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» Review Windows Media Player 11 Final                 

(November 2006)

 

Windows Media Player 11

Windows Media Player 11 is the upcoming version of the player, which will be available for Windows Vista as well as Windows XP. Currently, the player is an open, public beta. This new version features many changes.

The Media Library is now presented without the category trees which were prominent in the earlier versions. Rather, on selecting the category in the left pane, the contents will appear on the right, in a graphical manner with thumbnails - a departure from textual presentation of information. Views for audio, video, pictures and record TV are separate and either can be chosen at one time, from the navigation bar. Entries for pictures and video show their thumbnails.

Windows Media Player 11 Other Features :

Stacking - Stacking allows graphical representation of how many albums are there in a specific category or folder. The more items there are, the larger is the pile.

Word Wheel - Searches and displays results as characters are being entered, without waiting for Enter key to be hit. Results are refined based on further characters that are typed.

CD Burning
CD Burning now shows a graphical bar showing how much space will be used on the disc.

URGE

The new music store from Microsoft and MTV networks is integrated with the player.

Global Status

Global status shows a broad overview of what the player is doing. The information presented include status information regarding buffering, ripping, burning and synchronization.

Improved synchronization features for loading songs onto PlaysForSure-compatible MP3 players.

WMP11 supports reverse-synchronization, by which media present on the handheld device gets replicated on the source machine.

Support for ripping audio CDs to WAV format.

Streaming content to Universal Plug and Play (UPnP) enabled receivers, over a network.

Integrated web-browsing support to browse online music stores.

Microsoft has released a public beta of Windows Media Player 11 for Windows XP (excluding Media Center editions before 2005), codenamed Polaris, on May 17 2006 . The beta was distributed to the press a few days earlier for review purposes.

Windows Media Player 11 will also be included in Microsoft's upcoming Windows Vista operating system when it is released in late 2006 (for businesses) and early 2007 (for consumers); the Vista version will include some features not found in the XP version. As a result of a European antitrust ruling, Microsoft will also be required to produce "Windows Vista N" editions which do not include Windows Media Player for the European Union market.

 

Music, photos, and movies in any room
With Player 11 and a digital media receiver, you can stream music, photos, and movies from your computer throughout your home.

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Music in Windows Vista
See what the music experience will be in Windows Vista.

Experience HD DVD today
Make your home theater come alive with eye-popping 1080p video and 7.1 multichannel surround sound.

Simplicity in Design
Bring a whole new look to your digital entertainment.

More of the Music You Love
Breathe new life into your digital music experience.

All Your Entertainment in One Place
Store and enjoy all of your music, video, pictures, and recorded TV.

Enjoy Everywhere
Stay connected with your music, video, and pictures no matter where you are. Check out the new Media Sharing feature.

- Extras

Skins
Customize the look of Windows Media Player to match your mood.

Visualizations
Extend your music experience in Windows Media Player with visual effects.

Plug-ins
Add features to Windows Media Player, such as audio effects and DVD playback.
 

Publisher:

Microsoft

Size: 23 MB Download Windows Media Player 11 Final

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