CES: Vista's SideShow takes center stage

Just about every PC we've seen at CES is running Windows Vista (the version released to volume-license customers in November). In case you missed it, you can read and watch our Vista First Look here. Then, if you want to watch Sunday's Bill Gates keynote presentation, Microsoft has posted a video here. (You'll have to wait -€” or fast-forward -€” through the opening promo spot.)

It's inevitable that Windows users will migrate to Vista, at least when they purchase their next PC. There are some compelling reasons for doing so, including such new tools as Vista's desktop Sidebar, which contains "gadgets," small programs anyone can write to add functionality to Windows (similar tools, such as Google Desktop and Apple's Dashboard are already available to users of other operating systems). Building on the Sidebar is SideShow, a set of tools that allow gadget programmers to use additional, small displays attached to the PC or in connected devices. I didn't realize the versatility of this feature until I visited the huge Microsoft booth at CES and saw a showcase of SideShow examples.

The first SideShow example (above) represents what we were expecting to see on some Vista laptop lids, this one an Asus model. It displays the date, time and other information even when the laptop is in standby mode, using very little power. There's a small menu navigation pad to interact with the display, selecting the information you want to see, as well as an "off" switch.

The next SideShow (at left) is a speaker that doubles as a Media Player for music, showing the playlist and some buttons to control the player.

Next (on the right) is a small SideShow display right on the top of a desktop keyboard, displaying upcoming appointments, among other possible information.

At left, looking like a smartphone, is a Media Center remote that has a built-in SideShow display to show the music list and other contextual Media Player info.

Finally, on the right, the front edge of the new Toshiba Portege R400 Tablet PC, displays the time, battery condition, Wi-Fi signal, unread emails count, and the time of the next appointment. This laptop, for which Toshiba has not set pricing, has some real cutting-edge features, including:

• The use of Windows Active Notifications to update the edge display, so you'll see new emails even even in standby mode. 
• A wireless docking unit that links to the laptop when it's within 3 feet and provides connections to an external display, keyboard, mouse, printer, speakers, network, and any other USB-connected devices. It uses an ultrawideband radio to handle all these connections seamlessly.
• An LED display backlight, reducing power consumption and providing better color.

SideShow has appeared in a number of other iterations at CES, including audio players, phones and even a messenger bag. Despite its name, it certainly looks like SideShow is going to be central to Microsoft's strategy for promoting Vista.   

- Dean Gallea, Computing Technology Test Leader