In another effort to encroach upon Apple's computer-as-entertainment strategy, Microsoft has announced its Windows XP Media Center Edition

Further blurring the lines between home computing and entertainment, software giant Microsoft has described the newest version of its Windows XP operating system, promising to change how consumers relate to their PCs with the click of a remote-controlled button. The Windows XP Media Center Edition, previously known as "Freestyle," will marry television programming, personal video recording, music, movies, DVDs and pictures in a single device. Aimed at the teen and college-age consumer set, as well as those with constrained living space, the system will enable users to record, pause and replay television shows; play and organize music selections; store and view still pictures and video; and play DVDs on a single PC. The monitor, which can be controlled by a remote, is intended to be viewed from across a room. Windows XP Media Center is not expected to sell as a standalone product.