Intel Viiv: what you need to know

There's certainly no shortage of confusion surrounding Intel's Viiv platform -- some are billing it as revolutionary for living room computing, while others are preaching that it's little more than a shiny sticker on a box. We sat down with Kate Burleigh, Intel's National Marketing Manager, to find out the real story, once and for all.

The interview took place inside Intel's very own "digital home", located within the company's Sydney headquarters. In the video below, we ask Burleigh the tough questions surrounding Viiv, and show off a number of the Viiv-certified devices that are set to reach store shelves any day now.

The footage clocks in at 10 minutes, but it's definitely worth watching to the end, particularly if you're interested in learning about the future of the digital home.

CNET.com.au's verdict:
Burleigh certainly clears up a number of points of confusion, and after spending some time frolicking in Intel's digital home, we think the main drawcard of Viiv is its ease-of-use.

For the non-tech-savvy, configuring a home network isn't easy, and the Viiv interface enables users to carry out this process in a few easy steps. Additionally, the hardware requirements for streaming audio/video content around the home aren't easily discernable for all -- Viiv's certification process ensures that when you purchase a product with a Viiv logo, it'll be able to handle most digital home applications admirably.

Just don't expect anything revolutionary, as aside from the factors mentioned above, Viiv-certified devices won't necessarily offer features that aren't present in non-certified ones. If you're a computing enthusiast and are already comfortable with home networking, it probably isn't worth upgrading your devices to be Viiv certified.

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