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Boxee Box Launches with Software Update, Netflix and Hulu Plus Coming

by Terrence O'Brien on November 11, 2010 at 10:05 AM

Boxee Box Home
The Boxee Box is finally here! Last night, at an event here in New York City, the Boxee crew celebrated the release of its much-hyped -- and overly delayed -- streaming media box. The booze-soaked event celebrated the launch of the angular box, but also marked the official launch of the new Boxee software, which has finally shed the beta tag.

With version 1.0, Boxee is proclaiming that it's ready for the masses. And, with a rather extensive list of retail partners (including Walmart, Costco, Target and Amazon), it's clear that the company is serious about making an impact on the still-evolving streaming media box market.

On the inside of the Boxee Box, you'll find an lntel Atom processor (basically the same found inside the Logitech Revue), one gig of RAM, and enough power to pump out 5.1 surround sound and 1080p video. In addition to streaming, you'll be able to play files stored on your home network, whether via Ethernet, Wi-Fi, or USB drives connected directly to the box. And the Linux kernel hiding underneath the Boxee UI is capable of playing back almost any video format you throw at it. Of course, the slick-looking remote with full QWERTY keyboard on the back is still in the cards, as well.
Netflix and Hulu on Boxee
If you've been using the Boxee software before today, you'll now notice that the interface has received a drastic overhaul. The home screen has been pruned, the design is cleaner, sharing content has been emphasized, the queue has been renamed 'Watch Later,' and the browser has been replaced with a new Webkit-based version with a much nicer interface. What users care about, though, is not how pretty the face is; they want compelling content. And we can now officially confirm that the Boxee Box will support Netflix and (drum roll, please) Hulu Plus! (After announcing the agreement with Hulu, Boxee CEO Avner Ronen said his next task would be bringing peace to the Middle East.) The Boxee crew also demoed new apps from the New York Times, Vevo and Vice.

The Boxee Box should be shipping now to those who pre-ordered it, and you should be able to pick one up in retail locations starting November 17th for $199.

Tags: avner ronen, AvnerRonen, boxee, BoxeeBox, hulu, HuluPlus, netflix, streaming, StreamingVideo, top

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