This evening during his keynote address at the 2004 International Consumer Electronics Show (CES), Bill Gates unveiled Windows Media Center Extender Technology.

The software will power a new generation of products that will extend the Media Center Edition PC experience allowing consumers to access their favorite digital entertainment, such as live and recorded television, photos, movies, and music that reside on their Windows XP Media Center Edition PC, from any room in the home - regardless of where the PC is located. Media Center Extender Technology will not only provide access to rich content and services, but will enable devices throughout the home to utilize the full processing and storage capabilities of the PC creating new opportunities for services and providing unprecedented choice and access to content for consumers.

In addition, Microsoft announced the Xbox Media Center Extender Kit, which will combine an Xbox DVD title with a dedicated remote control, allowing consumers to extend their Windows XP Media Center Edition experience around the home using their Xbox game console.

Gates announced that Xbox is on track to meet its shipment forecast of 14.5 to 16.0 million worldwide by June 2004. He also highlighted that this holiday gamers broke Xbox Live records by playing more than 1 million game sessions per day over a five-day period.