Boxee beta version and Boxee Box unveiled

adina — Sun, 13 Dec 2009 15:38:09 +0000

Boxee has revealed its beta version of software, as well as the Boxee Box, its first dedicated hardware for its custom TV interface. Both of them have an updated version of the front-end with an improved visual layout focusing on the menu, active media queue and social networking fee for friends, Twitter and Facebook. While still available for 32-bit Linux PCs and for Macs, the beta version is optimized for Windows, thanks to using DirectX on the platform and Flash 10.1 that provides hardware acceleration of Flash video by means of NVIDIA graphics. Three new Boxee applications, including Escapist together with its shows, Suicide Girls, TV Guide to the Web and Zero Punctuation, have been added for all platforms.

The Boxee Box has a “sunken cube” unique design and loads directly to the interface. It connects to the Internet through ethernet or 802.11n Wi-Fi and can expand through either two USB ports placed on the back or an SD card slot positioned on the front. Its only video output is HDMI, but either RCA analogue or SPDIF optical can be chosen for audio output. All features, such as Apple’s movie trailers, TV websites like CBS or ABC and similar services remain intact.

The release date for the beta version of the software has not been revealed, but the Boxee Box would probably be unveiled by D-Link at CES and is expected to ship sometime in spring next year, at an estimated price of about $200.

Boxee will produce its own hardware

adina — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 19:46:36 +0000

Boxee has confirmed, a few days ago, that it would produce its own device. The firm has partnered with a home electronics company in order to make a set-top box. A mock-up and further details will be available on December 7th at an event meant to mark the entering in beta version of Boxee’s software. Boxee claims that the device will allow users to choose from a wide scale of sources and not a single channel.

The company has the intention of making the interface to be platform-independent and still expects to see it on TVs, Blu-ray players and computers as well. Boxee has already launched the alpha version of its client for Mac OS X and Linux computers. The software was refined during the whole year and Boxee tried to avoid Hulu’s attempt to block it. Hulu tried to exclude Boxee’s access from its services because this one provided a TV-friendly interface with a greater bonus to drop TV subscriptions that companies like NBC are still needing to get revenue.

An important step will be the launching of this first dedicated device in the first half of 2010, with a price in the $99 to $199 range.

High Tech Lounge » Boxee

Boxee beta version and Boxee Box unveiled

Boxee will produce its own hardware