One of the features introduced with Windows Vista which is rarely spoken about is Sideshow. In case you are not familiar with it, SideShow is a technology that enables Windows PCs to drive a variety of external display devices connected to the main PC. These devices can be integrated in the main PC (such as a secondary screen on a laptop lid, or on a desktop chassis) or connected via Bluetooth or other means.

Windows SideShow uses gadgets to extend information from your computer to other devices. Gadgets can run on a Windows SideShow–compatible device and update that device with information from your computer. Using a gadget, you can view information from your computer regardless of whether your mobile PC is on, off, or in the sleep power state—which can save you both time and battery life.

It was only a matter of time before we made any Windows Mobile device being SideShow compatible and now we just released the Windows SideShow for Windows Mobile Developer Preview which allows to do just that.

If you are wondering how it could be used, the team blog has a few examples of their favourite possibilities: “using it to control PowerPoint presentations while viewing the speaker notes, using it as a remote control to Windows Media Player, and viewing RSS feeds on the road”.

Now the really cool thing about this is that it is all available via a set of Managed API that allow VB and C# development!!!!

If you are interested here are the relevant links:

Download

Installation instructions

SideShow Development Forums