The house that Bill Gates built has begun sending out Vista SP2 beta invites. It doesn’t appear to add any major new features though it does improve upon some old ones. The internal search engine has been vastly improved. It also adds some bluetooth patches, support for Via’s 64 bit processor and a handful of other app compatibility updates. The invites will continue to be sent out for the next four weeks. No word on the release date of the final.

As usual, I didn’t get an invite. You don’t call. You don’t write. I’m beginning to think we aren’t friends anymore Microsoft.

Samsung has unleashed its $379 19-inch USB connected 940UX. Now we can connect multiple screens via USB and no need for a graphics card or any special video hardware.

There is an onboard video card and embedded driver software in each display and you can connect up to six screens to one PC.

The new LCD plays nicely with Windows and Macs, but currently works only with Windows XP in its characteristic USB mode.

Mio’s DigiWalker line of GPS units has two newcomers: the C523 and C525 models, which will release in Japan later this month. Both have Windows CE.NET 5.0, a 4.3-inch 480 x 272 display, 2GB of internal memory, an SD card slot for expansion, handle MP4, QuickTime, AVI, 3GP, ASF and WMV. Ditto for the C525, but add a built-in extendable antenna.

All available by September 26th for around $500.

Microsoft has resurrected the Center Extender with Extenders for Windows Media Center. (Did you really expect a catchy name?) This will run in Vista with live HDTV streaming, supports 802.11n, and XviD and DivX.

Niveus, Linksys, and D-Link have come out with new devices based on this software platform and rumor has it that they will have HDMI, component and composite outputs, an Ethernet port, and stereo / optical audio outs.

No Extender for the Xbox 360, so no playing XviD and DivX movies on that yet.

Windows Media Center will include Internet TV on or around September 27th, which will enable Media Center users to watch a variety of on-demand, ad-supported content free of charge. Reportredly, content will include Sports, Entertainment, News, Top Picks, Music, and Movies.