Microsoft plans Longhorn laptop revolution

With the next version of Windows, Microsoft is looking to add a number of laptop-specific features designed to make portable machines both more powerful and at the same time as easy to use as consumer devices such as portable DVD players.

To accomplish this feat, Microsoft is looking at the possibility of a separate user interface that could be instantly accessed for playing back movies, music and other media files. The company is even exploring ways that media files could be accessed without logging into Windows as a way to make the experience more comparable to consumer electronic devices.

Matti Suokko, a business development manager in Microsoft's Mobile PC unit, said: "We're looking at how to make it really quick.

Suokko outlined a host of other features under consideration for Longhorn, the next version of Windows, which Microsoft hopes to release by mid-2006. Other enhancements include improved support for multiple displays and the ability to create ad hoc wireless networks. Suokko also showed off a centralised synchronisation engine that would make sure information was kept current between a PC and devices such as laptops, portable music players and removable storage cards.

Suokko stressed that all of the ideas he discussed were still subject to change and many were still in the concept stage. However, his comments marked the clearest vision Microsoft has given to date on some of the other features it is exploring for Longhorn.

Ina Fried writes for News.com