Windows SideShow
Windows SideShow is a technology that was introduced with Windows Vista that enables Windows PCs to operate a variety of auxiliary units to display, which are connected to the main PC. These devices can be separated or integrated into the main PC (for example, a display on the outside of a notebook displays ) allow, and access to information and media, even if the computer itself is turned off. Sideshow can also facilitate the display of PC data to mobile phones or other equipment connected via Wi-Fi or Bluetooth devices.
SideShow display devices can be supplied with a variety of different information, such as contacts, maps, events, or e- mail messages. These can be used when the PC is turned off. Since the underlying platform is so energy efficient, can SideShow displays that are integrated into notebooks, running hundreds of hours without draining the battery of the notebook, while the whole time is provided access to data and multimedia content available.
Sideshow is connected with Windows Sidebar (Microsoft Gadget ) and these can be easily extended so so that they are compatible with SideShow display. In any case, hardware and chip vendors can also provide capabilities available to enable multimedia applications such as text, images, audio and video. For example, a notebook with an additional display can be used as an MP3 player while it's self off and the notebook battery provides hundreds of hours of electricity for playback, since the SideShow platform does not consume as much electricity as the on connected notebook itself.
A Windows SideShow gadget is written by programming with the Windows APIs, an available with Windows Vista API. Also an API for. NET developers has been released, the templates for Microsoft Visual Studio 2005/2008 to demonstrate how to program SideShow gadgets contains.
Windows SideShow devices have different hardware characteristics as devices such as mobile phones or PDAs. Windows SideShow devices have their own processor; they must not rely solely on the computer to perform tasks. There are online and offline capabilities, which allow the device to operate larger components on the connected computer. The following list contains typical display types and technologies:
Hardware - specific applications that provide media such as audio or video available, can be controlled, which requires the specific platform manufacturer's SDK on the Sideshow user interface. For example represents Portal Player, Inc., the " Preface " platform that has skills like En-/Decodieren of MP3, AAC or MPEG4 and other formats.
Market acceptance
Sideshow was adopted only little enthusiasm by the OEMs. Some see Sideshow as an attempt by Microsoft to ensure that manufacturers produce hardware that is compatible with Microsoft operating systems.
On February 1, 2010 Ikanos Consulting Threemote introduced, a suite SideShow- compatible products for embedded platforms, including the Golden -i, Google Android and Windows Mobile.