We all knew it was coming today and it has! Microsoft released Windows Media Player 11 for Windows XP to the public. It has almost been exactly two-months since Microsoft released WMP 11 Beta 2 and now everyone can bask in the joy of the final release.
For those of you who haven’t tried Windows Media Player 11 then I think you will be surprisingly impressed. Microsoft put a lot of effort into competing with Apple’s iTunes software and it definitely shows.
One area, however, that is apparently being left out is podcast support. I understand that Microsoft would want to stay away from things that Apple has started, but podcasts are practically a standard. If their iPod competitor, called the Zune, isn’t going to support podcasts either then they just lost a lot of potential buyers. Of course they may have something up their sleeves…you know how Microsoft likes to be sneaky and underhanded.
Direct Download Links (WGA validation still required for installation):
Download Windows Media Player 11 (32-bit)
Download Windows Media Player 11 (64-bit)
Thanks to all of the people who sent this one in!

I’ve been using the beta for quite some time now and I really like the redesign. However, the first step to include “Podcast” would be to rename them to Netcast as proposed by some.
However I think you still need a legit copy of Windows, first thing in the installer is the validation process.
I hope the bugs have been ironed out since Beta 1.
P.S. Am I allowed to a calculator to add the numbers for spam protection?
Nope, no calculator. If the script detects a calculator being opened on your computer it will automatically reject your comment. That’s one of the
spywarefeatures this site has to offer.Hmm no calculators, time to dust off my abacus. Oh wait, I am alreadt a registered memeber so I don’t have to take the ‘test’.
If you can’t add those numbers you don’t deserve to use this site anyway.
I’d like to try WMP11 but despite your claims to the alternative those links need WGA validation, even though I have already cracked WGA on my PC. Maybe its time to reformat with the educational license my Uni gave me…
I didn’t realize that Microsoft would put in the WGA validation during installation like they did for IE7. I guess I should have expected it though.
Did I mention I really don’t like this WGA crap.