SideShow is one of the nifty new features in Vista Media Center. It will let you control picture slideshows, widgets, and music playback on a secondary display without turning on your TV or monitor. While that secondary display could be an LCD built into your HTPC case, it could just as easily be an LCD on your remote control.
It looks like Philips, Interlink, and Ricavision are all planning remote controls that will take advantage of SideShow. It looks like the Philips remote will come with a USB RF dongle for communicating with your computer, while the Ricavision remote will use BlueTooth. It's not clear how the Interlink will work, but it's probably safe to say it won't be an IR-only remote, as it would be hard to transmit much data quickly via IR. That said, most of these remotes will include IR capabilities for controlling your TV set and other home theater devices.The Ricavision remote, (and possibly the others) will be able to work with any Gadget set to run on Vista's SideShow Control Panel. That means you'll be able to check eMail and RSS feeds as well as play music or schedule recordings using the remote's 2.5-inch 320 x 240 pixel screen.
