In addition to the less-than-perfect Media Center Extenders (codenamed Bobsled), which we might think of as "dedicated" Media Center Extenders, because that's all they do, Microsoft has always had plans for other forms of Media Center Extenders. These plans included Extender chipsets that would turn otherwise normal televisions and other devices into Extenders, a software-based Extender for Xbox (codenamed XSled), and a software-based Extender for PCs (codenamed SoftSled). While the former and latter are currently up in the air--no TV-based Extenders have appeared and, according to Microsoft, none are in the works that it is aware of; SoftSled is also an unknown, with some at Microsoft feeling that it's critical, while others think it will impact the business for hardware-based Extenders--XSled arrived in late November without much sound and fury. That's kind of surprising, frankly.
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