Advanced Micro Devices, the world’s second largest maker of x86 processors, has announced “expansions” of its multimedia-oriented Live! platform, which should allow the company to more successfully compete against Intel Viiv platform. The new additions include voice-over-Internet protocol (VoIP) software, game service and parental control software.

In particular, the new AMD Live! entertainment suite include:

• AMD Live! Communicator, which was designed by SightSpeed and offers video and voice communications over the Internet;
• AMD Live! Games service by WildTangent that allows to play online and downloadable games.
• AMD Live! Kid Rocket Web Browser that helps parents to control their children’s Internet access and gaming experience.

AMD Live! is AMD’s platform designed for entertainment and media center personal computers, which, in addition to certain hardware, offers various services meant to improve end-user multimedia experience. AMD does not publicly provide any concrete requirements for computers carrying AMD Live! logotype, but said that the systems should be capable of streaming music “through entertainment center”, viewing and sharing photos on the TV, burning recorded TV shows, videos, music and pictures to a DVD or CD, or transfer this same content to a notebook, portable media player (PMP) or personal digital assistant (PDA).

Confidential documents by AMD oblige AMD Live! and AMD Live! Entertainment personal computers to feature dual-core energy efficient AMD Athlon 64 X2 processors in AM2 form-factor, high definition 5.1 audio, Gigabit Ethernet, processor cooling-system fan control capability and some other requirements. The systems should run Windows XP Media Center Edition operating system.

The first breed of AMD Live! entertainment suite included such capabilities as:

• AMD Live! On Demand powered by Orb Networks: a service that streams live or pre-recorded television programs, photos, music and movies to many common Web-connected devices;
• AMD Live! Compress: a tool that optimizes recorded television content in order to save space and time, enabling customers to save up to 10 times as many TV shows on their PC;
• AMD Live! Network Magic: an easy to use service that allows users to set up, manage and secure their home network;
• AMD Live! LogMeIn: a service providing users the ability to remotely control their AMD Live! PC to obtain access to content, files and programs from anywhere;
• AMD Live Media Vault: a service that can automatically back-up users’ digital content collection to a secure online server. Once registered and activated, AMD Live! PC users will receive 25GB of free storage to store their personal photos, home movies and music collections.