PCM 045, 022-033 Mira 6/14/02 2:28 PM Page 22 TECHNOLOGY By Geoff Walker Microsoft MIRA Tatung Mira prototype “Mira” is yet MICROSOFT MIRA AT A GLANCE Mira is Microsoft's code name for a wireless, pen- another enabled monitor intended for use with your home PC. Mira extends the use of Windows XP to any room in Microsoft- your house. Mira can be summarized as follows: championed G Available Christmas 2002, $500 to $800 concept G 14 OEMs & ODMs are signed up to build Miras meant to G Two form factors: “main monitor” and “mobile monitor” G Main monitors are 15" XGA Philips Mira prototype extend the G Mobile monitors are 8.4" and 10.4" SVGA ViewSonic Mira prototype reach of G Mira communicates with the home PC via WiFi (802.11b) Windows G Mira uses Terminal Server software built into XP Pro G Only one Mira can be used at a time beyond the G Mira doesn't support full-motion video or 3D games desktop. With Mira f you’re thinking about buying a house, or even in the back yard. you access new monitor or a new PC, you’re According to Microsoft CEO Steve Iprobably considering getting one Ballmer, “Mira does for monitors with a flat LCD screen. what the cordless handset did for your PC with Microsoft’s “Mira” (derived telephones.” Think about that for from Spanish for “to watch”) a moment – it’s a darn good a wireless simply makes that LCD mobile. analogy. “Mira,” by the way, is Mira is a wireless, pen-enabled only a temporary code name. connection monitor. You’ll also see it referred Microsoft hasn’t decided on a to as a “smart display,” which final name for product. They’ll from wher- isn’t a very useful name, since it have to decide soon, though, doesn’t mean anything specific. since Mira products are sched- ever you are Why would anyone want a wire- uled to be available in time for less monitor? To be able to use a Christmas 2002. in the house. home PC in any room of the 22 PCM 045, 022-033 Mira 6/14/02 2:29 PM Page 23 Extending also means that you base and used the Experience have access to all of anywhere in the Think of the applications and your PC peripherals, house. When it’s features you use on your PC, such as printers, CD mobile, it com- and then consider whether burners and Zip drives. municates with e some of them would be easier Mira is your PC, wherever prototyp the PC via WiFi lips Mira or better used away from the you want it. This is what Phi (802.11b) wire- desk and room where the PC Microsoft calls “relaxed, less. Most of the lives. One of the most obvious casual computing.” For a Mira main monitors to be an- uses is reading news and other very slick, two-minute Mi- nounced in 2002 will use 15" Internet content (browsing the crosoft concept video of a XGA (1024 x 768) LCDs, since web). Wouldn’t it be more family using a Mira in four that’s the current “sweet spot” comfortable to do it in an easy different rooms on two different in LCD monitors. chair or on the couch with a floors of a house, visit Initial Form Factors Mira mobile monitors can be Mira mobile monitor? But don’t http://www.microsoft.com/win- Most Mira V1 products will be used only remotely from the PC. stop there — what about read- dowsxp/mira/video.asp. available in one of two basic They can’t be connected di- ing and responding to email, form factors: “primary detach- rectly to the PC like a main doing instant messaging, re- ationale able monitor” and “secondary monitor. They also communi- viewing your personal mobile monitor.” For the re- cate with the PC via WiFi finances, planning a trip with R mainder of this article, these (802.11b) wireless. Mira mobile mapping software, doing cross- The basic terms are shortened to “main monitors will generally have word puzzles, viewing and monitor” and “mobile monitor.” some form of docking cradle editing photos, playing solitaire, concept of Mira The Mira main monitor, as the (or at least a passive stand) to doing minor editing with a name implies, replaces the hold the unit while it is being productivity application, play- is to extend the standard CRT or LCD monitor used with a keyboard and a ing and managing MP3 files, on a PC. When a Mira main mouse. Most of the Mira mobile sharing your photo albums with reach of your PC monitor is being used next to monitors that will be friends, reading ebooks, listen- the PC, it’s connected via a announced in 2002 will use 8.4" ing to Internet radio stations, or to every room of VGA or DVI cable, just like any or 10.4" SVGA (800 x 600) LCDs, reading endless documents other monitor. However, it can since that’s the design center and presentations from work? the house be detached (removed) from its of most webpads. Finally, breaking away from the “couch” environment, what Figure 1: The Mira log-in screen is the first thing you see on a Mira device. Please about accessing technical note that this is a beta version and may be different in the final product information from a CD-ROM for your car while you’re in the garage? The basic concept of the Mira is to extend the Windows PC experience to any room in the home. When you’re using a Mira, you’re using your PC. This is significantly different from using a webpad. With a web- pad, you’re limited to browsing the Internet and using a few, limited-functionality CE appli- cations. When you’re using a Mira, you have access to all the data and applications that are resident on your PC. This means that the Mira reflects all of your personalized PC set- tings such as My Favorites, My Pictures, folder settings, etc. It www.pencomputing.com MIRA July 2002 PCM 045, 022-033 Mira 6/14/02 2:29 PM Page 24 TABLE 1: COMPARISON OF MIRA WITH OTHER TYPES OF PRODUCTS Characteristic Mira LCD Monitor Internet Appliance Webpad Tablet PC Laptop PC Positioning The evolution of Desktop monitor Limited capability Limited capability The evolution Mobile PC the monitor Internet access Internet access of the laptop Target Market Consumer Consumer Consumer Consumer Mobile Mobile and enterprise and vertical markets professionals professionals PC No (peripheral) No (peripheral) No (competition) No (competition) Yes Yes User Interface Windows Windows Browser Browser Windows Windows Mobile Yes No No Yes Yes Yes Wireless 802.11b No No 802.11b 802.11b & WAN 802.11b & WAN Standalone Apps Very limited in V1 No No Some Unlimited Unlimited Quiet, Cool Yes Yes Yes Yes Some No Instant-On Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes1 No Pen Support Yes No No Yes Yes No Full-Motion Video Not in V1 Yes No No Most2 Most2 and 3D Games OS Windows CE .Net None Windows CE, Windows CE Windows XP Windows 98 Linux Linux, QNX Tablet PC Edition 2000, XP 1 Resume in two seconds, but boot is still slow 2 (some may not have strong 3D support) The Input Problem screens (resistive digitizers) for less keyboard and mouse (USB, going to be practical for long Looks pretty cool, doesn’t it? As use with a pen, on-screen IR, RF, etc.). But what if you emails or anything else that long as whatever you’re doing keyboards, handwriting recogni- want to write more than a one- requires a lot of input. A real doesn’t require a lot of input, tion (Transcriber, the same as line response to an email? keyboard is the only solution. everything’s great. Most Mira on a Pocket PC), and a method Handwriting recognition and on- But how do you actually do it? monitors have will touch of connecting a corded or cord- screen keyboards are never Do you put the Mira on the OTHER WIRELESS MONITORS Mira is unique. There’s nothing exactly like it on the market today. However, there are several other wireless monitor products that share some degree of commonality with Mira. These include the AirSpeak Flair, the Xtend from DOT Design Technologies, the Panasonic Toughbook 07 and the Sony Airboard. (See Table 4 for URLs.) AirSpeak Flair DOT Design Technologies Xtend The Flair is a wireless monitor aimed at the enterprise market The Xtend is closest of the four products in concept to the Mira. rather than the home market. It was initially designed to wirelessly Created by a tiny startup in San Mateo, CA, the Xtend is like an connect to a “corridor cruiser’s” desktop PC and provide remote enhanced Mira running mobile access to the desktop. The Flair is similar to the Mira in that Linux instead of Win- it’s a Windows CE device with integrated WiFi (802.11b) wireless, dows CE. According to except that the protocol used between the Flair and a desktop PC is Todd Shafer, President proprietary. The Flair is a more open platform than the Mira, since it and Founder of DOT can also be configured as a wireless thin client or a CE tablet. Design Technologies, the When the Flair is configured as a thin client, the protocol used product is presently in between the Flair and a server can be either Microsoft’s RDP or the “virtual prototype” Citrix’s ICA.