]

From the article:

Viiv's ingredients start with a dual-core Intel processor, which allows the computer to handle demanding video playback while also taking care of other chores, such as burning a CD or running a spyware scan.

Laughing my ass off. My 450 MHz K62 can do video playback and burn CDs at the same time, under Linux. Virus scanner? What's that?

Intel: constant vigilance for your precious Peeee Ceeeee is now possible and required! The war on TERRORISM will never end and you can do your 200 watt part.

P.S.

[Overly Critical Guy]

Seriously, these companies do not have your interest at heart in anything other feeding their stockholders.

Yeah, because capitalism is bad! Down with "the corporations!" Screw the content holders, they don't have any rights over distribution of their content. Right?

What amuses me is that people go through so much trouble to program and develop ways to distribute copyrighted material, then act surprised and upset when content holders use technology in the opposite way to protect those materials. Are you guys the only ones allowed to use technology on the Internet or something?

If people can use Bittorrent to download movies, I don't see why movie makers can't make movies you can't copy. Cause and effect. But I know this doesn't jive with the freeloader movement who thinks they're entitled to everything because it's on Piratebay.