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Boxee TV streaming / OTA set-top box and DVR pics leak out
If you've been wondering "what will Boxee do next?" there appears to be an answer. A tipster has sent The Verge pics of a new set-top box, still built by D-Link, that ditches the original's angular design for a more conventional shape and integrates live TV tuning support as well as DVR capabilities. There's no word on the storage capabilities, but the box advertises an included antenna and remote (lightly refreshed, losing the QWERTY keyboard) and implores owners to "stop wasting money on stuff you don't watch." Boxee's healthy support for internet content, both streamed and locally stored, is still intact and a survey suggests support for viewing content on mobile devices. Not mentioned? Cloudee integration or any cable TV support, encrypted, ClearQAM or otherwise. There's a few more pics beyond the source link, we'll start updating our CES watchlist now.
Public Cloudee beta blows in with desktop uploader, new web interface, iPhone 5 optimization
Boxee already has its fingers in quite a few video streaming pies, and now the company has launched the Cloudee service into public beta to let your store and share your own movies. The iPhone or iPod app allows clips to be uploaded and shared with a select group of pals, while permitting commenting and liking in a similar fashion to Google+. The company has also introduced desktop uploading software for Windows or Mac computers, along with a website so your can manage videos "with more than just your thumbs." In addition, the app is now optimized for iOS 6 and the iPhone 5, and lets you share footage with contacts and publish using Facebook or Twitter. All videos are now private by default and users will enjoy unlimited space to stock videos until Cloudee emerges from beta -- at which point, Boxee may require an upgrade to its premium service to add additional content. So, if you're interested in crossing the video sharing bridge while avoiding the trolls, check the source to see how to sign up.
Boxee's Early Access program is looking for a few good testers, dangles Cloudee preview
While Boxee's oddly shaped set-top box is still its main claim to fame, it's been testing a cloud-based video hosting / sharing service for several months in closed beta. We got a peek at Cloudee, which could evolve into additional features for the Boxee Box some day, back then but you could get your own peek as Boxee is recruiting new (US-based only, for now) blood for its Early Access program. According to the Facebook posting you could get to test some new things for the Boxee and Cloudee projects, so if you're a fan in need of storage and like living on the cutting edge, hit the source link for a shot at joining in.
Cloudee beta gets Boxee into the video sharing and cloud storage game
Media center software, a streaming set top box and a TV-tuning USB dongle -- Boxee already has a pretty decent amount on its plate. But don't think the company is done just yet. This isn't about products, this about an ecosystem, and the next step in building that out is Cloudee. At its heart Cloudee is a cloud-based video hosting and sharing service, not terribly dissimilar from YouTube at first glance. But, the vision here is more focused and more narrow than simply having a public space to post your viral clips and home movies. There is the ability to comment on and like videos, but sharing is focused on limited groups of contacts, borrowing some inspiration from Google+. After recording a clip it can be uploaded directly to Cloudee where you can organize your creations into collections, which can not only by shared but have multiple contributors. Boxee's Avner Ronen gave us an example of a recent company outing, where the whole staff contributed videos to a collection shared only internally. He explained that, "video is very specific, a special use case and it deserves its own treatment," something he thinks other services have fallen flat on. When asked about the future of the service he only said only that it will be a "big part of the boxee experience going forward, tightly integrated with Boxee Box." We can't help but hope this is the first step towards a cloud-based DVR service, which we felt was sorely missing from the launch of the Live TV dongle. %Gallery-156759% For now the service is in closed beta, with only an iPhone app available. During the testing period users will be provided with unlimited storage for free, but Ronen hopes to move Cloudee out of beta quickly and begin offering it on a freemium model. All users will get a limited amount of storage for free while more demanding uploaders can purchase unlimited hosting. Just how much free storage will be provided or how much the premium level will cost is still up in the air. Boxee plans to closely watch how testers use the app and decide how the best price and storage points before officially launching and expanding and opening up to other platforms like Android. Once our beta invite arrives we'll be back with a hands-on and you can sign up yourself by heading over to Cloudee.com.
GTVHacker teases Boxee for rooted Sony Google TVs
Since the Boxee Box and original Google TV v1 hardware share Intel Atom processors at their heart users have wondered about the opportunity for a port, and as seen above, that may have been achieved. GTVHacker tweeted out the picture tonight, promising "big things" in store for owners of rooted Sony Google TV devices while showing Boxee running on a Sony NSZ-GT1 Blu-ray player. There's no other details mentioned so far, but if you managed to open up the capabilities of your hardware before an update put the kibosh on rooting, you should have some extra capabilities coming your way shortly.
Boxee desktop app being removed from servers tonight, get it while you can
We knew that the Boxee desktop app's days were numbered, we just didn't realize how numbered. It was only the day after Christmas that we learned version 1.5 would be the last to ship for Linux, Windows and OS X. Now, with January coming to a close, its life is officially being snuffed out. Tonight, as you flip the calendar to February, Boxee will be busy purging its servers of the installable media center software. What that means, in case you hadn't figured it out, is that this is your last chance to download the official app for your desktop OS of choice as the company shifts focus to the Boxee Box and other streaming appliances. Of course, we're sure someone will pick up the torch and update the program, but as far as Boxee is concerned it has no desktop son.
Boxee Box Live TV starts shipping, Boxee 1.5 software update now rolling out
Both have been promised as coming soon in recent weeks, and now Boxee has confirmed that two fairly big new rollouts are underway. The first is the Boxee Box Live TV dongle, which is now shipping and will let you augment your Boxee Box with some OTA TV channels for $50. You can get a closer look at it in our hands-on from CES earlier this month. Alongside it, Boxee is also rolling out its Boxee 1.5 software update, which boasts a new UI and a number of other refinements including better search, new library screens and filtering options, browser pop-up management, and the addition of Rotten Tomatoes listings. Boxee says it's staggering the release over the next 72 hours, but those eager to check it out can find instructions for a manual update at the support link below.
Boxee Box Live TV dongle hands-on (video)
Boxee is here at Showstoppers, where they've put the Boxee Box Live TV dongle on full display. Initially announced back in November, this tool pipes coaxial signals through to a user's Boxee Box, allowing users to connect their antennas to a Box and stream select channels at no monthly fee. The system also features Facebook integration, allowing you to see what shows your friends are watching, with their profiles displayed under each show within the sidebar menu. It won't return search results for live TV programming, but Boxee is looking to incorporate this feature into future versions. The Boxee Box Live TV dongle is priced at $50, and should begin shipping by the third week of January. For more details, check out our full gallery below, followed by our hands-on video after the break.
Boxee Mac media player reaches end-of-life with new version
The Boxee project has come a long way from its humble origins as a fork of the Xbox Media Center, bringing easy video playback and a couch-to-screen UI to the Mac, then later to Windows and Ubuntu, and now to the company's own dedicated Boxee Box hardware (soon to support live broadcast TV). There's a solid ecosystem of app developers making themselves at home with Boxee. The company is releasing version 1.5 of its desktop app for Mac, Windows and Ubuntu this week, featuring many of the improvements that will be appearing in the Boxee Box firmware early next year, but there's a caveat. This will be the final release of Boxee's desktop build; future development efforts will be focused on the Boxee Box hardware and on tablets like the iPad. The 1.5 version will be available for download on Boxee's site through the end of January 2012, which gives the Boxee team a bit of time to take down the "roll your own" section on the Boxee site. For Mac HTPC devotees who will now be looking for a Boxee alternative, the Plex project is also partially built atop XBMC, along with a proprietary server component; there's even a Plex iOS app available so you can watch on iPad. Of course, the parent XBMC app is still going strong, and a beta build of version 11.0 Eden came out just last week. Both Plex and XBMC are also now supporting jailbroken Apple TVs for playback. Plex requires an Intel Mac running 10.6 or higher, while XBMC continues to support PowerPC Macs along with Intel models. [via GigaOm]
Boxee 1.5 nears release, will be final desktop version
We have some good news and bad news. The good news is: Boxee 1.5 will be entering public beta soon, with a proper release scheduled for January alongside Live TV. The update will finally bring the desktop software up-to-date and deliver the more streamlined UI found on the Boxee Box to your Windows, Mac or Linux computer. The bad news is: this will be the final version of the HTPCsoftware. Going forward Boxee plans to focus all of its efforts on streaming appliances, like its namesake Box and connected Blu-ray players and TVs. The software will also lack access to premium apps like Netflix, thanks to the tangled web of DRM woven by content providers. When CEO Avner Ronen said that the downloadable app would, "most likely lag behind the versions of Boxee for devices," we didn't realize just how far behind he meant. On the plus side, you will be getting that open source release.
SlingPlayer for Connected Devices is here, arrives first on Boxee Box (video)
Sling first expanded its SlingPlayer app to Facebook and Chrome a few days ago, and now the company is extending those streams to the TV (without a dedicated SlingCatcher or mobile device TV-out) with apps for connected devices. Today the company announced the Boxee Box app would be first out of the gate, arriving ahead of the promised Google TV version we're also expecting. Interestingly, there does not appear to be a charge for the app (which runs $30 on mobiles and tablets), so if you have a Slingbox Solo or Pro-HD and one of the green and black media streamers all you have to do is download and press play. We'll give it a shot and let you know how it works, until then just press play on the demo video embedded above for a quick look.
Boxee Box Live TV dongle shipping for $49 in January 2012, pre-orders open today
No point in hiding in plain view, eh? Boxee has just affirmed that the leaked Live TV dongle is legit, and it'll be splashing down on North American shores in January. The Boxee Box Live TV dongle will allow North American users to connect an antenna to their Box to watch channels like ABC, CBS, Fox and NBC in HD with no monthly fee -- assuming you're close enough to an OTA tower to receive said signals, of course. Once equipped, a Box will be able to fetch content from the major networks, Vudu, Netflix and Hulu, though you may want to spring for that bolstered internet connection. Boxee Live TV works with signals from HDTV antennas (using ATSC) or an unencrypted cable connection (using ClearQAM), and a portable antenna is included. Users who live out in the 'burbs may want to consider something a bit beefier, and if you're hoping to use this thing with something other than the Boxee Box... well, keep dreaming. In fact, Boxee has confirmed that even the forthcoming update of its Boxee software for Mac and PC won't support the device, so you'll be forced to pony up for D-Link's hardware if you're looking to party. There's also no DVR function in sight (sort of defeating the purpose, given just how many TVs have tuners already), but hey -- who knows what'll roll out at CES. Pre-orders are available down in the source link, with $49 claiming your spot in line. %Gallery-139570%
Boxee Box may integrate live TV via USB dongle, push the definition of 'awesome' to a new level
Google tried it. Countless others did, too. It's largely believed that the single reason Apple hasn't offered up a true television is the impossible nature of dealing with pay-TV providers, and in reality, trying to merge online programming and traditional cable / satellite is a chore that no one seems to be capable of completing. Based on a leaked software build (v1.5) obtained by GigaOM, Boxee is apparently toying with the idea of integrating live TV (as in, "broadcast TV stations") within the Boxee Box's interface; all you'll eventually need is a USB dongle. We're told that an EyeTV One USB TV tuner wasn't recognized -- even in the new software -- and while it was obviously nonfunctional as it stands, the verbiage is quite clear about what's in the pipeline. Unencrypted broadcast signals built neatly within Boxee's heralded, socially-adept interface? Bring it on.
Boxee updates iPad app to version 1.2, adds global Spotify support
It's only been a couple of months since Boxee unleashed its much anticipated iPad app, but the company has already come out with that much needed update to version 1.2. With the upgrade, users will be able to navigate across content sent to their Boxee Boxes using a remote control interface that's now located at the bottom right corner of the app. iPad owners can also pause video sent to their Box and pick up later where they left off, using the Boxee Media Manager. And, as expected, AirPlay sessions can now run in the background, giving you one less thing to worry about while lazing on the couch. On a related note, Spotify users can now use Boxee to access their accounts from anywhere in the world (previously, access was only granted in countries where Spotify is available). To get your app up to speed, check out the coverage link, below.
Boxee Box adds music streaming from Spotify, just press play
Today the Boxee Box becomes the next media streamer in the US (after the WDTV Live and Live Hub) to add support for Spotify's streaming music library. Assuming you have a premium subscription at the ready (free and unlimited passes won't cut it, consider this the same as access on a smartphone) all you need do is log in and your personally curated selections from the company's catalog of sounds is available in your home theater. We gave it a quick try on our own system and found it synced our favorites with no problem, however if you don't have playlists set up there's no way to search or pull in songs from different sources. Still, considering how difficult it is to throw a party with more than one participant around your laptop, this should be the perfect way to take your dubstep playlist to the big speakers. And maybe invite some other people.
Intel may be giving up on smart TVs, ceding market to ARM
Well, it looks like Intel is throwing in the smart TV towel. As originally reported by AnandTech, and now confirmed by the company itself, Chipzilla is closing down its Digital Home Group and folding the team and resources into its tablet division. Its CE processors, which are found in the Boxee Box and the Logitech Revue, will continue to be sold, but it sounds like the focus will shift away from consumer-facing products. Obviously, that leaves the door wide open for ARM to sweep in. We already know that Google TV will be making the move to ARM-based hardware soon and the Boxee Box started life on Tegra before making the move to an Atom CE4100 (not to mention the A4-sporting Apple TV), so this isn't entirely new ground for the big players. Still, we're a little shocked to see Intel abandon the market just as it seems to be picking up steam.
DVBLogic's Boxee app brings live TV streaming to the Box
If online video streams and locally stored media aren't providing enough functionality for your Boxee Box, now you can watch regular TV on it too. The Digital Lifestyle mentions DVBLogic has released a new version of its DVBLink client for the device that lets you browse the program guide and watch live TV, provided you also have a home server set up with its software and a tuner. If you're not familiar with the software, it lets you turn most any UPnP-compatible device into an extender capable of caching live streams, with clients available for iPad / iPhone already, plus Android and WP7 on the way. You'll need the latest release candidate version of DVBLink Connect! server software to make it all go, then point your Boxee Box browser to the company's repository to download the client software and let us know how it all works out.
Iomega's TV with Boxee (Box) hitting Europe by 'by mid-October,' or so it says
Forgive our skepticism, but when your product has missed its original ship date by over half a year, we aren't believing anything until we see it. Or, should we say, our colleagues in Europe see it. Iomega's Olivier D'Eternod -- Head of Product Marketing for EMEA -- was recently on-hand at IBC in Amsterdam, and he was quoted over at Intel's blog as saying that the 'TV with Boxee' would be "available in Europe by mid-October." For those who can't remember last week (let alone January), here's a bit of a refresher -- the company actually demoed its own version of the Boxee Box at CES, and promised then that it'd be out in February. Since? Radio silence. If all goes as planned, though, consumers in Germany, UK, Sweden, Spain and France should see it in around four weeks, with Holland, Belgium, Ireland, Switzerland and Portugal in line behind 'em. He also hinted at a future where "access to premium content" was available, but smartly suggested that the company "bring this one to market first" before looking too far forward. Smart man.
MOG brings its music streaming magic to Boxee
Do you own a Boxee Box and have an account with a little streaming music service called MOG? Well, soon enough you'll be able to pick and choose from the company's 11.5 million song strong library right on your TV. That's 320kbps audio and album art in 1080p that you can peruse using your double-sided Boxee remote and a welcome expansion of the media box's music repertoire -- which currently includes Last.FM and Pandora. You can try MOG for 14-days for free, but after that you'll have to sign up for either a $4.99-a-month basic account or a $9.99-per-month Primo account if you want to keep enjoying its streaming audio selection. Check out the PR after the break. Update: We just got word that MOG should be live on Boxee around 6 a.m. on Tuesday, so get ready to crank those speakers and wake up the neighbors.
Boxee launches iPad app, new Box update, media server and bookmarklet today
The long awaited Boxee for iPad app is finally ready to launch, and coming with it is a fresh update for the Boxee Box, plus new Media Manager software for your PC or Mac to make streaming locally stored files to the tablet or PC even easier. We got an early look at the iPad app (which lacks access to the Box's apps) and while the interface had been lightly reworked since our last hands-on experience at CES it was very crash prone, with a tendency to close suddenly while streaming videos from YouTube or a connected PC. Boxee Box owners may not have to worry about that however, since the new v1.2 update adds AirPlay compatibility as an "experiment" for any online content (check after the break for the full list of changes). The Media Manager software on the PC makes it easier to organize content for playback on the tablet or Box, while a new Watch Later Bookmarklet also makes one-click sharing of online video from browser to device possible. All in all the idea is to make Boxee the "one place to discover, watch and share video" no matter where you are and we can see it getting there -- once everything stays up and running consistently. %Gallery-130236%
