I'm back from my blogging vacation with a quick roundup of news on Media Center

- HP adds an iPod dock to its new Media Center PC.  Lots of opinions on this one, I think it further validates MCE and demonstrates HP's commit to the OS. I hear it's just a little plastic place to set your iPod. Peter hopes for a PMC Dock- Hello, Creative?

- Michael Gartenberg finds a conflict between MSN Remote Record and Extenders. I'm using both on my MCE but that doesn't mean there's not a problem.  Sent mail to the team to investigate. Yes, my MCE is "locked down" as well.

- Thomas Hawk says Microsoft should offer a direct support line or take back support from outsourcing PC OEMs. "I paid $99 for an extended warranty with HP that included lifetime telephone support. I'd much have preferred to give this money directly to Microsoft and had you guys fixing my wagon instead." MSFT does offer paid support. MCE is officially offered as a complete PC. This would have to assume that Microsoft is familiar with the OEM's every HW and SW configuration. Then you have thousands of system builders. I'm not sure that scales.

Adjusting for this and making Thomas' point, would you be willing to pay for a premier support program for software, even if you still had to call your PC manufacturer to support the hardware?  How does this differ from Geek Squad?

- New Expert Zone article on how to Burn, Archive, and Share Digital Videos using MCE 2005

- Cool new MCE designs from Beblu and Shuttle's MCE-01 and one more "tower of silver" to mix things up from Velocity Micro (via engadget)

- Keyboard shortcuts for MCE 2005 (Michael Creasy's Blog)

- Sony offering upgrade to MCE 2005 for existing customers.

- I'm not sure "Quietens" is a word, but Alienware gets it: people want quiet PCs! (via Media Center PC World)

- 10FootGames has launched their first MCE game. Looking forward to more