Boxee unveils Web TV box and revamped software in bid to take over the living room [Updated]
LA Times, December 07, 2009
Boxee unveiled plans at an event in New York tonight for the next generation of its Web TV software and the first steps of a strategy for invading the set-top box arena.
Details of what’s being called the Boxee Box are still trickling out of the sold-out Beta Unveiling event at the Music Hall of Williamsburg, which has taken 1,880 RSVPs. We’ll update the post as we learn more.
Boxee Chief Executive Avner Ronen gave The Times a brief rundown last week on the company’s plans for infiltrating the hardware business as well as a preview of the beta version of the Boxee software, which will be available to a limited number of testers this month and to everyone in January.
Contrary to initial speculation, there is no official Boxee Box. The new device is being developed in partnership with a third party, and Boxee expects to strike several more of those deals with other manufacturers next year. Boxee doesn’t charge hardware makers to install the software on its devices.
Ronen had his ideal specification list for the first set-top box to ship with Boxee—1080P high-def support, an HDMI TV connection and a price tag of less than $200.
