boxee adds Netflix support, other tweaks in new alpha

The guys and gals at boxee have been relentlessly working to update the media management software, and just over a month after Hulu support was added, we're now thrilled to announce that Netflix support is joining in. Additionally, users will find custom interfaces for CNN, Hulu, Flickr, Picasa, and YouTube, not to mention portals for TheWB, MTVMusic and The Boston Globe's Big Picture blog. One important caveat is that Netflix isn't yet compatible on Apple TV, but the team is working hard to overcome the hardware limitations and make it happen as soon as possible. Peep the full release after the jump.
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boxee releases new alpha version, adds Netflix

While most people were chowing down on turkey and stuffing last week, the boxee team was hard at work creating the next release of their Alpha. After surveying users last month, it was clear Netflix was their #1 demand so we got right to work. We're excited to say boxee users can now play, browse, and queue movies through our custom Netflix application.

We also wanted to highlight what developers can create for boxee so we've built several custom interfaces for CNN, Hulu, Flickr, Picasa, and YouTube. The full list of what's being released on Thursday morning includes the following major additions and improvements:

New Content
- Netflix* - browse, queue, and play streaming movies.
- TheWB - shows like Angel, Buffy, Firefly, The O.C., Smallville, and In Living Color
- The Boston Globe's Big Picture blog - amazing photos from around the world
- MTVMusic - songs/artists in your collection are now linked with music videos

Updated Content
- Hulu - enhanced UI with access to personal queues from Hulu.com
- YouTube - newly developed interface with improved browsing/playback as well as h264 support
- CNN, Flickr, Picasa - custom interfaces with improved browsing and playback

*NB - Netflix on AppleTV is not currently available. This is our #1 priority right now as we're working to overcome the hardware limitations of the AppleTV. We will post progress reports on the boxee blog.