Filed under: Software, Apple TV
Boxee alpha boasts API, Hulu-stomping browser and Pandora
Boxee is having a massive meet-up in NYC tonight and is unveiling a new version of the alpha that brings more features, some Hulu manageability, and a new API. Fire up the update function in your Apple TV or OS X copies of boxee and get in on the fun!
Tonight's new release brings in some new features and workarounds to existing services:
And of course, controlling boxee is now even easier using the free remote for the iPhone and iPod touch.
Tonight's new release brings in some new features and workarounds to existing services:
- The excellent music service, Pandora, is now built-into boxee, using the new boxee API
- Speaking of the API, it should now be easier than ever for users to contribute add-ons to the project to integrate new service
- BoxeeHQ has launched its PBS App Box app. It's pretty solid and provides access to many of public broadcasting's best content
- A new XUL-based browser for Hulu and other content. This is big, because XUL is the framework that Mozilla uses for Firefox, meaning, it will be difficult, if not impossible, to restrict access to RSS streams accessed by boxee.
- RadioTime support for over 100,000 terrestrial radio stations that can be streamed worldwide.
And of course, controlling boxee is now even easier using the free remote for the iPhone and iPod touch.
![TUAW [Cafepress]](http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.tuaw.com/media/tuaw-cafepress-promo.png)
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Mendelson said 8:05PM on 3-24-2009
Downloading Now!!!
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balls said 8:27PM on 3-24-2009
Woot! And, just added you as a friend.
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Jason Martin said 8:32PM on 3-24-2009
When I go to the Download menu on Apple TV, there are 2 boxee downloads, one named "boxee" and the other named "Boxee Alpha". Which one is the latest update?
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Silverskull said 9:46PM on 3-24-2009
Maybe the one that says Boxee alpha seeing as the updated version is called the Boxee alpha? It's in the title of the article... >.>
Jason Martin said 10:27PM on 3-24-2009
That's what you would think, but Boxee has been in the alpha phase of develoment since it was released. Actually, I found out it's the one that's called simply "boxee".
Elie said 8:33PM on 3-24-2009
I don't see the download...
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Bob said 10:48PM on 3-24-2009
I would go update right now but my wife is watching chick-show on the TV.
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Aaron said 10:56PM on 3-24-2009
Boxee is running so much smoother/fast on AppleTV. Beautiful!
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duh said 11:33PM on 3-24-2009
Anyone else notice when you try to bring up an episode on Hulu you just get a blank white screen?
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Cowfodder said 11:50PM on 3-24-2009
Just watched an episode of Family Guy on Hulu, no problem. It loaded a standard web page for a second, then went to full screen on the episode. This was on my imac, not atv.
scot copeland said 11:36PM on 3-24-2009
Sweet Lovin'
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Aegelward said 5:35AM on 3-25-2009
I like boxee in theory, but it does have some annoyances, they have a lot of problems when it comes to subtitle support, considering the other XBMC forks have almost perfect support you'd think it would be relatively quick and easy for them to patch
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Joe Russell said 9:49AM on 3-25-2009
Um, Plex FTW y'all:
http://www.plexapp.com
...if anyone has single-handedly alienated Hulu from feeling comfortable about being nested in a media center app, it's Boxee.
And personally, I really-really-really don't give a rats ass about what others are watching on the front door every time I fire-up Boxee. Why can't I turn this off (or can I finally and haven't learned yet otherwise)?
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Christina Warren said 11:01AM on 3-25-2009
Plex is awesome, it totally, totally rocks. However, if you aren't using a Mac mini or other Mac as your media center centerpiece, no dice. Boxee and XBMC's ability to run on the Apple TV (and you can actually get a skin for XBMC to make it look extremely similar to Plex, I'd say 99% identical) are what make it more interesting for me personally, at least until I decide if I'm going to get a Mac mini for the living room or not (the Apple TV is working so well, it makes it hard to spend 3x as much when I could just get 3 more Apple TVs). Now, if a future Apple TV device was powerful enough to run Plex, well, we might be having a different conversation. I still love boxee's ability to access so much online content.
I don't think it is fair to blame boxee for the Hulu stuff -- they worked together in the beginning. How do you think they were getting access to the stream initially (it wasn't RSS, it was the actual stream). Things only got really contentious after the service was shut-off, users created their own plugins for boxee and other systems (including Plex) and then Hulu did the RSS blocking. As for the future, I think we can all agree that the idea of accessing web content from the living room isn't going to go away, and that we're only at the very beginning of these types of disputes.
I don't know if there is a "turn all social stuff off" option -- but you can achieve the same thing by just removing everyone from your friends list. I like seeing what other people are watching and recommending, but I can understand that that isn't for everyone. XBMC does a lot of the same stuff as boxee (since many of the contributors and maintainers are the same people), so that's an option for Apple TV people too.
YodaMac said 2:53PM on 3-25-2009
ABC? Did we lose ABC with this update? Sorry if I missed that announcement.
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