Windows SideShow Team Blog : Windows SideShow

New SideShow-compatible devices from Mini-Box!

auxall — Mon, 04 May 2009 20:53:00 GMT

The folks over at Mini-Box have just released a new SideShow-compatible picoLCD module, designed for use in one of your many spare drive bays. For those who are interested, the device has full support for SCF-based (Simple Content Format) gadgets (as compared to the 'glance only' text data on the Logitech G-15). Check out these pictures of it in action:

If you keep your PC hidden away under your desk, but still love the display and want to put it elsewhere (or build your own case for it), they've got the OEM version available as well.

- Dan

Windows SideShow Device SDK for .NET Micro Framework 3.0 Released!

auxall — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 23:16:00 GMT

This is a firmware release which is flexible enough to be used on many devices – devices integrated into the computer, remote controls, and wireless “fridge magnet” displays. It’s a turnkey solution that provides all the top-level code you need to create a full-featured SideShow device based on the .NET Micro Framework.

Download the Windows SideShow Device SDK for .NET Micro Framework 3.0

Download the Device Simulator 3.0 for Windows SideShow

Let’s skip to the good stuff and look at some screenshots:

On remote controls, you can control music playback from your computer. On embedded displays, you can control your music at the same time you do other things (for example, play a computer game).

See a variety of information relevant to you at a glance, in a format optimized for small screens.

The UI scales to different form factors, and can be fully “skinned”.

Integrated displays help you work more smoothly. Keep a record of what you have copied to the clipboard to spend less time window managing.

This release contains 17 samples showing how to customize your device and is localized into 16 different languages. Also included are the newest, redistributable version of the Universal Driver for Windows SideShow and the latest Device Simulator for Windows SideShow – also available independently here as a standalone Simulator: Download the Device Simulator 3.0 for Windows SideShow.

It’s great to have this out – enjoy and let us know what you think, or head to the SideShow Development forums to discuss it with the SideShow development community.

Thank you,

-Darryl

Our MSDN forum has moved!

auxall — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 15:47:00 GMT

Those who regularly frequent our MSDN forum might have noticed a big change in recent days: we've been migrated over to the new "Forums 3.0" platform! This new platform contains a number of exciting improvements which should make your overall experience much better--and yes, it still lets you post questions and answers to get help on anything and everything related to Windows SideShow. If you haven't noticed the change, we encourage you to head on over and poke around for a bit; we think you'll like the difference. So, fire up your browsers and update your bookmarks, here's the new URL:

http://social.msdn.microsoft.com/forums/en-US/windowssideshow/threads/

See you there!

- Dan

Come visit us at WinHEC 2008 in Los Angeles, CA

auxall — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 00:26:00 GMT

After our busy burst of software releases earlier this year, don't take the recent relative quiet as a sign that things are slowing down. In fact, we've been extremely busy getting a few surprises ready to unveil at WinHEC, which is coming up in just a few short weeks! If you're already planning to attend WinHEC 2008 in Los Angeles, make sure to add the Windows SideShow session to your calendar:

Windows SideShow: Building Better Devices and PCs - CON-T569

Learn how we're making it easier than ever to incorporate Windows SideShow technology into devices and PCs. In addition to learning about some of the new product solutions we've put together, you'll see exciting demonstrations from partners who have taken advantage of SideShow to increase the value of their devices. This session also covers new platform enhancements for the Windows 7 operating system, and we'll look at some of the many ways in which SideShow can improve devices in the digital home.

Thursday, November 06, 2008 4:30 PM

Without giving away all of our secrets, I will say that we've been working on something that will make those folks involved in recent discussions on our MSDN forum about supporting Windows SideShow on microcontrollers very happy...but you'll have to show up to find out exactly what it is :)

If you haven't made your arrangements to go to WinHEC yet, what are you waiting for? As if this session wasn't incentive enough, attendees will also be one of the first people to see what's new in Windows 7--and get to take home the pre-beta build!

We hope to see you in Los Angeles! (And if not in LA, then hopefully Beijing, Taipei, or Tokyo for the regional WinHEC events instead!)

- Dan

Learn how to build SideShow-compatible devices and drivers at Driver DevCon (DDC) 2008

auxall — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 01:25:00 GMT

Interested in learning more about how to use the new Universal Driver for Windows SideShow, or how to build a device driver to SideShow-enable your existing devices? If so, you may want to attend Microsoft Windows Driver Developer Conference 2008 (September 29 - October 1, 2008 in Seattle, WA). Come and meet the experts, and learn how you can more easily and cost-effectively build drivers for and implement SideShow-compatible devices. This conference is intended for advanced driver developers and testers, and will focus on 300 to 400-level technical sessions. Registration is limited and by invitation only; please contact us at sshowext _at_ microsoft.com for instructions on how to sign-up. We hope to see you there!

- Dan

Let the (trademark) bugs bite: updated SideShow usage guidelines

auxall — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 19:22:00 GMT

There comes a time in every trademark's life where it either returns back to the public domain, or takes the leap into registered status. To that end, I now introduce you to the new and improved Windows® SideShow®! Yes, SideShow is now an officially registered trademark, and to commemorate the occasion we've gone and revised the Windows SideShow Use Guidelines document with the new "bugs". In addition to changing the "TM" to "®", we've also relaxed the usage requirements around gadgets; for example, it is now acceptable to use "Windows SideShow gadget" instead of "gadget for Windows SideShow" (but note that devices must still be addressed as "Windows SideShow-compatible"). If you are using or referencing Windows SideShow in your products or materials, it is extremely important you adhere to these posted guidelines. We know this can be a bit confusing, so if you have any questions on appropriate usages, just let us know.

For up-to-date information on Windows SideShow and other Microsoft trademarks, head over to the Trademark Guidelines website here: http://www.microsoft.com/about/legal/trademarks/usage/default.mspx.

- Dan

Last chance to enter your gadget to win a trip to CA and a Dell XPS420!

auxall — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 19:18:00 GMT

Just a friendly reminder that the Gadget Development Contest for Windows SideShow entry period ends this coming Friday, July 18, at 11:59pm PDT, so be sure to get your entries finished and submitted before then! We want to see what you can do!

- Dan

New gadgets from SideShow Jim!

auxall — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 20:21:00 GMT

The folks over at Ikanos Consulting have just released a Windows Live Messenger gadget for Windows SideShow! Check out the announcement, as well as more SideShow-related posts over on the SideShow Jim blog. I have a feeling this isn't the last of them :)

- Dan

It's here: SideShow support on Windows CE 5.0!

auxall — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 18:24:00 GMT

Yesterday, the Windows Embedded team released support for Windows SideShow on Windows CE 5.0! Combined with our Universal Driver, this new platform can work over USB, Bluetooth or TCP/IP connections, and easily enable SideShow functionality on a wide variety of CE-based devices. If you've got an existing CE 5 based device with one of the supported transports, adding SideShow support in most cases won't require any additional hardware.

It's also a standard part of Windows Embedded NavReady 2009, a SKU designed specifically for navigation devices. With SideShow, now your PND could be as useful outside the car as it is inside--imagine using it as a remote control for your music library at home, or even a PowerPoint remote (with full slide previews and speaker notes) once you've gotten to your destination? The possibilities are endless, and now they're easy to implement as well!

All you need to get started is Platform Builder 5.0--so what are you waiting for?

- Dan

Write a Gadget, Win Cool Stuff!

auxall — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 23:17:00 GMT

Now that we've released the Windows SideShow Managed API SDK and Windows SideShow for Windows Mobile Developer Preview, we figured we'd give you some incentive to stick the two together: a gadget contest! Yes, you heard us right: free stuff for building the best gadget for Windows SideShow. We've teamed up with NVIDIA to provide some great prizes, including a trip to San Jose, CA in August for NVISION 2008 for all finalists (including transportation to CA, hotel accomodations, and a per diem), and a grand prize Dell XPS 420 SideShow-enabled desktop.

For more details on the contest, including the complete rules and entry form, head on over to www.nzone.com/gadgetcontest.

If you're new to SideShow gadget programming, there's a good book on the subject to help you get started: Professional Windows Vista Gadgets Programming by Wei-Meng Lee (ISBN: 978-0-470-17661-0). Or if you're more of the do-it-yourself type, just download our SDK, create a new gadget using our template, and forge your own path. There are even a few articles by Jeffrey Richter and Dr. Neil Roodyn to help you get your bearings. When you need some guidance, just head on over to our MSDN forum and we'll help you out.

Let your creative juices flow and show us what you can do! Remember, the contest ends July 18, 2008, so don't delay.

- Dan

SideShow for Windows Mobile Developer Preview Released @ TechReady 2008!

auxall — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 01:41:00 GMT

Today we released the Windows SideShow for Windows Mobile Developer Preview. Now any Windows Mobile 5 or 6 phone can work as a Bluetooth Windows SideShow device! We've got some favorite uses of it already, including 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. Really, though, we’ve barely scratched the surface of what’s possible here, and developers have the opportunity to invent a whole new range of scenarios using the software and the Managed API SDK (see below) that allows Visual Basic and C# development, so we’re really excited to see what’s going to come out next. Enjoy!

Download

Installation instructions

SideShow Development Forums

-Toby