It looks like Microsoft has finally “announced” the long rumoured convergence of the Xbox and the Media Center. Check out this brochure available in Microsoft Downloads: http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=ed01d0d5-a82b-41fc-8d72-8d8954d59704&displaylang=en
It also looks like similar technology will be available as a stand-alone device that hooks to current television and it will also be built into new televisions (no word on who will be providing this hardware).
Now all that is needed is a more specialized version of the Media Center PC. I don’t want the monitor (it’s going to be hooked to my HDTV ready widescreen TV). I certainly don’t need to have it bundled with a printer. I don’t even want a keyboard or a mouse. I want a super TIVO that it gong to be easier for me to customize. Just give me some .NET interfaces so I can hook in my own code!
UPDATE: I forgot to blast The Registry for it's lame analysis about the demise of the Media Center PC. The probable reason that MS didn't have any press-releases about Media Center PC's is because they just released an upgrade and there won't be anything new happening to them for a while.