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Microsoft Signs New Mira Partners, Preps Beta

By Nate Mook, BetaNews

March 12, 2002, 9:06 PM

Microsoft revealed at CeBIT in Hannover, Germany, that it has signed additional hardware partners for Mira, the company's platform for next-generation portable touch-screen monitors. Using Windows CE .NET and the Remote Desktop Protocol in Windows XP, Mira devices enable a user to work on a PC from up to 150 feet away. Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer will announce tomorrow that Redmond has tapped Philips and LG Electronics to build Mira-enabled devices, expected to debut later this year.

Philips will debut 10.4-inch and 15-inch Mira prototypes at CeBIT, with LG unveiling a 15-inch detachable LCD monitor. Tatung and TriGEM have also joined up with Microsoft and will license Mira devices to a variety of OEMs. Industry giants Intel, ViewSonic and NEC had previously announced support of the Mira platform.

Although some Mira devices may resemble the much-hyped Tablet PC, Microsoft was quick to note that Mira will be primarily aimed at the consumer for use in a home environment. Tablet PC on the other hand will provide a superset of laptop functionality and target the business professional.

Microsoft has already set invitations to a small group of testers for a private beta of Mira, which the company says will begin soon. Beta versions of Windows XP designed for Tablet PC architectures have also begun to appear on Microsoft beta servers, along with recent releases of Windows .NET Server.

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By skybluesmurf

posted Mar 16, 2002 - 12:42 PM

Just so everyone can have some things cleared up

MS will send out the device includeing all nessicary hardware to ONLY the top testers in the windows XP beta, who are willing to test the hardware. MS never charges anyone anything in a beta. At the end of the beta MS will consider giving a complementery copy of the device, but this has not been determined yet if they will.

The device it's self will run on 11Mbit wireless network over Terminal services only. There is no remote server for this product, it will be useing a modified version of Terminal services. Future versions of windows will include multipal remote user support. Since XP home has no remote user, and PRO only have 1 remote user. But these will be limited to mira devices only.

The framerate on the device will be limited, NO 3D apps or animation intensive programs will work correctly, this is for things like web browsing, chatting, and business uses. The device will be limited to Classic Windows mode only to save wireless bandwidth. Since it will be useing a peak 80% of the wireless's 11Mbit bandwidth.

The devices themselfs will be running a subset of WindowsCE.NET to get the terminal service connections.

Screen resolution will be generaly around the size of 800x600 untill new wireless technologies are accomidated to increase the bandwidth.

Score: 0

By FunkyFred

posted Mar 20, 2002 - 11:04 AM

I had a feeling when I first read your email that you were making most of it up and the rest was just big assumptions.

Well now everyone is writing articles about microsoft charging for the hardware so that to me proves you were making it up.

Part of the emails says:

"At this time we are unable to provide wireless devices for testing, but we have worked out an agreement with the manufacturer to offer the DT380 at $799 (cash/money order) or $825 for credit card purchases; that’s $350-$450
below the market price."

Score: 0

By skybluesmurf

posted Mar 20, 2002 - 6:04 PM

I don't know where your getting thoes prices at, but I have been a tester for Microsoft for many years now, and I have never paid for any beta, even the current wireless network beta which all hardware was provided free of cost to us. I also was accepted for the mira beta and never recieved anything on paying for a device.

It also seems a bit odd that they would have two diffrent prices depending on payment method.

Score: 0

By mrastudent

posted Mar 17, 2002 - 11:19 PM

I'm suprised it uses that much bandwidth considering Terminal Services from a regular computer to another takes very little bandwidth, why would a Mira device running over the same protocol take more?

Score: 0

By erenken

posted Aug 12, 2002 - 10:01 PM

I don't think it will use the whole 11Mb. It will supposably be running on 802.11b, so it can use that much, but like you said terminal services hardly uses any bandwidth.

Score: 0

By elmiusJMW

posted Mar 14, 2002 - 12:36 PM

Can anyone get into this beta without an invitation?

Also, has anyone been accepted into the Wireless Networking Beta because I haven't gotten anything yet! If you have please let me know!

Score: 0

By WhistlerXP

posted Mar 14, 2002 - 5:22 PM

Only top XP testers got an invitation, but you can still try to get in. Send a blank e-mail to betareq@microsoft.com and they'll send you an auto-reply with instructions on how to apply for a MS beta.

Now, what's this Wireless Networking Beta that you're referring to?

Also, I'm curious exactly who they considered a "Top Bug Tester for Windows XP." I got an invitation, but I'm wondering if anyone who sent feedback on XP got invited (which is how they determined who got a final copy of XP), or if they actually looked to see who had the most/best feedback. Because I know I sent a lot of feedback on XP.

Please post here if you hear back from MS re: your Mira status. It said "you will only be contacted if you are selected to participate."

WARNING TO POTENTIAL NEW MS TESTERS: Though I mentioned above that anyone who sent feedback on XP got a final copy, don't go into a beta test just to get a free product. They are not and clearly state throughout the test that they are not obligated to give free copies of the product to anyone. And during the XP test, they were considering not giving free copies, or only giving them to the very top testers. So, be sure to work hard and send in as much feedback as you have time to, and if you're lucky, you'll be rewarded in the end. But you should still feel lucky if you're chosen to participate and have early access to a pre-release product. Sorry, but I had to say that so I wouldn't get in trouble from MS, and I don't want to hurt the MS beta program.

Score: 0

By CPUGuy

posted Mar 14, 2002 - 10:17 PM

Top Testers are the people who sent in the most re-producable bugs.

Score: 0

By nate

posted Mar 14, 2002 - 8:41 PM

Very well stated. Thanks for the information!

Score: 0

By sirhardi

posted Mar 13, 2002 - 2:58 PM

I am wondering that some of you have gotten invitations.

I had long been submitted for Beta's on M$ and gotten some access but i always ended up getting RC's..so it;'s time to get a bit more indepth info here please :-)
Thanks

Score: 0

By CPUGuy

posted Mar 13, 2002 - 4:54 PM

Only XP top testers got invitations for Mira.

Score: 0

By sirhardi

posted Mar 13, 2002 - 7:24 PM

Thanks.....

now how does one become an WinOS beta dude?

Score: 0

By CPUGuy

posted Mar 13, 2002 - 9:02 PM

Apply at betareq@microsoft.com

Just send them a blank e-mail and it will auto-respond to you what you need to send them.

Score: 0

By FunkyFred

posted Mar 13, 2002 - 4:38 AM

This is going to make the licensing/connection limit for XPs RDP/terminal services interesting - I wonder if this will mean they will allow more than one connection in the future on Pro editions of XP. Surely they will have to if they want Mira devices all around the home talking to one central XP based PC?

Score: 0

By CPUGuy

posted Mar 12, 2002 - 10:08 PM

Got my Mira beta invitation. :)

Score: 0

By SlJim29

posted Mar 13, 2002 - 5:04 AM

Hey, CPUguy, I got an invitation too, so i'd like to ask you something: right now, i don't have any wireless devices that could be used with Mira. Do you know how much it would cost me to purchase the required equipment for this beta program? I need to know in order to decide whether i'm gonna participate or not.
I sent an email to betainfo@microsoft.com asking the same thing, but still no reply :-(

Thanks.

Score: 0

By scyphe

posted Mar 16, 2002 - 9:40 AM

To all those that claim that they've been invited to the beta:

You weren't invited to the beta, you were invited to APPLY for the beta. You should know that if you got the mail. Also, you should know what costs are expected by applying to the beta.

I can't say more since I'm under the NDA, but the invitation was for the application, not the beta itself.

Score: 0

By cman21

posted Mar 13, 2002 - 9:12 AM

I have a feeling testers might receive a mira device to test.

Score: 0

By CPUGuy

posted Mar 13, 2002 - 9:55 AM

First: Jim, your best bet is to just head over to Best Buy and look at how much it would cost to get a wireless PCI card for what you would be using as your server, or you could go all out and buy a wireless hub and a whole kit... but if you just get the PCI card, you can actually bridge the wireless connection with your wired LAN so they can all talk to eachother, all from within XP.

Second, cman:
On the questionaire that they gave us, they asked if we would be willing to spend $800 on a Mira device... however they also provided a line that you explain why you would not be willing to if you chose that you were not willing (obviously). And I'm going to go out on a lim here and say that pretty much for everyone who would not be willing to buy a Mira device, it would be because of the high cost (just a wild assumption there).

So, I guess it's all up to MS, if the tester is worth just giving you the device or not, etc... basically, only the top XP testers were invited to join the Mira team, though.

Score: 0

By SlJim29

posted Mar 13, 2002 - 11:31 AM

>So, I guess it's all up to MS, if the tester is worth just giving you the device or not, etc... basically, only the top XP testers were invited to join the Mira team, though.

hmm... so, let's say that i don't want to buy ANY devices (including the PCI card). Could I just complete the questionaire and hope that they will accept me and send a device to test? (probably not, eh?)

Score: 0

By CPUGuy

posted Mar 13, 2002 - 4:55 PM

Might as well... god knows I can't afford the Mira device, but would be willing to get the wireless stuff.

Score: 0

By cman21

posted Mar 13, 2002 - 10:18 AM

well, good thing i was invited :)

Score: 0

By cman21

posted Mar 12, 2002 - 10:53 PM

id wonder what someone would get to be in that test

Score: 0

By Shadow_Man_R6

posted Mar 12, 2002 - 10:29 PM

Just wonderin how you get a sign up like this through Mira?

Score: 0

By keystroke

posted Mar 12, 2002 - 9:40 PM

Microsoft seems to have a big plan here.. wireless home networking should really start to kick up soon :) Anyone know what is meant by XP SP1 including support for Mira?

Score: 0

By chris_kabuki

posted Mar 12, 2002 - 10:06 PM

SP1 = Service Pack 1, which I'm guessing will include support for Mira.

Score: 0

By keystroke

posted Mar 12, 2002 - 11:26 PM

yea but doesn't mira run over terminal server or the modded version used for remote assistance? does that just mean that the XP terminal server/remote assistance will be changed for mira.. i wonder what they will change

Score: 0

By CPUGuy

posted Mar 13, 2002 - 10:02 AM

What it means is that XPSP1 will give XP support for Mira devices... basically, Mira makes your PC the digital hub, it streams inet access, music from your own database, etc...

I wouldn't say that Mira will be just a Terminal Client to your 'digital hub', but more of a thing where your Mira device has the OS on it, but it gets all the data from the Mira server.

I say this simply because running it as a Terminal client would be too slow, the lag times on networks are just too high and would require too much bandwidth for that (especially over an 'affordable' 11mbps wireless connection).
Even when running across a full duplux 100mbps switch, it's just to laggy and requires too much bandwidth to really make it as useable as it would need to be for a Mira device....

So I guess we will see what MS really comes up with.

Score: 0

By Alex_Dubinsky

posted Mar 13, 2002 - 4:42 PM

from everything that was ever said about Mira, the Mira-PC interaction would not be a client-server one. Mira is simply a dumb terminal -- a detachable touchscreen monitor, basically. TabletPC is the product that will give you a client-server approach, being a fully-functional PC with access to inet and shares over the network. Mira, however, is a compromise on the TabletPC where it has almost no on-board logic except to run a striped-down version of WinCE with RDP capabilities.

on a local 802.11b network, latanency should not be a problem (latanancy as in ping). And the 11 mbps is more than enough bandwith for almost anything (at least on a home network). At 11 mbps you could literally stream the desktop as a video and still have it look great. I think even DVD video (not to mention divx) is at a lower mbps than that.

Score: 0

By stefnie

posted Mar 19, 2002 - 10:00 AM

Yes, you're right, a dumb client.
But comfortable. I don't want cables, processor heat and cpu fan noise when sitting on a sofa browsing the web...
From what I saw at Cebit fair these days in hannover was just great. I want Mira. It makes me go away from the desktop at home. That's fine.
Btw. another great product, but a complete PC I saw in Hannover was the 3in1 from paceblade (www.paceblade.com)...

Score: 0

By CPUGuy

posted Mar 13, 2002 - 4:57 PM

Well, is the latency on an 802.11 network better than a standard 10/100 wired network?

Score: 0

By fewt

posted Mar 13, 2002 - 5:33 PM

What latency? ;-) (Yes, it's that good, I am wireless here at home and in the office.)

Score: 0

By CPUGuy

posted Mar 13, 2002 - 7:07 PM

If you notice, if you run a TS session, it's still somewhat slow to redraw (in that it's slower than redraw on your system), this is due to network latency.

Score: 0

By fewt

posted Mar 13, 2002 - 8:31 PM

Sorry, I only see a slight slowdown when scrolling.

Score: 0

By CPUGuy

posted Mar 13, 2002 - 9:03 PM

hehe, probably because you use Linux, you are used to slowness in the UI... hehe, jk.

Score: 0

By fewt

posted Mar 14, 2002 - 9:09 AM

Awww, yer just jealous. :-P (jk)

Score: 0

By fewt

posted Mar 13, 2002 - 1:06 PM

Not to pat MS on the back or anything (ok, so I am ;-) but uhh if RDP is slow over 11Mb, then you have either network or server problems. MS has done an excellent job with the RDP protocol, it was designed for a 28.8k modem, so surely you won't flood a 11Mb AP with it. ;-) We use TS constantly over DSL and Cable modem which are both technologies significantly slower than 802.11b, and TS interaction is as it would be locally. (Well, provided we aren't streaming anything.) I'm sure that RDP could handle it though with minor changes, think about it the data is already streaming slower than your modem can deliver it, it's nothing to update a rectangle on the screen. ;-)

Score: 0

By Compdoc

posted Mar 20, 2002 - 9:33 PM

OMG!!!

YOU gave MS a pat on the back???????

I gotta go some Nitro tablets, my chest hurts :(

REALLY BAD!!

Score: 0

By FunkyFred

posted Mar 13, 2002 - 2:54 PM

are you having one of your identity crisis again fewt?

Score: 0

By fewt

posted Mar 13, 2002 - 3:04 PM

no. LOL

Score: 0

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