REDMOND, Wash., Nov. 27, 2001 — Microsoft Corp. will demonstrate the role of Microsoft® .NET in the future of interactive television services at the Western Show 2001 in Anaheim, Calif., Nov. 2730. Through the .NET Lounge, an interactive set of demo stations located at the Microsoft booth (Booth No. 5031, Hall B), Microsoft will highlight how cable operators can use XML-based Web services to provide an enhanced user experience to increase subscriber loyalty, create a deeper customer relationship and enable additional revenue opportunities. The demonstrations will show how cable operators and iTV developers can use XML-based Web services to offer a range of personalized, integrated services to their subscribers including Short Message Service (SMS) text messaging from the television to mobile phone; instant messaging between the television and the PC; remote programming of personal video recording (PVR) devices; and media management for photos, music and videos.
“Through our .NET effort, we plan to enable a better way of building services for television — the worlds most ubiquitous device — making it easier to integrate with existing business systems and popular consumer devices including handheld devices, mobile phones, PCs and more,”
said Jon DeVaan, senior vice president of the TV Division at Microsoft.
“By enabling consumers to access the same services, information and experiences from multiple devices via .NET, cable operators can leverage their normal development efforts and existing investments to create more engaged and loyal customers while increasing cash flow from these new services. And because .NET is based on industry standards, cable operators and others can begin offering these services quickly and easily.”
The .NET Lounge at Western Show 2001
The .NET Lounge in the Microsoft TV booth at the Western Show will show how future .NET-based services from Microsoft and other companies will integrate and personalize key experiences for consumers in the home, including the following:
Communication Experiences
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SMS messaging. SMS text messages can be sent from the television to a mobile phone or other wireless communication devices.
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Unified inbox. E-mail and voice mail messages are integrated into a single inbox that users can access from their television and other devices.
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Instant messaging. Instant messages can be sent from the television to the PC and vice versa using MSN® Messenger Service, integrated with the Microsoft TV platform.
Media Experiences
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Remote personal video recording (PVR). A variety of TV services — including personalized program listings and recordings — can be accessed remotely, using a mobile phone, wireless Pocket PC or PC.
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Media management. Photo albums, digital music playlists and home video libraries can be downloaded, accessed and managed from the television, PC and Pocket PC.
.NET Enabled Connected Home Experiences
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Home controls. Lights, climate and webcams can be controlled as a part of a cable companys service.
“.NET makes integration easier and provides more compelling user experiences on todays and tomorrows digital set-tops and other devices. Motorola is happy to support .NET and is excited to announce that we will be launching the new Windows® CE .NET-based EVr-8401 Enhanced TV Viewer at the Western Show,”
said Carl McGrath, vice president and general manager of the DigiCable business at Motorola Inc.
“The EVr-8401 Enhanced TV Viewer is another example of how Motorola continues to deliver Windows Powered hardware solutions that will help connect people to information anywhere across many devices.”
What Is .NET?
Microsoft .NET provides a next-generation software foundation to connect the world of information, devices and people in a more unified and personalized way. The .NET Platform allows developers to create and deliver applications and services to enable information to be easily accessed by different devices, including a Microsoft TV-powered set-top box. .NET applications and services are based on well-known industry standards — such as XML, Simple Object Access Protocol (SOAP) and Universal Description, Discovery and Integration (UDDI) — enabling any client or server that implements these standards to participate, whether or not they are running Microsoft software. Cable companies deploying .NET as part of their interactive TV offering can easily integrate XML services developed in-house or take advantage of those offered by Microsoft and/or third-party companies. Using .NET, any cable operator and iTV company can easily create and integrate a variety of services in a secure environment that ensures the customers privacy and security while maintaining the level of control by cable operators. Cable operators can maximize revenue opportunities when deploying XML Web services over a broadband connection.
Based on Established Industry Standards
XML Web services created using the .NET Platform are based on established industry standards for easy development, integration and delivery of services between applications and devices. XML, the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) standard for formatting data on the Web, is at the core of .NET. SOAP, also maintained at the W3C, is the standard protocol for exchanging information between applications on the Web and is one of the key enabling technologies for the XML Web services model and .NET. Other components of .NET, including Web Services Description Language (WSDL) and UDDI, are also being standardized.
About the Microsoft TV Platform
The Microsoft TV platform is a standards-based, client and server software family that enables network operators and their partners to deliver the most compelling interactive TV services to consumers. The platform supports a range of TV devices — from current- and next-generation set-top boxes and digital video recorders to integrated television sets, entertainment appliances and other computing devices. Through the platform, network operators and hardware providers can team up to offer consumers an unparalleled range of services, from e-mail and Internet on the television to interactive programming, electronic program guides and digital video recording.
Microsoft TV also creates significant new economic opportunities for network operators and industry leaders worldwide that have chosen to work with the platform to deliver or supply services, programming, hardware and software for the interactive TV industry. Microsoft TV supports open standards and is backed by the technical expertise, support and broad third-party developer community Microsoft is known for. It is an integral part of the Microsoft .NET vision of empowering people through great software any time, any place and on any device. More information about the Microsoft TV platform can be found at http://www.microsoft.com/tv/ .
About Microsoft
Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq
“MSFT”
) is the worldwide leader in software, services and Internet technologies for personal and business computing. The company offers a wide range of products and services designed to empower people through great software — any time, any place and on any device.
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