July 9-10, 2013
San Francisco, CA

Tickets On Sale Now

Surprise, surprise: Negotiations with content providers are significantly delaying Intel’s plans to take over your living room, according to the Wall Street Journal.

Sources tell the WSJ that Intel originally planned to launch a television set-top box, which will reportedly allow consumers to subscribe to television channels over the web by the end of 2012. But now the timing is up in the air. Intel could either end up debuting it in the middle of this year or in the fourth quarter, due to prolonged content deals, the sources say.

Rumors of Intel stepping into the TV set-top box business have been around since last March, following the company’s move away from providing chipsets for Google TV devices and the geek-friendly Boxee Box. Last week we heard that Intel may debut its set-top box at CES next week, but now that doesn’t seem very likely.

Content deals have typically squashed attempts at revolutionizing the living room. Google TV had plenty of potential at launch with its ability to combine traditional TV service with web video, but broadcast networks were quick to block GTV devices from their websites and Hulu (which is owned by several networks). There’s still no official Hulu app for Google TV (or for devices from Boxee). Even Apple has dealt with content issues — it took forever for the Apple TV to get a Hulu app, and it’s likely a big reason why there aren’t more apps available on the Apple TV.

Sept. 9 - 10, 2013 San Francisco, CA

Early Bird Tickets on Sale

Set-top box and streaming media software startup Boxee just launched a new cloud storage service appropriately called Cloudee, the company announced via a blog post today.

Cloudee, which is currently in beta, appears to focus primarily on saving and sharing videos located on your iPhone, iPod Touch, and iPad. While you can download the new iPhone app now, the service is limiting who gets to use at this point. For now, you can sign up using Facebook to get put on the beta tester list.

This could be the first steps in Boxee’s overall plan to launch a cloud-based DVR service for it’s streaming media software, which we hear rumors about back in February.

Apple essentially already offers this bit of functionality through its iCloud photostream service, which is due for an overhaul soon. Apple plans to add even more functionality and integration with OS X to iCloud and that could severely limit its usefulness among Mac users.

But Cloudee does have one distinct advantage: users don’t have to sync their devices to gain access across multiple platforms.

“With Cloudee you no longer need to worry about running out of hard drive space or syncing your iPhone with your computer. You upload directly from the phone to Cloudee and then watch the videos from anywhere,” the company writes in the post.

So, where does this put Boxee’s main business in set-top box hardware and streaming software? We’re unsure at this point, but we do know that the company has recently shifted its priorities, Boxee is no longer providing updates to its PC desktop media software, and it also has its eye on live TV.

It’ll be interesting to see how Cloudee stacks up to iCloud and other services once its fully rolled out. For now, check out some screenshots of the iPhone app in action below.

July 9-10, 2013
San Francisco, CA

Tickets On Sale Now

A provision of the Cable Television Protection and Competition Act that requires cable companies to provide unencrypted basic-tier cable could soon become obsolete, putting the life of young set-top box-maker Boxee in jeopardy.

A rule change, supported by the cable companies, is currently being considered by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) that would enable the encryption of basic tier cable. A decision could be made in just a few weeks time.

The change would force consumers who currently connect their television sets directly to cable lines for free or low-cost basic-tier cable to use a set-top box (typically provided by cable companies for a monthly fee) for the same access.

“In the late eighties and early nineties, increasing numbers of cable systems started to encrypt their signals, and the rule was adopted to allow people to at least access some programming without renting a converter box,” said John Bergmayer, senior staff attorney at open Internet advocate group Public Knowledge.

Depending on how the proposed change is enacted, low-income consumers could be hit with fees for services that were previously available to them free of charge. Public Knowledge, which initially came out in support of the proposed change because the FCC has already been issuing waivers on a system-by-system basis since 2009, has petitioned the FCC to allow for a transition period and require cable companies to provide low-capability set-top boxes free of charge to prevent “bill shock.”

But the group eventually stumbled upon a harmful side-effect of the new legislation that could wipe out innovation in the TV sector, and is now asking the FCC to seek further information.

“We think it’s worthwhile to make sure that the FCC doesn’t do a rule change that has negative consequences that they didn’t foresee,” Bergmayer told VentureBeat. The FCC, he said, has previously come out in support of innovation and competition around entertainment devices, but the rule-making should jeopardize the well-being of the startups bringing these very same devices to market.

Boxee, one such startup, makes a set-top box for watching Internet content on television sets. The company recently released a Live TV stick that acts as a high-powered HD antenna and provides streamers with access to local stations. The offering is the most compelling release yet for would-be cord cutters and thus a threat to the cable companies. But should the FCC eliminate unencrypted access to basic tier capable, Boxee’s Live TV stick would be useless for 40 percent of owners, and its business would be at risk.

As such, the startup, which only recently found out about the proposed change, presented concerns and research to the FCC on February 1. Boxee told that the FCC that permitting encryption would force millions of consumers to rent set-top boxes, harm startups in the space, and stifle competition in the marketplace. It also proposed the adoption of IP-based standards as an alternative solution.

Now, Boxee is asking its supporters to send notes to the FCC, and Public Knowledge is lending its support to the comparably little New York-based company as it goes to head-to-head with cable companies.

Unfortunately, the gossip on the street, Bergmayer said, is that the FCC could issue a ruling in a few weeks. The organization hopes that the FCC will keep the docket open long enough to make a more informed decision.

Photo credit: TV image/Shutterstock

July 9-10, 2013
San Francisco, CA

Tickets On Sale Now

Sorry, Boxee faithful, you won’t be getting any more updates on your computers after the release of Boxee 1.5.

The media streaming software company will be shifting its focus entirely to connected TV devices, tablets and smartphones, it announced yesterday on its blog, together with the unveiling of Boxee 1.5 for Windows, Macs, and Ubuntu Linux.

The news reflects a major shift in the landscape of home theater PCs. It used to be that you had to install and configure software like Boxee to enjoy digital video in your living room. Now, with the proliferation of cheap and easy-to-use devices like the Roku set-top box, as well as TVs and Blu-ray players with support for apps like Netflix, the HTPC of yore seems irrelevant.

“While there are still many users who have computers connected to their TVs, we believe this use case is likely to decline as users find better alternatives,” wrote Boxee’s Andrew Kippen. “People will continue to watch a lot of video on their computer, but it is more likely to be a laptop than a home-theater PC and probably through a browser rather than downloaded software.”

Boxee, which began as a fork of the XBMC media center software, was initially very popular with techies thanks to its wide support for video file types and slick user interface. But now the company needs to focus on a wider audience. That began with the release of the Boxee Box last year and continued with the launch of its iPad app this summer.

As for the Boxee 1.5 update, it sports a refined interface, as well as additional details about movies and TV shows. The update will be available on Boxee’s website until the end of January, at which point the company will likely erase any trace of its HTPC past from the site. The update will hit the Boxee Box in January alongside the release of the Live TV USB stick.

July 9-10, 2013
San Francisco, CA

Tickets On Sale Now

Boxee, the New York startup that finally started shipping its much-anticipated streaming video device the Boxee Box last November, just announced that it has raised $16.5 million in new funding.

Boxee started out with software that users could download to their computers, then connect those computers to their TVs to watch online video. But the long-term goal was always to make the service available on set-top boxes and other devices for your TV. The company describes the Boxee Box (which is manufactured by D-Link) as “the one box your TV needs” — and now that it supports Netflix, that claim has a little more weight.

A company spokesman said Boxee plans to use the new funding to grow the product development team, to add more content, and to sign up more partners to create Boxee devices. As a measure of how the company has expanded since Boxee last raised money in 2009, the company said it has gone from 12 to 34 employees, and that its software has gone from a super-early alpha test to version 1.0. Boxee now has 1.6 million users overall.

Back after that last round, I wondered if Boxee was a little ahead of its time, and if the demand for Web content on TVs just wasn’t there yet. Founder and chief executive Avner Ronen told me that a generation gap was developing, with younger viewers seeing the Internet as the center of their entertainment. That seems to have been borne out in the last year, with lots of big players jumping on this trend, with the launch of the Google TV and a revamp of the Apple TV.

So how can Boxee avoid getting squashed by the competition? Well, the company’s website lists a number of selling points over Apple TV, including content beyond iTunes, higher-resolution HD, and the ability to play most file formats. Ronen has also said that he sees Google TV as complementary to Boxee.

The funding comes from new investors Pitango and Softbank, as well as existing backers General Catalyst, Spark Capital, and Union Square Ventures. Boxee has now raised a total of $26.5 million in funding.

July 9-10, 2013
San Francisco, CA

Tickets On Sale Now

Support for Netflix streaming video has finally made its way to Boxee’s set-top box, the company announced today in a blog post.

Netflix support was the most common user request for the Boxee Box, the company said, and for good reason. The feature wasn’t available when the Box started shipping in November — at the time Boxee said that it would be available by the end of 2010. Obviously, it missed that deadline, and it also missed another deadline it set for the end of January when support for Vudu video rentals was added.

With Netflix and Vudu support, the Boxee Box now has a bigger selection of streaming video content than when it launched — but it may be too little too late to make it a viable competitor against Roku’s streaming boxes, the Apple TV, or even Google TV. Boxee actually had Netflix support up and running during the Consumer Electronics Show early last month, but the company apparently had a tough time ironing out the bugs.

Even though Boxee first announced the Box — which is built by D-Link — in December of 2009, it didn’t make its way to users until almost a year later. Hardware issues, including a switch from Nvidia’s Tegra chip to Intel’s Atom, likely led to the delayed release.

To get access to the Netflix feature on the Boxee Box, you’ll either need to manually update via the Settings menu, or wait for the automatic update to land within the next 24 hours.

July 9-10, 2013
San Francisco, CA

Tickets On Sale Now

Boxee Box owners (all two of you) rejoice! As promised, Boxee is bringing Vudu’s extensive library of streaming high-definition movies to its set-top box in an update today.

Additionally, the company says Netflix support for the Boxee Box is still on track for the end of this month.

Vudu offers 1080p high-definition films with Dolby Digital Plus 5.1 surround sound. Pricing starts at $2 for 2 nights of a standard definition film, while an HD version will cost a few bucks more. It has a library of over 4,400 HD  films, so there’s a good chance you’ll be able to find a recent title on Vudu that isn’t available on Netflix’s streaming service. New customers who sign up through the Boxee Box will receive a $5.99 Vudu credit.

As we reported in October, Vudu’s service is also available on the downloadable version of Boxee’s software, which you can deploy for free on any PC or Mac. Vudu is definitely taking a cue from Netflix, as its service is popping up in many devices — it’s available on HDTVs from Samsung, Toshiba, LG and more, and it hit Sony’s Playstation 3 in November.

The addition of new content providers like Vudu and Netflix will certainly go a long way towards making the Boxee Box, which is manufactured by D-Link, a more compelling product. The set-top box was finally released in November of last year for $199, even though Boxee first announced it in December of 2009. Hardware issues, including a switch from Nvidia’s Tegra chip to Intel’s Atom, likely led to the delayed release.

By the time it was released, the Boxee Box faced competition from the new $99 Apple TV, not to mention the increasingly popular Roku set-top boxes, which retail between $60 and $100. And of course, there was Google TV, which wasn’t a runaway success by any means but managed to steal some attention away from Boxee.

The Boxee Box update also includes a slew of bug fixes, all of which you can find at the Boxee blog.

July 9-10, 2013
San Francisco, CA

Tickets On Sale Now

After seemingly ages in release limbo, streaming video startup Boxee has started shipments of its Boxee Box set-top and has announced new content partnerships with Netflix and Hulu.

The $199 Boxee Box is manufactured by D-Link and was first unveiled last December. The company has been working on software that lets users bring Web video content to their televisions for the past few years, but thus far it has required extensive set up on a computer or Apple TV. The Boxee Box is an easy plug-and-play way for consumers to bring Boxee’s software to their living rooms.

As we’ve covered previously, the Box was initially supposed to arrive some time in the second quarter of this year. Since its announcement, Google went on to unveil its own ambitious plans for bringing web video to televisions with Google TV, which includes a set-top box from Logitech, and potential integration in cable boxes and televisions. Instead of being threatened by Google, though, Boxee CEO Avner Ronen said he sees Google TV as complementary to Boxee’s own service, and that he’s interested in developing a Boxee Android app to run on Google’s platform.

Boxee promises that Netflix will be available on the Box “before the end of year”, and the company is also working together with Hulu to bring over its premium Hulu Plus service. This is a marked change in Boxee and Hulu’s previously tumultuous relationship — Hulu has worked doggedly to block access to Boxee’s software in the past. The company is also introducing a browser and support for HTML5 web video apps like YouTube Leanback and Vimeo’s Couch Mode, bringing some of the major features of Google TV to Boxee users in the process.

We’ll hopefully be receiving a Boxee Box to review soon, so keep an eye out for our impressions.

July 9-10, 2013
San Francisco, CA

Tickets On Sale Now

Video streaming start-up Boxee unleashed a flood of news today regarding its set-top Boxee Box: It’s now available for pre-order exclusively on Amazon, it’s launching internationally in November, and most intriguingly, the company has dumped Nvidia’s Tegra 2 platform in favor of a new Intel Atom chip.

To refresh, Boxee debuted the set-top box last year, and it instantly became hotly anticipated among media addicts. The company has been working on software that lets users bring Web video content to their televisions for the past few years, but thus far it has required extensive set up on a computer or Apple TV. The Boxee Box would be an easy plug-and-play way for consumers to bring Boxee’s software to their living rooms.

By ordering through Amazon, US Boxee fans will receive their Box before it’s available anywhere else. The exclusive arrangement also appears to be working in Boxee’s favor: The company announced on Twitter that it’s already the No. 7 top seller in Amazon’s electronics section today.

In addition to the previously announced US launch for November, Boxee will be releasing the Box in Albania, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bosnia, Bulgaria, Canada, Czech Republic, Croatia, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Macedonia, Montenegro, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Serbia, Slovenia, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the UK.

Instead of the much-hyped Nvidia Tegra 2 platform, the final Box will be shipping with an Intel platform based on a new Atom chip (the Intel CE4100, codenamed “Sodaville”). Boxee says that the Tegra 2 had trouble playing large high-definition files using the H.264 video standard, so it needed to find something more capable. By teaming up with Intel, Boxee will also be a part of its “Smart TV” marketing campaign, which will be promoted this fall. Here’s a video demo of the Boxee box by VentureBeat’s Dean Takahashi.

Engadget has received information on the project, which apparently has been renamed iTV (the original name for the Apple TV). The sources say that iTV will receive apps, but instead of being able to stream 1080p high-definition video like we previously reported, it will be limited to lower-quality 720p HD video like the current Apple TV.

Apparently, Apple’s A4 chip — which drives the iPad and iPhone 4, and would also be the heart of the iTV — isn’t able to handle 1080p (or 1080i) HD video. If true, that would be surprising, since the iPhone 3G S was shown to play 1080p video (albeit not very well) a year ago. Being stuck with 720p video won’t kill iTV right out of the gate, but it would bring to light some interesting limitations of the A4 chip.

App-wise, the sources aren’t clear if iTV will have access to iPhone and iPad apps. It will have access to some sort of App Store, though, even if it’s only for iTV apps.

Since 2007, Apple has considered the Apple TV “a hobby”. One of the most common observations after the Google TV unveiling was just how much Apple dropped the ball with Apple TV. We brought it up when the Roku Netflix set-top box was unveiled two years ago, and former VentureBeat writer MG Siegler wrote an impassioned piece on how Apple could fix it last year.

We likely won’t hear much about iTV officially until the fall, which is also when we can expect Google TV and Boxee’s set-top box to be available.

July 9-10, 2013
San Francisco, CA

Tickets On Sale Now

In a video released today, video streaming startup Boxee showed off the final version of its set-top “Boxee Box,” which is being produced by hardware manufacturer D-Link.

Boxee debuted the set-top box last year, and it instantly became hotly anticipated among media addicts. The company has been working on software that lets users bring Web video content to their televisions for the past few years, but thus far it has required extensive set up on a computer or Apple TV. The Boxee Box would be an easy plug-and-play way for consumers to bring Boxee’s software to their living rooms.

In the video, Boxee Chief Product Office Zach Klein describes the early Box prototype as a “student project.” It consisted of parts created with 3D printers in a process known as “soft tooling”, and it helped Boxee suss out the look and feel of the device.

He went on to say that the final version of the product “feels like a valuable device”, and that it “has a nice weight to it.” Unlike the prototype, the new plastic surface doesn’t show fingerprints as much.

Some might say that Boxee is a bit too late with the Box — it was initially supposed to arrive some time in the second quarter of this year. Since its announcement, Google went on to unveil its own ambitious plans for bringing web video to televisions with Google TV, which includes a set-top box from Logitech, and potential integration in cable boxes and televisions. Instead of being threatened by Google, though, Boxee CEO Avner Ronen said he sees Google TV as complementary to Boxee’s own service, and that he’s interested in developing a Boxee Android app to run on Google’s platform.

The company says the Box will be available some time in the fall — possibly late October or early November. Since D-Link is handling the entire production of the Box, Boxee has little control over when the device will be available.

View the video reveal of the final Boxee Box design below:

http://vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=13398124&server=vimeo.com&show_title=1&show_byline=1&show_portrait=0&color=&fullscreen=1

July 9-10, 2013
San Francisco, CA

Tickets On Sale Now

Now that Google has officially announced its plans to revolutionize the way we watch TV, it’s time for potential competitors to react. One of the most promising TV-Web players is the New York-based Boxee, which has been working on software that lets users bring Web content to their televisions for the past few years. According to a recent tweet by the company’s founder, Avner Ronen, he sees Google TV as more complementary than competitive, and he seems interested in developing a Boxee Android app for TVs.

The company unveiled plans for a set-top box of its own late last year, which it’s calling the Boxee Box. While Boxee as a platform may not necessarily be competing with Google TV, the Boxee Box certainly is. It’s being manufactured by D-Link, and will feature a remote with an integrated keyboard (something Logitech is developing for Google TV as well). Many media addicts like myself have been eagerly awaiting the device — which is supposed to hit sometime in 2010 — but with the possibility of Google TV set-top boxes on the way, it instantly seems less tempting.

Google TV will bring together Web video from a variety of sites, like Hulu, Netflix, and broadcast networks — but most importantly it integrates the Web content directly with your standard television channels. Instead of being a separate device that handles Web content alone, Google’s goal is to make it a key part of your normal TV-watching experience. That’s a big step beyond what Boxee is offering.

The possibility of an Android app also makes the Boxee Box less relevant. If you can get a Google TV box that can do Boxee plus a lot more, why would you get a standard Boxee Box? But it makes sense when it comes to the viability of Boxee as a platform, much like how Amazon is much better off making its Kindle software available for devices like the iPhone, iPad, and Android phones.