Windows Media Player 10 released

Frank · 02-09-2004, 20:09

Windows Media Player 10 released, but requires Win XP.

Quote:

Overall, Windows Media Player 10 is a huge improvement over previous Windows Media Player versions, though it still falls short of the competition in a few key areas. If you've bought into the Microsoft-oriented music world in any way, however--perhaps with a Media Center PC, Portable Media Center device, or by using a WMA-compatible online music service--you simply must upgrade to WMP 10. This release offers major improvements for discovering and buying, and subscribing to content online, sports an improved UI, and integrates nicely with a coming generation of portable devices. And if up-and-coming music subscription services, like that now offered by Napster, take off, the release of WMP 10 will be heralded as the watershed moment of what is clearly still a nascent market. That said, users interested solely in music playback will likely find little reason to abandon iTunes. And iPod users will simply ignore WMP 10 as they have previous versions.

Windows Media Player 10 is free and requires Windows XP (any edition), but not any other Windows versions. That decision will be controversial, but I think it's the right one: With over 300 million users, XP is clearly the preferred Windows client for consumers and music enthusiasts: Had Microsoft shipped a WMP 10 version for older Windows versions, that product would have lacked key features and held up the release of the XP version. You can download Windows Media Player 10 from the Microsoft Web site.

I've been running the beta of version 10 for a while now and it hasn't broken anything...no, that was SP2!

dilli-theclaw · 02-09-2004, 20:28

Quote:

Originally Posted by Frank

Windows Media Player 10 released, but requires Win XP.

I've been running the beta of version 10 for a while now and it hasn't broken anything...no, that was SP2!

I've had 10 (Beta) on my laptop for a while too and not found any problems

I think I'll update my other systems tonight

02-09-2004, 20:52

The Energy Bliss visualisation is quite impressive !!!!

purple_smarties · 02-09-2004, 20:54

i too had the beta and had no problems with it. have just downloaded the new version

dilli-theclaw · 02-09-2004, 20:55

Quote:

Originally Posted by yesman

The Energy Bliss visulisation is quite impressive !!!!

Of course I looked for it before I realised you had to download it

Richard M · 02-09-2004, 20:55

I have to say that WMP 10 looks stunning when you have XP set to the Media Centre theme.

Caff · 02-09-2004, 20:57

Thanks Frank.
It seems very smooth.
I wanted/half expected to see something there to convert WMA to MP3, though. Perhaps I need to explore it further.

ntl customer · 02-09-2004, 20:59

Gee, thanks Bill for thinking of us Windows 2000 users!

Quote:

Windows Media Player 10 is free and requires Windows XP (any edition), but not any other Windows versions. That decision will be controversial, but I think it's the right one: With over 300 million users, XP is clearly the preferred Windows client for consumers and music enthusiasts: Had Microsoft shipped a WMP 10 version for older Windows versions, that product would have lacked key features and held up the release of the XP version. You can download Windows Media Player 10 from the Microsoft Web site.

What's so different about 2000 compared to XP to say that WMP10 can't be used on it?

Richard M · 02-09-2004, 21:01

2000 is intended as an office/workstation OS and it is a bit on the old side now.

MadGamer · 02-09-2004, 21:08

Im just downloading it now.

Richard M · 02-09-2004, 21:16

Quote:

Originally Posted by yesman

The Energy Bliss visulisation is quite impressive !!!!

Where is that one?

dilli-theclaw · 02-09-2004, 21:18

Quote:

Originally Posted by Richard M

Where is that one?

http://www.microsoft.com/windows/win...userlocale=809

02-09-2004, 21:20

Quote:

Originally Posted by Richard M

Where is that one?

http://www.microsoft.com/windows/win...lizations.aspx

Richard M · 02-09-2004, 21:22

Thanks.

kronas · 02-09-2004, 21:36

before i even attempt to install this (im bored) is it really that good ? the review boasts about the pay content links, no point in installing it if thats a major point...