The Boxee box has been delayed until November. Which may be the final nail in its coffin as Google TV is now set to launch before this innovative piece of hardware. Is it game over?
Boxee Vs Google
It’s increasingly looking as though connected TV platforms are the next stage of the evolution of online video. And Boxee looks set to be one of the main players.
Unfortunately, its first piece of hardware, the Boxee Box, has been delayed until November. Which means Google has a chance of getting in there first with its offering, Google TV, which is set to be available on a range of different devices.
Can the Boxee box, or anyone for that matter, seriously compete with the might of Google?
Boxee Box
is best known for its free, cross-platform, open-source media center which enables people to use one piece of software to play all their streaming media; including, of course, video content.
However, in December 2009, Boxee announced the Boxee Box being developed by D-Link. As can be seen in the above picture, the Boxee Box is designed as a submerged cube. But the goodness doesn’t end with its looks.
For $200 the Boxee Box features an RF remote, Wi-Fi, a multitude of outputs, and two USB slots. And it was all set to ship around now until Boxee announced a delay until November.
Google TV
Since Boxee announced its hardware, Google has unveiled its plans to enter the increasingly-crowded connected TV platform market. After being rumored for months, Google TV was officially announced in May.
Google TV will be a platform integrated into new devices such as Sony TVs and Blu-ray players, and there will also be a Logitech set-top box. No pricing has yet been announced, but it’s all set to be ready for rollout in the fall.
Conclusions
The delay to the Boxee box really isn’t going to help it in its fight against the might of Google. The search giant has a well-known brand, a good track record, multiple partners, and, most importantly, a desire to win this particular battle because it’ll mean new advertising revenue.
At a stroke, Google has become the company to beat, and Boxee, Apple, the BBC, and all the others will have to battle hard.
