Windows Phone 7 Media Center Remote app in the Marketplace soon

In Febuary I wrote about a new Windows Media Center remote control application for Windows Phone 7 that was in development. At the time it was in beta but today I got an update from one of the beta testers that the app had been submitted and approved so it should be in the marketplace very soon. The testers have been impressed with the app so this could be a good choice for Windows Phone 7 Media Center users.

UPDATE: The app is live http://social.zune.net/redirect?type=phoneApp&id=0ef9e178-624c-e011-854c-00237de2db9e

There are some nice features in the remote

• Navigation
  • My Music
  • My Pictures
  • My Movies (supports built in Movie Library and MyMovies plug in)
  • Now Playing
  • Netflix (if installed and not on an extender of course, the phone app detects this and enables as available.)
• Control
  • Up, Down, Left, Right, Back, GreenButton commands
  • Gesture pad to swipe around using fingers. 
    • Hold for GreenButton command.
    • Tap for OK
    • Swipe for direction command (I am working out the thresholds for swipe velocity still to scroll multiple positions with 1 swipe)
• Misc
  • Display text from phone to Media Center.
  • Speak text from phone to Media Center.
  • Open / Close DVD drive.  (close obviosuly if not a laptop)
  • Search for Albums, Artists, Songs.
  • View album Art on phone for albums.
  • View preview of images on phone for item in Picture Library.
• Playback
  • Play, Stop, Pause, Previous, Next buttons
  • Play Song (double tap song)
  • Play Artist (double tap artist)
  • Play Album (double tap album)
  • Play Picture (double tap picture)
  • Play Picture Folder (double tap Picture Folder)
  • Queue Song (Hold on song)
  • Queue Artist (Hold on Artist)
  • Queue Album (Hold on Album)