If the recent history proved something right, is the need to have an integrated experience, regardless of what software platform we are using. The phenomenal success of iPhone is not related to any amazing hardware, but to the fact that everything works so well together. One doesn’t need to tinker endlesly with software configurations, or dig on various websites to gather whatever software packages might be compatible with his platform. (Yeah, I know, WE do it, but if you want something to be really popular, you got to make it simple for the average Joe).
That being said, many companies are headed to the app store dirrection, Microsoft being one of them. However, Microsoft is inexplicably lazy regarding Media Center, and we might have the circular reasoning that they are being lazy because Windows Media Center never gained real popularity outside home theater enthusiasts so Microsoft won’t pour too much money into its development, and we can also argue that WMC never gained popularity for exactly this reason. Well, since Microsoft doesn’t seem eager to do it, the issue is in the hands of 3rd party developers to be dealt with. The first such implementation comes from The Digital Lifestyle and is a WMC plug-in called Made for Media Center.
App Store installation:
In order to install the plug-in, you will need to register on their website and to download the 32bit or 64bit version of the plugin. After the plug-in is installed inside Windows Media Center it will appear in Extras Library section. Select it and the first time it will prompt you for the login information and take you to the list of plug-ins. The app store contains 10-foot apps as well as related 2-foot apps for desktop use (for example meta data gatherer, back-up apps ,etc).
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App Store functionality:
Once the Made For Media Center plug-in in loaded in the WMC, it displays the main app categories. At this point only free/trial applications are available, I am curious if the developers coded some kind of licensing/payment framework in place. Just allowing free applications won’t take the platform too far.
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Selecting one application to install will take you through a series of screens where you can see the app size to be downloaded, start the download and finally are given the opportunity to install it. Everything is still in beta, so expect some issues (see the screenshots), but overall the process is fairly simple. I tried to install TwitterMCE (unsuccesfully) and new Rides for MCE which worked fine. I expect a smooth operation when the beta period will end.
Example of failed installation: (Twitter MCE)
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Example of succesfull installation: (New Rides for MCE)
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Content:
Many well known WMC apps found their way in the app store already, like TunerFreeMCE, mcShoutCast, Photato, My Movies, etc. The store also have some applications that I didn’t know before, but it is far from a complete list. For example I did’t see Media Browser, in my opinion the best application for Windows Media Center.
Conclusion:
Made for Media Center app store plug-in does a good job at presenting WMC applications in one place, inside Media Center. I liked that, at no time you are forced to use the mouse or the keyboard. The application is still in its infancy, but the potential is certainly here and I want to thank you the developers for this endeavor. Hopefully its popularity will explode and we’ll soon see more and more content.
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