Microsoft's Media2Go gets new name

Microsoft on Monday gave its mobile entertainment software a new name and announced a partnership with two design companies.

The Redmond, Wash., company said the unit, which was code-named Media2Go, will now be called Windows Mobile software for Portable Media Centers. The software giant said original design manufacturers Tatung and AboCom will develop new designs to help portable device makers create products that will run on the mobile software.

The Windows Mobile software for Portable Media Centers lets consumers store and play back digital entertainment content on mobile devices. The package, built on Windows CE .Net operating system for mobile devices, will support Windows Media 9 Series audio and video formats, as well as MP3.

"Just as Windows XP Media Center Edition set a whole new standard for enjoying entertainment on the PC, Portable Media Centers will do the same for portable devices," Scott Horn, director of marketing at Microsoft, said in a statement.

Consumer electronics makers, including Creative Technologies, iRiver International, Samsung, Sanyo and ViewSonic, are developing devices that use the software. Some of the products are expected to be available in the second half of 2004.