Baker said he expects Microsoft will likely get beyond the networking glitch without any permanent damage. "I don't think there's going to be any long-range effects," he said. "Most of the companies in this category have had glitches the last couple of years. Besides, we're on the brink of this category exploding. People that come along later won't know about these problems." Microsoft is betting on the delivery of digital content over the Internet and the redistribution of that content over home networks to be the central driver behind the next wave of PC sales. The company released network gear to help facilitate broadband adoption, particularly using wireless. The company also sees other important reasons for getting into the home networking market. Devices running its Windows Media Center, Windows XP Tablet PC Edition and Windows Media Player 9 Series software, and the forthcoming Mira "smart displays," all benefit from wired or wireless network connections. Microsoft also hopes the network gear will help the company woo subscribers to MSN 8, the latest version of its Internet service provider software and service. The Redmond, Wash.-based company, in fact, is offering a discount on network gear purchased by MSN broadband subscribers. This month, Microsoft started to advertise its networking gear more aggressively on the Web. New flash ads on MSN.com nearly fill the browser window with a splashy promotion for the network gear.
For the latest home networking product news, plus a full explanation of what home networking is all about, what you need to get started, and how to put it all together, see ZDNet UK's Home Networking Special.
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