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Windows SideShow

Updated: March 27, 2008

The Windows SideShow platform enables compatible devices to communicate with computers that are running Windows Vista. Windows SideShow-compatible devices can include personal electronics, home entertainment components, household appliances, and even office equipment. Gadgets, which are small programs designed to run on the SideShow platform, send and receive content between the computer and a device.

Some common applications of the SideShow platform include sending timely information from the computer to the device, such as e-mail messages, calendar reminders, headlines, stock quotations, traffic updates, and weather updates. Users can browse that content even while the computer is in sleep mode or turned off. The platform also supports scenarios other than content consumption. For example, some SideShow-compatible devices, such as remote controls, can send commands to programs that are running on the computer and to other devices and systems that are connected to the computer.

Related Blogs:

Windows SideShow Team Blog

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