Sunnyvale (CA) - Today, AMD released information about its upcoming AMD LIVE! Ultra notebook and desktop brands in the hopes consumers will be able to more easily identify the differences between regular PCs and ultra models.  AMD LIVE! Ultra is "designed to deliver the ultimate visual entertainment experience".  AMD also announced a software program called AMD LIVE! Explorer, which allows a 3D navigation of a user's multi-media library.

Live! can display videos in a panorama. 

AMD LIVE! is the brand name given to a group of related technologies which integrate several components of the multi-media experience.  It's similar to Intel's VIIV, and contains the graphics and audio portion, with the largest focus on delivering a comprehensive graphics ability.  Driven by AMD's quad-core processors, upcoming Turion Ultras, and ATI Radeon HD graphics, AMD believes LIVE! Ultra will separate itself from the pack by delivering a "rich, immersive" visual experience.

According to AMD's Bob Brewer, corporate VP of marketing and strategy, "Many of today’s consumers cite entertainment as the number one use for their PCs, which represents a significant new direction throughout the computing industry... AMD LIVE! Ultra PCs intensify and enhance the popular AMD LIVE! solution, renewing our commitment to enable the most advanced, visually rich and realistic digital entertainment, delivering the Ultimate Visual Experience™ to consumers whenever and wherever they choose."

You can also browse your music files.  You can simultaneous play video while browsing - Notice the video playing from the HD TV feed in the upper-right corner. 

AMD LIVE! Ultra desktop PCs will begin being manufactured in the first half of 2008, with notebooks in the second half.  AMD LIVE! Explorer is available for download now.

Read more ... AMD's press release.

Update - Wednesday Jan 9, 2008

AMD representatives demonstrated LIVE! Ultra to us at the Consumer Electronics Show and we’re fairly impressed.  The utility allows quick and visual browsing of photos, videos and music in a panoramic carousel that can be scrolled.  Music and video can also be streamed through the Interent which turns LIVE! Explorer into something resembling the Slingbox.

AMD promised that LIVE! Explorer will remain an open platform that will work with Nvidia cards (provided some other AMD components are still on the motherboard).