Orb Networks Orb Reviews

Summary of review published by Pocket PC — September, 2005 (page 36)


Orb is a Smartphone program that allows you to download media from your PC to almost any device with internet connection. This includes your Smartphone, a Pocket PC, and other types of mobile devices that are connected to the internet via Wi-fi, Infrared, or Bluetooth. You can stream media such as photos, audio, or video, but they are only playable via Windows Media Player or RealPlayer. Although Orb can play videos supported by Windows Media Player 10, it cannot play DVDs saved into your hard drive. Orb’s download rates depend on the bandwidth of your PC and your mobile device. Streaming can get a little choppy on slower devices. Although Orb should have no problem working with Windows XP, some users report compatibility issues with XP if they have TV tuner cards installed. However, if you have a Media Center PC (or similar) TV tuner cards, you probably won’t have these problems. It’s also relatively easy to choose videos to stream, since the MyOrb portal displays thumbnails of the available videos on your PC. Orb also has a decent search feature, and you can even access internet radio channels.
Pros:
-Can stream photos, video, and audio from your PC
-Displays video thumbnails and audio album art (if applicable)
-Can play most media formats
Cons:
-Compatibility issues with Windows XP PCs that have TV tuners installed
-Can’t play DVDs saved into hard drive
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