Windows SideShow, one of a handful of neat technologies that were supposed to debut with Windows Vista, had a release schedule that would have made Duke Nukem Forever proud. The technology was conceived of as a way to add a second, external screen to your laptop, but quickly hardware manufacturers began dreaming up independent gizmos that could talk to and access data on your main PC from anywhere in your house. At 2007's Consumer Electronics Show, prototypes of the things were everywhere, and they were one of several hardware innovations that I thought really made Vista stand out.

Alas, aside from a single laptop, a desktop, and a picture frame, nothing materialized from all the discussion. Until yesterday, that is, when Philips finally released the long awaited software update to its first-ever SideShow enabled remote control. Too little, too late for promising technology? Read on for a hands-on evaluation and screenshots of SideShow finally in action.

The Philips Prestigo SRM7500 was released on November 12, making it the first official SideShow remote ever--and only the fourth device ever released. The device has a small, black-and-white screen, uses a proprietary RF signal to speak to the PC, and used proprietary Philips software to simulate SideShow's functionality. Yesterday, Philips added SideShow support to the SRM7500, letting it communicate using the SideShow Basic Profile. (It can't support the full Enhanced Profile without a color screen.)

Updating the included MediaControl software was simple using the tray applet, and since it searches for updates automatically, current owners of the device will receive the new functionality automatically. The MediaControl software adds a device driver to your system, which in turn allows the SRM7500 to create a separate listing for itself in the Device Manager and to appear in the Windows SideShow control panel--if you've got Windows Vista, you already have the Control Panel and most of the functionality.

The Control Panel allows you to pick which Gadgets will appear on the device, and control the content that they show. Vista comes with just two--for Windows Media Player and Windows Mail--but a link to the Windows Live Gallery reveals a few others. For example, the Feed Viewer Gadget downloads news headlines that you can read on the remote's tiny screen, and the Stocks gadget lets you track your portfolio.

To use any of these Gadgets on the SRM7500, I just clicked the checkbox next to it in the Windows SideShow control panel. Then I turned to the remote itself; the uppermost buttons control Music, Power, and Mode. A push of the Music button let me browse through my PC's audio library or access the SideShow item, and in turn any Gadgets I had enabled. Though finding this cache wasn't self-explanatory, everything worked flawlessly from then on out. And the RF signal connecting the remote to the TV allowed me to wander fairly far from the PC and still receive content from it and control the computer itself.

The problem: Because the remote's screen is black and white, unlike that on the forthcoming RicaVision Vave100, you won't be able to see photos, or experience the SideShow Enhanced Profile--and even rudimentary implementations such as the Go Gadgets prerelease software I looked at last December are a much more satisfying experience. Still, the Philips remote is a great start, and the technology shows promise.

Two years ago, it seemed every gadget would come with a SideShow panel. Today, the reality is so far distant that the very concept of ubiquitous extra screens seems laughable. While the effort Philips has put into development is laudable, I think this technology will never become as ubiquitous as the funky prototypes had once implied.