Boxee is forging ahead with plans not only for a beta of its improved interface, but a new set-top box from D-Link, and new content partners. Mainstream adoption should surely follow these impressive plans, at least if the content is there.
Boxee
is best described as a cross-platform, open-source media center for all. It allows computer users to manage all their media content, including video, from one central location thanks to a downloadable piece of software.
Boxee works on PC, Mac, and Linux and is designed to be used with a TV, bringing Web video into the living room. In August, Boxee secured new funding to enable it to take the service to the next level. And it’s doing just that.
Boxee Beta
Boxee is currently in alpha and has a growing band of users. However, it’s now entered a private beta, with selected users testing the new software until it’s deemed ready to be rolled out to the general public.
The new interface is designed to be user-friendly and accessible by as many people as possible. To that end, the homepage is being made easier to navigate, with social media interaction and recommendations taking center stage.
Local and Internet content is now as one, making everything easier to play. The queuing options and apps options have been made easier to follow and the ability to share content has been increased. There are screenshots galore on the Boxee blog.
Boxee Box
For those either without a computer or who prefer to have dedicated systems rather than using their computer as a middleman, Boxee is releasing the Boxee Box from D-Link.
The Boxee Box has been developed by D-Link, with Astro Design responsible for the very brave “submerged cube” look of it. The Boxee Box will be available to buy during the second quarter of 2010 and cost around $200.
The Boxee Box includes as RF remote, Wi-Fi, a multitude of outputs, and two USB slots. The system will be demonstrated in full during the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas in January.
Content Partners
Lastly comes news of a quartet of new content partners joining Boxee. Clicker indexes videos from YouTube, ComedyCentral and others; The Escapist is a video games news site most-known for Zero Punctuation; Suicide Girls is a site for fans of dirty, punk and emo girls (who isn’t?); The Tisch School of the Arts is part of NYU.
Conclusions
With these new announcements Boxee is well on its way to mainstream adoption, and that should happen over the next 12 months or so. However, to truly grab people’s attention it needs a big-hitter in the content department. Hulu would do nicely.
