SEATTLE -- Hoping to extend its reach into the world's living rooms, Microsoft announced Tuesday that it will soon launch a version of Windows XP that will allow users to activate their computers with a remote-controlled console.

Dubbed Windows XP media center, the new version of the world's dominant operating system will come pre-installed on specially designed computers from HP, NEC and Samsung.

Set to debut in November, the computers will be optimized for digital media playback in recognition of the millions of users, especially students and teenagers, who now use their computers primarily as entertainment devices to listen to music, view photos and even watch movies and television.

The release is part of a larger strategy by Microsoft to turn PCs into digital entertainment hubs and control centers for computerized devices throughout the house.

Microsoft's development of the X-box gaming console is a key part of the strategy, and last week the company announced that it was developing a home network system to link various computers and Internet-enabled devices.

Other Microsoft products in the pipeline include a tablet PC that allows users to input data with a pen on a touch screen, and a remote controlled unit called the Mira, which is a mini-computer that links wirelessly to control other electronic devices, DPA reported.