Windows Vista Lounge

The down side?…I’m using a remote keyboard that doesn’t like to be more than 10 feet from the system. I have media center running on a 62 inch screen though, so sitting closer than 10 feet is a bit awkward. I see this as a slight irritation, compared to the overall benefits of the home media center experience.

For example, when friends come over, I can call up vacation photos, music or a quick web site depending on where the conversation goes. It’s relaxing and much more efficient than everyone hovering around an album, or getting up and heading in to another room to see the computer screen. As more web sites, media and family outings get digitized…it makes sense things would change in the living room as well. Add a webcam and you can conduct meetings or friendly chats with family from the couch…rather than the computer desk. It’s also nice when I want to check in on my kids to see what they are up to over the long summer days…when they are usually in front of the TV watchign a movie or playing a game. They also have the ability to see that I’m online and can quickly ask a question about lunch or settle arguments right from the couch!…ok so maybe it’s too convenient at times.

OK, so if I had a magic wand and could make this better?….First…integrate it with the phone somehow. When people call me or ring the door bell, I’d like to see that on screen, yes just like in star trek. I have this wish to be like Captain Kirk and instead of a phone ringing, I’d rather hear…Captain, we’re receiving a call from your neighbor down the street…to which I would say–”on screen!”

OK, back to reality. It also needs a simple way to catalog DVDs and movies–if I own the darn movie, why can’t I store it on the hard drive and watch it that way? I understand the new HDVD systems will accommodate this for a small fee, and that’s fine by me…but I don’t want to have to replace all my other movies just for that option.

The home media center is a fun and useful upgrade to the family living room. It’s what we all thought the future would be like before we knew how ubiquitous personal computers and digital media would be. Now if we could only have those jetpacks and teleporters…;-)