NVIDIA shows Preface handhelds, remotes for Vista
updated 11:05 am EST, Tue January 30, 2007
NVIDIA Preface
NVIDIA marked the official launch of Vista today by revealing Preface, its reference design for Vista's new SideShow feature. Made with the help of the company's recently acquired PortalPlayer division, Preface is a miniaturized display and media playback system that uses SideShow to access information from a Vista computer without having to turn it on. E-mail, games, music, and other content can be synchronized and read from the device in this mode; when the PC is active, a Preface display can also check Vista Gadgets such as weather forecasts or other live information without disrupting the main screen.
The video chipset producer is currently demonstrating two concept devices, including a handheld that could dock with a home computer (left) as well as a remote that could be used with a home theater PC (right). While these exact designs have yet to see finished devices, NVIDIA says Preface is already in use with the ASUS W5fe notebook and should see its way into other shipping hardware in the near future. Photos of the NVIDIA designs are available after the jump.
