The MediaREADY 4000 and 5000 provide full personal video recorder (PVR) functionality, including searching the electronic TV guide by artists and actors, without the monthly charge associated with TiVo. Other functionality includes:

• full blown web browsing on the TV via the embedded FireFox web browser handling streaming video and building a library of websites
• email via embedded Thunderbird
• support for AIM and, as announced in a August press release, Skype
• on the 5000 only, a Read-Write DVD recorder

Operation with the embedded Skype (for Linux) client requires a USB Bluetooth dongle and any Bluetooth enabled headset or speakerphone (such as the MVOX MV900). Via the Skype client one can do all the usual activities - place a Skype call, conferencing, chat, send SMS, transfer files, etc.The bottom line is that you and a remote colleague can now co-view a TV program, such as a sports event, and have personal discussions of the content, ads (woops, did I say ads in a PVR environment?), replays and news with the remote colleague on what amounts to a private voice channel. The remote viewer may have Skype in any configuration but could also be accessed via SkypeOut. From the press release:

Beginning in September, all existing MediaREADY owners will be able to add the Skype application at no additional cost and all new units sold will have it enabled. The application requires the purchase of a Bluetooth wireless headset or conferencing unit and USB Bluetooth transceiver which will be available for purchase directly from VWB's website.

In an interview with David Novack, MediaREADY's Executive Vice President of Sales and Marketing, he told us:

• MediaREADY's core activity is in media center development; focusing on stability and ease-of-use.
• With a voice application such as Skype, they can architect the system to take on new versions of Skype via a remote software upgrade process.
• As they are simply embedding the Skype for Liinux client into their software as it becomes publicly available and do not use the Skype API's, they have no requirement for Skype certification.
• MediaREADY devices can be accessed from any location on the Internet via SlingBox.
• Their primary distribution channels are via electronics retailers and distributors such as BestBuy, Ingram Micro and Tiger Direct Online. They also see a VAR channel via custom home theatre system installers
• They use Linux to have a more stable solution that is not on the radar as a "hacker platform".
• As the U.S. government has mandated "device neutrality" where cable operators will have to allow consumers the flexibility to use any set-top box that meets "open cable" standards under a CableLabs license, future generations of MediaREADY devices will incorporate a digital cable tuner, eliminating one more box in the home entertainment configuration.

With the emergence of SlingBox and MediaREADY devices, we are starting to see a trend of dedicated function devices that take applications initially developed for a broadly supported platform, such as Windows or Mac OS/X, and deliver their respective functionalities in a much lower cost, more user friendly platform that can still be managed remotely when upgrades and new features, such as Skype and AIM, are embedded into the device. And the MediaREADY devices, with access to both Skype and AIM, are demonstrating that the private voice channel can be agnostic to any service providing voice capability; this is a classic example where the consumer is not limited by the device vendor's choice of voice service provider.

And, with MediaREADY's Skype integration, we are seeing applications of Skype (and VoIP) that would never be considered for, or available on, a legacy PSTN phone network.

So time to get out the pop, beer, wine and snacks, turn on the MediaREADY-enhanced home entertainment systems, connect to a few of your friends via its Skype channel, and start a virtual tailgating party discussing the play-by-play of the new NFL (or, in Europe, Football) season with your friends regardless of where they are located geographically.

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