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iXtreamer bridges the extreme gap between your iPad and TV
Looking for more than just a regular standalone iPad dock? Then you might want to consider Xtreamer's new iXtreamer system, which is an iPad dock that also doubles as a media streamer. Of course, it will also work with iPhones and iPods, and the "dock" is quite capable all by itself as well -- it'll accommodate a 3.5-inch hard drive and up to two USB hard drives, and it'll support just about any audio or video content you can throw at it, including content stored on your computer or networked hard drive. Interestingly, Xtreamer also notes that it would like to let you use iOS apps on your TV as well, but it says that's up to Apple to allow -- in other words, don't bet on it. Head on past the break for a video overview, and look for the device to set you back €175, or roughly $235.
HTC Media Link DLNA media streamer dances through the FCC with 802.11n WiFi
This certainly isn't the first media streamer we've seen but the very fact that this non-smartphone sports HTC branding makes our hearts flutter with curious anticipation. HTC's Media Link (model DH H100) just made its appearance in the FCC putting it right on schedule for a Q4 release. It tested on 802.11n WiFi at both 2.4GHz and 5GHz for wirelessly streaming (DLNA) photos, audio, and video up to 720p to your HDMI connected TV. Otherwise, you can always tether that HTC handset to the microUSB jack. We're not seeing any mention of the rumored "Tube" product name -- perhaps that was the internal codename and the more mundane (but descriptive) Media Link moniker will stick for retail. We should see lickity quick now that US certification is done.
SlingPlayer arrives in Windows Phone 7 Marketplace, headed to iPad next (updated)
Got yourself a big new Windows Phone 7 device and need something to fill its screen with? Sling Media has your back with its SlingPlayer Mobile app, which has hit the Marketplace just in time to earn its Launch App Partner achievement. Pricing for the software is set at $30 in the US, C$32 in Canada, £23 in the UK, and €21.10 in Europe plus local tax, though you'll obviously need to have a Slingbox to communicate with as well. It ain't cheap, but good things rarely are. Update: We've also just come across a signup page for news updates on an iPad version of SlingPlayer Mobile. It'll be priced identically to the company's smartphone offerings, at $30, and looks to be coming soon. Thanks, Blake!
Acer Aspire RevoView network media streamer ships this month in the UK
Hard to say if it's too little, too late, but one thing's for darn sure -- Acer definitely has a lot of competition to shake off if it wants this Aspire RevoView to truly succeed. Announced originally way back in May, this here network media streamer is just now gaining an image, price and release date. It's able to fetch content from USB hard drives, an internal 3.5-inch HDD, a memory card slot or the world wide web, but the latter seems contained to just YouTube, Picasa and Flickr for the time being. It'll push things out via an HDMI socket on the rear, and the bundled remote will keep your keister firmly planted while it's in operation. No word on whether or not this fellow will ever leave the confines of the UK, but it'll go on sale there next week for £119.99 ($193).
Ask Engadget: Google TV, Apple TV, Roku, or something else?
We know you've got questions, and if you're brave enough to ask the world for answers, here's the outlet to do so. This week's Ask Engadget question is coming to us from Brandon, who is fairly interested in ditching his cable subscription. If you're looking to send in an inquiry of your own, drop us a line at ask [at] engadget [dawt] com. "Hey Engadget readership. I've been paying way too much for channels I never watch for way too long. I'm about ready to seriously consider my options for ditching cable. Problem is, I've got too many alternatives. Google TV, Apple TV and Roku stick out, but I've also heard of using a new Mac Mini along with Boxee. Given that I have a Netflix subscription to loop in, which of these would be my most satisfying option? Or is there another I'm not considering? Thanks for the assistance." We feel your pain. Loads of options, and not really one set-top that does it all. 'Course, you could always whip up an HTPC to really cover your bases, but we're sure you'll get some fine input either way in comments below.
Roku makes hardware and software available to license, embedded TVs can't be far out
Aw, suki suki now! Roku -- the guys responsible for taking over your living room -- just announced that it's making its hardware and software platform available to license. At first glance, you may assume this means little to nothing for consumers, but you're (hopefully) mistaken. If you'll recall, the Roku XD was rebranded in order to slip into Netgear's vast sales channels, but the software part of this equation has our interest very much piqued. We've already seen Vudu's software baked into a number of HDTVs, and we're envisioning a future filled with world peace, In-N-Out for all and Roku-embedded television sets. We'll take two outta three if we have to, though.
Western Digital stuffs 1TB HDD into Live Hub networked media streamer
WD's no stranger to the media streaming game, but things apparently just got serious. Gone is the My Book-esque design that has been used on all of the units prior, and in is a sleeker, sexier box that's quite clearly designed to slip right on top of your existing cable set-top. The WD TV Live Hub is easily Western Digital's most feature-packed streamer yet, with a 1TB HDD within for storing who knows what locally. There's also an Ethernet socket for pulling down content via the web or your local network, and a pair of USB ports allow for storage expansion or transfers. Naturally, it'll handle Netflix, YouTube, Pandora, Blockbuster on Demand and UPnP / DLNA streaming to your favorite game console, but the lack of inbuilt WiFi (it's available via an optional adapter) puts a mild damper on an otherwise fantastic sounding product. It's available immediately around the globe, with Americans able to snag one for $199.99 directly from WD or at Best Buy. Update: Looks as if Desktop Review has a lengthy review on this guy, along with a slew of user interface shots. The botto line? It's the best player yet from the company, though the price tag did present a bit of sadness. Hit it up for the full skinny. %Gallery-105974%
Boxee Box shipping November 10th in US and Canada
And with that, the long (long!) wait is (just) about over. Boxee just announced this morning that its long awaited Boxee Box (you know, the one built by D-Link) will be shipping out on November 10th for customers who have pre-ordered from Amazon in the United States and Best Buy or Future Shop in Canada. Furthermore, pre-orders taken in Australia / New Zealand and other nations across Europe will start heading out "shortly thereafter." For those looking to pick one up after the initial rush, it's expected to start splashing down in retail on November 17th. So, you in?
WD Live TV Hub media streamer / NAS leaks out of Best Buy with gigabit ethernet, 1TB hard drive
Western Digital's got a few different media streamers to its name, but the only one with sizable internal storage was the pared-down Elements Play. No more, because the AVS Forums have stumbled upon a feature-packed alternative -- the WD TV Live Hub. Purchased at a Best Buy before the blue shirts realized their mistake, the slim new set-top comes with 1TB of storage, 1080p playback over HDMI 1.4, component and composite video out, optical S/PDIF, and all the internet connectivity you'd expect (including Netflix, Blockbuster, Pandora, YouTube and Facebook) over speedy gigabit ethernet. We don't know how robust the network-attached-storage functionality is, but the lucky owner of this box says it serves up iTunes and DLNA and can function as a network share, just like the My Book Live. Not too shabby for $229, eh? Find plenty more pics and a list of supported formats at our source link. [Thanks, Arjun]
Netgear Roku XD Player gets official, coming to big box retail everywhere
We knew something was up when we saw a Netgear-branded Roku XD hit the FCC and subsequently turn up at Fry's, and now it's official: Netgear will be selling the Roku XD as the -- wait for it -- Netgear Roku XD Player. Hardware and functionality-wise, it's the exact same Roku XD you've come to know and love -- 720p Netflix and Amazon streaming with support for 1080p on certain channels -- but Netgear's vast distribution network means that it'll be sold in Best Buy, Radio Shack, Fry's and anywhere else Netgear products routinely show up. It's a pretty aggressive move for Roku, which was previously online-only -- the company has been saying its goal is to put a box by every TV in your house, and the XD is certainly cheap and flexible enough to tempt quite a few big-box shoppers. Of course, you're be paying a little extra for that extra silkscreen and distro love: Netgear's MSRP is $89.99, $10 more than the straight Roku. (Fry's selling it for $79.99 after "instant savings," though.) That's not exactly impulse-buy pricing, but it's still $10 cheaper than the Apple TV, so it looks like the heat is on -- check out our Roku XDS review and just ignore the part about USB playback to get a feel for the XD. Update: Did we say "coming" to big box retail? One tipster tells us the Netgear Roku Player at the Salt Lake City Best Buy store right now. You'll find pictures of the box immediately below. [Thanks, Jeremy] %Gallery-105024%
Netgear-branded Roku XD on sale at Fry's
You won't find it on Netgear's site but you will find the Netgear branded Roku XD media streamer on the physical and virtual shelves of Fry's. That's right, Roku has hit the mainstream. The Netgear Roku XD Media Player (model NTV250) appears to offer all the same features of its Roku XD cousin including built-in 802.11n WiFi; Netflix, Pandora, and Amazon Video on Demand streaming; and HDMI out for 1080p video. Even the $79.99 price is the same after some "instant savings" shenanigans. Now lets get this baby into Best Buy and Wal-mart for the kind of mass market exposure it deserves. [Thanks, Gary L.]
Western Digital debuts My Book Live NAS / media streamer, revamped My Photos app
The My Book Live definitely doesn't mark Western Digital's first foray into the world of connected storage, but the devil's in the details on this one. The company's newly released network drive falls into the budget-friendly My Book line, but promises access to files at up 100Mbps, or triple the speed of standard USB 2.0 units. Additionally, Apple Time Machine support comes baked in from the factory, and there's also an integrated DLNA-compatible media server that can stream photos, videos and audio through any number of devices (WD TV Live Plus HD, Xbox 360, your Blu-ray player, a PlayStation 3, etc.). It'll also double (triple?) as an iTunes music server, and when paired with the company's refreshed WD Photos app -- which is now optimized for iPad and iPhone 4 -- users can flip through their photo albums remotely. The My Book Live is now available for $169.99 (1TB) / $229.99 (2TB), and the aforementioned app can be sucked down as we speak from the action-packed App Store.%Gallery-104521%
Ask Engadget: what's the ultimate network media streamer?
We know you've got questions, and if you're brave enough to ask the world for answers, here's the outlet to do so. This week's Ask Engadget question is coming to us from Brett, who seems just marginally overwhelmed by the recent flood of network media streamers. If you're looking to send in an inquiry of your own, drop us a line at ask [at] engadget [dawt] com. "I'm looking for a network media player that can play a variety of videos from my NAS as well as connect to media services like Netflix, Pandora, Hulu, etc. I thought I found the perfect match with the new Sony SMP-N100, but the DLNA sharing system was awful compared to an old Apple TV with XBMC installed. Any suggestions on the ultimate Network Media Player? Bonus points for being able to remotely queue videos or control it from a smart phone." We've been to this rodeo before, but the situation (and consumer demands, too) has changed quite dramatically from just a year ago. Given that there are more players connecting to more portals than ever before, we'd curious to know what box you'd recommend for Brett. Don't hold back, cool?
QNAP intros 1080p-capable NMP-1000P network multimedia player
It's a minor refresh, but a refresh nonetheless. If you'll recall, we saw the original NMP-1000 break cover at CeBIT 2009, and now that we're 1.5 years in the future, the QNAP NMP-1000P is making its debut for those who crave 1080p. Judging from the exterior, little has changed from then until now, but the revamped innards may be of interest -- there's a Sigma Designs SMP8643 SoC, a 667MHz CPU with floating point processor, support for 1080/24p playback and WiFi integration if you spring for an optional adapter. You'll also get a revised user interface, local and internet-based content streaming and room for a user-supplied 3.5-inch SATA hard drive, not to mention compatibility with just about every file format under the sun. Mum's the word on pricing and availability, but we're guessing it'll be out on shelves somewhere prior to the holidays.
PlayOn finally gets its iPhone app approved, HTML5 lets out a sigh of resignation
We're loving this new, slightly more liberal wave of App Store approvals (aren't we easily pleased?), and it looks like PlayOn drew the lucky number today. After waiting in vain for an app approval, PlayOn actually developed a fairly sufficient HTML5 solution to its streaming-web-video-to-your-device problem, but there's nothing quite like the sheen and polish of a bonafide app. Unfortunately, PlayOn's desktop software, which is required to make this Netflix / Amazon / Hulu / ESPN / CBS / etc.-beaming possible, is still PC only. [Thanks, Corey]
Roku adding Hulu Plus channel this fall
Oh boy, here we go: Hulu Plus is coming to Roku's lineup of players, which now starts at $59 and goes up to $99 for the Roku XDS we just reviewed highly. That certainly makes the Roku / Apple TV comparison far more interesting -- ten 99-cent Apple TV rentals or the $10 Hulu Plus monthly subscription fee? -- and depending on what you watch, it could make cutting your cable subscription a no-brainer. We don't know about resolution or bitrate yet, but we're working to find out -- and we're definitely looking to get some hands-on time before the channel goes live this fall, so stay tuned. PR after the break.
Apple TV now shipping
Apple might still insist its TV box is just a hobby, but it's not messing around when it comes to shipping. Sticking to its original schedule, the MacBook maker has started sending out shipping notifications to the great and the good in the USA and Canada, with the earliest promised delivery being September 28. Those who've lightened their wallets by $99 can now look forward to a whole load of media streaming from the likes of Netflix, YouTube, and Flickr, though we might have paid the full price just for the sake of the integrated Rotten Tomatoes reviews. Do make sure to come back and tell us how awesome it is when you gets yours, won't ya? [Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
HDI Dune's universal media player / home automation boxes show up at CEDIA
After making their debut at IFA earlier in the month, the HDI Dune family of media streamer / Blu-ray combo units appeared Stateside at CEDIA 2010. We spent most of our time checking out the HDI Dune Max, a $499 unit which includes a well-thought out menu system that pulls in info and box art from internet databases and features the ability to play back Blu-ray content from discs or image files equally well, but builds on that with additional streaming capabilities (we saw some Russian TV in action, but were told a Netflix app is on the way) and stream content to the company's HDI Dune Smart family of extenders, or integrate with an control Z-Wave compatible home automation setups with the HDI Dune Home add-on. Also present, but not connected, was the $1,999 HDI Dune Pro unit that builds on the Max with upgraded internal components at home in any high quality rack and home automation hardware built-in, check out a few pictures in the gallery and a press release after the break. %Gallery-103330%
Orb MP-1 music player pulls Sonos-like tricks for way less than a Benjamin
Streaming music from a computer to all manner of home audio devices is an area Sonos, Logitech, and Apple have been competing in for years. The recently-released MP-1 music player from Orb, though, is a surprise contender that can perform a host of streaming duties for less than $70. Like the competition, it works by connecting to a powered audio device via an in-line jack, and can play music stored locally, on a network, or from services like Pandora when streamed over 802.11b/g/n WiFi through its companion Orb Caster media server software. To sweeten the package, the company is also throwing in their Orb Controller app for iOS devices -- which normally costs $10 -- for a low price of free, and apparently has plans to release an Android version of the remote sometime in the near future. Sure, it's a little strange for us to see a company known for their free media streaming software jump in the hardware game so abruptly, but the MP-1's mixture of functionality for the price is a pretty enticing first step. Plus, if the move ignites a price war to the bottom with the aforementioned competition, who are we to complain? [Thanks, Tom]
Roku XDS review
It's an interesting time for Roku -- the upstart device company has owned the cheap'n'easy Netflix streaming market since the beginning, and its platform has been getting more and more flexible over time, adding various channels like Amazon Video on Demand, MLB.tv, UFC, and others. But cheap and simple aren't necessarily good enough anymore, not with the new $99 Apple TV set to launch in just a few weeks -- and while Roku already took the preemptive step of slashing prices across the board, it's following up with some promising new hardware and features. The new Roku HD offers basic 720p streaming capabilities for just $59, the new Roku XD adds 1080p streaming support for $79, and $99 Roku XDS -- which we tested -- offers 1080p support, a USB port for local media, optical and component outputs, and dual-band WiFi. Apart from the new case, the HD and XD are extremely similar to Roku's previous offerings, but the XDS is immediately interesting -- it offers a number of features absent on Apple's offering. So does the newest flagship Roku have what it takes to remain our favorite inexpensive streamer? Read on to find out! %Gallery-102946%
