In a strange turn of events, content that’s been developed for the web is making it’s way to TV sets. While there are a number of different ways to watch popular media outlets such as Netflix and YouTube, there are few ways to watch independently produced web content on television. Boxee is one such solution. Not only does it allow you to watch major outlets, it also gives you the ability to view content from smaller media publishers on your TV.
Boxee’s official description is:
Boxee is the first “social” media center, whose free, open source, downloadable software is changing the way consumers experience media.
On a computer or connected to an HDTV, Boxee gives people a truly connected digital entertainment experience to enjoy movies, TV shows, music and photos, as well as streaming content from websites like Netflix, MLB.TV, Comedy Central, Pandora, Last.fm, and flickr. Not only that, but you can share information about what you’re watching with friends so they can find it legally and enjoy it too. You can even post things you like to social networks like Twitter, Last.FM, or Tumblr. All this from within a visually driven interface that makes media come to life.
How it works:
- Download and install free software from www.boxee.tv.
- Sign-in and browse a) local content or b) content from the web.
- Enjoy content in an elegant media center interface.
Boxee, along with D-Link is also developing a hardware device that makes it easier to view the content on TV sets. The device is slated to be released in 2010.
Drawbacks:
One of the largest drawbacks of any media center is going to be consumer adoption. People are satisfied by viewing content on devices they currently own. They don’t want to purchase additional boxes. With gaming consoles, DVD players and other network connected devices, there is bound to be a limit. Furthermore, boxee is in beta at this point and as such is not entirely polished for the average consumer.
