Intel Viiv Platform... and Apple?

Last week, Intel announced company support for its Viiv media platform due in the 1st quarter of 2006.

A Viiv-based PC is expected to provide a standard compatibility platform to provide:

- Remote control operation
- Dual-core processor
- On demand Movies, Music, Pictures and Games
- Ability to Record, Pause and Rewind Live TV (DVR functionality)
- Surround sound/home theatre support

The recent press release announced the adoption by a variety of companies to provide compatibility testing and content for Viiv.

Intel is providing the engineering support, specifications and verification tools to content owners, content distributors, portals, software application developers and device vendors to help deliver Internetbased content services and software applications that are tested and verified to work with an Intel Viiv technology-based PC. The verified content services and applications will be capable of being accessed in full screen format with simple access using a remote control.

Meanwhile, recent rumors have pointed to Apple revamping their media distribution with the announcement of new partners for feature length as well as expanded television offerings. While there has been the typical analyst speculation that Apple and Intel may somehow be working together on a tie-in between Viiv and Mac OS X, there has been some independent verification that there will indeed be further cooperation between the two companies and Viiv.