Zune Social: Back in October, ARS Technica posted a review of an early build of Windows 7. In particular, this review focused on Windows Media Player 12, the next version of Windows’ integrated media playing program. While the review discussed the nuances of WMP 12, one feature, in particular, struck me as interesting. It was WMP 12’s support for streaming to Digital Living Network Alliance (DLNA) v1.5 devices that caught my eye.
DLNA is an organization of companies that have come together with the goal of making the process of sharing media between your PC, TV, cell phone, mp3 player, digital camera, game console, and DVR much easier. DLNA certified products are those that have been tested by the Alliance as being able to meet this goal. In my understanding of their mission, the Alliance is trying to make device interoperability, and media portability, seamless across a number of consumer electronic devices. I should note that Microsoft is listed as a promoter member in a very long list of DLNA member companies.
Looking at the DLNA website, there are fourteen categories of DLNA certified products, ranging from Digital Video Recorders to Digital Cameras. In the ‘Search & Match’ section of their website, you can look up currently certified products. Under the game console section, PlayStation 3 is the only certified product. One category which is listed, but not viewable, is the Portable Music/Video Player category. I wonder what products will show up under that category. Hopefully, Zune.
Knowing this and following the example in the ARS article, while using your computer, you would be able to send music to a networked DLNA device while the actual song library remained on your PC. This streaming ability assumes that both devices are DLNA certified. As it turns out, Windows 7 is supposed to be DLNA compliant. What this means is that you should be able to play music from or download videos to a number of other DLNA compliant devices (e.g. TV, cell phone, DVR) with relative ease. PC Magazine has a great review of DLNA’s appearance at CES. One interesting part of the article had to do with Windows 7 and DLNA:
“Windows 7 devices can be used as digital media players, servers, renderers, or controllers. Not only will Windows 7 support DLNA, but in order for a PC, HDTV, or other peripheral to be listed as Windows 7 compatible, it also must be DLNA-certified.”If you remember, about a month after Windows Vista was released to manufacturing, the Zune 30 became Windows Vista compatible. Perhaps a similar update will take place for Zune to be fully Windows 7 compatible. Note, this claim of a DLNA compatibility requirement is coming from PC Magazine, not Microsoft. Without any updates, Zune already works well in Windows 7.
However, what if Zune were DLNA certified? For the user, this could mean quite a few things. In theory, if Zune were certified as a mobile digital media server (M-DMS), I could send my pictures, video, and music straight from my device to my DLNA TV also known as a digital media player (DMP) or my digital media renderer (DMR) such an A/V unit hooked up to speakers. Or, I could watch a video on my Zune, while the actual file is stored on another networked DLNA device, like a digital media server (DMS) commonly known as a network attached storage device. In effect I could have a much more powerful version of Apple’s Remote app as my Zune could potentially send music to and control any DMP or DMR. Furthermore, it would be another validation of the decision to include wi-fi for those wi-fi non-believers (ssshhhuuunnnnn the non-believers).
On the other hand, if Zune were classified as a mobile digital media downloader (M-DMD) or mobile digital media player (M-DMP), then I could merely download content from a DMS (computer or laptop) or M-DMS (cell phone or other portable device). Either way, the versatility of Zune expands quite a bit if the full meaning of a ‘Windows 7 compatible’ device includes a Digital Living Network Alliance certification.
Did I lose you with all the acronyms? Or is the sweet possibility of playing your Zune tunes through your TV hooked up to your home sound system, wirelessly, leaving you eager to see what Windows 7 may have in store for Zune?
