today announced an agreement with Microsoft to extend Yahoo! services to Microsoft Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005, Microsoft's version of the Windows operating system designed to provide all-in-one, digital entertainment experiences.
Under the agreement, consumers will be able to access Yahoo! services optimized especially for the digital home environment. Yahoo! expects to deliver a variety of services and content over the course of the coming year via Microsoft Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005, with the first offerings being made available in the coming weeks.
Yahoo! will be demonstrating at CES a service on Microsoft Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005 that brings together a wide variety of Internet-based video, traditional Internet content, Yahoo!'s proprietary search technology, and the breadth of the Yahoo! community.
The service will allow consumers to select, start, stop and pause Internet video content, while at the same time taking advantage of personalized Internet content -- such as sports scores, stock portfolios, weather and more -- based on their personal preferences and those of their shared communities.
Yahoo!'s agreement with Microsoft also includes placement in "Online Spotlight," an area specifically designed to introduce compelling services to Windows XP Media Center Edition users. The agreement allows for Microsoft and Yahoo! to collaborate on additional products and services for the Digital Home market in the future.
"Microsoft is pleased to be working with Yahoo! to deliver useful and enjoyable digital entertainment experiences for the consumer as part of the Online Spotlight program," said Bill Mannion, Director of Windows XP Consumer Marketing at Microsoft. "The introduction of personalized Yahoo! services continues to extend the innovation that Microsoft started with the launch of Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005 in October.
