Microsoft Touts 更多的 Than Just New 特性 At Silverlight 3 Launch Event

上周五, 微软发布了Silverlight 3, and announced the availability of Expression 3 within 30 days. This is just nine months after Silverlight 2 was launched, and just two years since the initial launch of Silverlight. Several key feature improvements that notably impact functionality and potentially deployment include:

• 表达式SketchFlow现在可用.
• 退出浏览器功能, allowing significant Silverlight functionality to be available out of the browser, 无论是离线还是在线.
• 3D和GPU加速.
• 光滑的流, which enables Microsoft to deliver 1080p video quality, 直播和点播视频都可以.

(更多的 on the new features in Silverlight 3 can be found 在这里

Touting the platform’s commitment to support both developers and designers, the company announced that Silverlight 2 is installed on more than 1 in 3 Internet devices. 就其本身而言, this is a solid achievement after such a short time in the market, but it also means 2 in 3 Internet devices currently do not have the plug-in. Adobe Flash, and Flash Player 10, have 99% and 85%+ penetration, respectively.

当然, installation on a consumer device does not automatically lead to high developer usage or innovation, just as low deployment does not immediately suggest a lack of innovation. 事实上, 为微软, Silverlight已经取得了显著的胜利, 特别是在直播中, 包括NBC.com的北京奥运会, 温网住, and last week's Michael Jackson memorial (the later used Silverlight 3). 在点播内容方面, Silverlight’s most notable success is Netflix Watch Instantly video on demand. Microsoft has not released statistics on the increase of consumer downloads of the plug-in during these major events, which would be a leading indicator of future success.

The most recent live broadcast case studies show real success beyond the marketing headlines. 温布尔登直播超过6分,500 minutes of live streaming and on-demand access, 超过650人,启动了000个流，最多20个,000个并发会话. 为了迈克尔·杰克逊的纪念, 最多50个,000个并发会话, with an average 42 minutes per session time, 被认为.

在体育直播中, the quality and interactivity enabled by Silverlight has a clear value proposition. Silverlight 3是nbc体育频道.com’s choice for all HD premium sports broadcasts, 比如奥运会和温布尔登, although notably it’s not the default NBCSports.com插件. According to Eric Black, Project Manager for NBCSports.com, HD video and interactivity—both for ads and features like PVR capability, graphical overlays (such as live statistics), 慢动作回放, 而画中画推动了盈利, 而Silverlight提供了这些特性.

Microsoft also showed an intriguing demo of MGM’s new 星际之门宇宙 which takes advantage of the Deep Zoom and Photosynth capabilities of Silverlight to create an interactive fan site that enhances the value of the traditional video property. 托马斯·休格说, 全球数字媒体副总裁, MGM wanted to connect with the portion of the 星际之门 粉丝群一直在线. This is a smart strategy to simultaneous enhance the experience for traditional viewers, while maintaining interest among viewers who are drifting away from traditional broadcast.

Additional demonstrations highlighted Continental Airlines new browser-based call center reservation system and Accenture’s use of the out-of-browser capability for internal communications. Both demonstrations point to the range of applications Silverlight can enable, which is both an opportunity for innovation, yet a challenge as Microsoft Searches for a strategy to effectively get Silverlight into more hands.

One challenge Microsoft appears to have already overcome in the plug-in wars is credibility. 根据兰迪·莱文的说法. Vice President of Business Development for iStreamPlanet, a managed webhosting company which supported both the Wimbledon and Michael Jackson memorial broadcasts using Silverlight, Microsoft’s commitment and ability to deliver new, 不断创新, versions of the product shows the commitment developers need to see. 超越持久力, iStreamPlanet感觉微软, 尤其是流畅的流, understands the importance of behind the scenes issues, and a true understanding of the range of video delivery challenges.

Microsoft got quite a lot right with Silverlight 3, with impressive understanding of the power of quality live broadcasts, the value of enabling out of browser and offline experiences, and in the support of 3D and hardware acceleration, 这是给开发者的一个真正的帽子提示. The real question remains the longer-term penetration of the product, and the ability of a "push" strategy to get the plug-in to the consumer PCs, 以及其他计算设备. 逐个细分市场销售技术, 事件接事件, 或者逐个应用, 是一个挑战, 非常耗时的任务. While Microsoft has many of the backend pieces needed for enhanced video services, 包括服务器技术, Search, 以及基于云的服务, pulling this all together into a comprehensive package with developer tools such as Silverlight will be a challenge, as will getting the plug-in more broadly deployed.