With a unique physique, revolutionary remote and innovative feature set--promising no compromise local file playback alongside Internet content aggregation--no streamer has threatened to break into the Consumer Electronics (CE) mainstream like the Boxee Box.  Based on Intel’s CE4100 system on a chip (SOC) the device is capable of hardware accelerated decode for many popular codecs, HD audio bit streaming and an x86 CPU capable of delivering a decent browsing experience.  Anyone who followed the device’s launch knows that it could have gone smoother; having given the platform a few months to mature, now is a good time to dive in and see if it can make good on its potential.

As we can see from the video Boxee provides an excellent first experience with the device with friendly retail packaging and includes an HDMI cable so most users will be able to get started when they bring it home.
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Device

Love it or not, the Boxee Box is certainly unique--sure to stand out in any environment.  How desirable that is will depend on preference; personally I would like subtle, but still find it quite attractive in a quirky way.  Along the back we see all but one of the inputs (there is an SD card slot on the top) offered by the device including Ethernet (10/100), two USB, HDMI, TOSLINK (optical S/PDIF), analog stereo audio and power.  Component (YPbPr) is notably missing however which, given the form factor, is understandable but limits the Boxee Box to modern HDTVs with HDMI or DVI inputs and is a limit in one of its market segments--buyers with older displays who want an over-the-top applications platform without buying a new TV.

Taking the device apart was more difficult than expected; the entire non-slip pad on the bottom must be peeled off to expose the screws that hold the case together.  After removing the top we find the 2.4GHz Wireless-N add-in, and a small, quiet fan for cooling the CE4100 based system.

The Boxee Box remote is almost flawless in execution with my only real complaint being the lack of buttons on the top side makes some actions, like selecting a DVD menu or changing audio/subtitle tracks, unnecessarily tedious.  The QWERTY keyboard on the bottom keeps the profile slim and one-hand friendly while navigating, while also enabling a rich experience when text entry is required.  We have seen this style of remote gaining popularity; hopefully it continues to do so.  For those who fall into the “or not” category, the remote works over RF so line-of-sight is not required to control it, making placement behind the TV (or in a cabinet) possible without control complications.  RF does introduce a few challenges however as most universals are infrared (IR), so it is difficult to drive the device (even in a more limited way) from a single remote.

To address this Boxee has added support for the Media Center (eHome) IR receiver, and when the box is on it actually works pretty well but a blocking issue exists in the implementation since it is not able to power on the Boxee Box.  More importantly though is the lack of HDMI CEC, as that would address this issue in a much more elegant way using only the Boxee Box remote to power on all devices in the chain, select inputs and control volume on appropriate device.  Frankly, any modern HDMI mass market CE device should include CEC support; it is a glaring, correctable, omission from the feature set.

Settings

The Boxee Box offers a multitude of knobs and dials in the settings section.  There are too many to discuss each one in detail so only the most important sections will be covered.  There should be a picture of each screen in the gallery to document all of the options.

As an A/V device it should not be surprising that the display settings are highlighted.  Besides the typical settings for resolution and refresh rate matching (source direct is not supported) found on many streamers, there are also have options for configuring levels and enabling 3D support.  By default the Boxee Box outputs 16-235 8-bit RGB 4:4:4, so it is nice that full RGB (0-255) is also available, but I would like to see an option for YCbCr output as well for greater compatibility with other CE devices and displays that do not handle RGB input properly.  Unfortunately this screen will require more familiarity than is customary with other CE components because it occasionally “forgets” the TV’s resolution and reverts to the lowest setting available (“NTSC”).  Finding the exact scenario to reproduce the issue has proved elusive, but it is most common when the device is left, or powered, on when the AVR/TV are not.

Being based on Intel’s CE4100 platform, in addition to full hardware accelerated (HWA) decode for all the important video formats the Boxee Box also supports HD audio codec bit streaming or local decoding depending on preference, with each one a separate toggle.  For those with capable hardware connected via HDMI, bit streaming is the best option however, as audio channel mapping for non-stereo PCM is fumbled so badly that I found it impossible to watch non-bit streamable multi-channel content (i.e. FLAC).  On the bright side, it does set channel count properly when decoding audio so two channel sources will come out the left/right mains instead of the seemingly random speaker when the count goes up.

The Boxee Box supports 10/100 Ethernet and Wi-Fi (2.4GHz N), and while the wired option obviously performs better overall I was surprised at how well wireless kept up-- with no noticeable difference between the two until file sizes got really big (30 GB+).  Wi-Fi Protected Setup (WPS) is not supported, so the QWERTY remote will get another tick in the plus category when it comes time to connect to the access point.

Adding folders to the Boxee Box’s library is also handled from the settings section.  On this screen the device discovers shared folders on the network and allows them to be easily configured for inclusion in the media pivots (Shows/Movies) used to consume content.  It is also possible to manually add folders via the dialog shown above; which oddly, because it was able to find lots of shares on the network, I had to use for all of my media folders.  When adding a folder the content type (Video/Music/Photo) must be specified along with the scanning interval, but unfortunately the software never actually discovered any media during scans, so evaluating the efficacy of the aggregation/sorting algorithm was not possible.  This issue, and those noted previously, were sent to the Boxee team -- we are waiting for a response.

UPDATE: 05/12/11

Boxee released a firmware update (1.1) shortly after we published this review, which among other things addressed the local media library scanning issues noted previously.

Experience

Like the settings section, there is too much ground to cover in great detail with the Boxee Box’s user interface (UI) and overall experience so only the highlights will be discussed in detail.  Flip through the gallery to get a feel for the screens not discussed below.

One of the more interesting aspects of the Boxee experience is how clearly they get the social and multi-user nature of a shared use device.  The most obvious manifestation is that multiple user profiles are supported, allowing segmentation of the associated social accounts as well as maintaining content folders per user--which in practice means it is easy to keep my kid’s content out of my view, and vice versa.  The cool thing about the implementation however, is that device characteristics like Netflix activation are maintained at the appropriate level; so once the box is setup everyone can use that application without configuring again.

As mentioned earlier I was unable to get the local content libraries to work on the device so it went untested, but local file playback did work using the folder experience very similar to the DLNA-style browsing found on most streamers.  Evaluated in that context the Boxee Box is a competent media consumption device with support for PGS (Blu-ray subtitles) in MKV/M2TS, external SRT subtitles, and the full suite of audio/video codecs (WMAPro, Dolby Digital, Dolby TrueHD, DTS, DTS-MA, VC-1, Divx, AVC/H.264, etc.) in a variety of containers (ISO, VIDEO_TS, AVI, MKV, WMA, WMV, etc.).  Video levels (16  = black, 235 = white) are output properly but blacker-than-black (BTB) and whiter-than-white (WTW) are clipped; which is not a problem per-se as they really only make calibration easier.  BD-Lite (Blu-ray minus menus) also works, but was imperfect at times with not all chapters/titles available for selection.

UPDATE: 05/12/11

After applying the 1.1 firmware revision the local library feature started working so it was now possible to evaluate it. Where before only folders were available (they still are for those scenarios where it is easier to browse that way) we now have a rich "jukebox" populated with files and an automated metadata discovery mechanism. Like all metadata scrappers, there will probably be some manual resolution required; an interface in "Settings : File Sources" is provided to identify and discover metadata.

Interestingly local media is not isolated, and integrates into the main movie browsing experience (see the second screen shot in the series above) with the Boxee recognizing similar media, aggregating it and presenting the online and local content in a unified way.

Having made it this far it is obvious that there are several areas where some improvement is required, but Internet content is an area where it truly shines.  Of course it cannot overcome the limitations of the medium (i.e. YouTube is still a blocky, stuttering mess), but where the video is good and the bandwidth aplenty nothing aggregates the mass (mess? ;)) of Internet content like Boxee - making it almost effortless to fritter away countless hours “channel” surfing.

Unfortunately the experience is not as consistent as it should ideally be--though this is not really Boxee’s fault given the state of “Web” in the greater pool of “Internet” content, and to be fair they do a decent job of finding video on web pages and automatically pushing it full screen for those sources.  That said, when given proper access to high quality content the over-the-top experience is very, very good.

As an extensible applications platform, Boxee provides a software development kit (SDK) for 3rd parties to build and deploy new functionality on the device.  There is a large pool of applications that bring Internet based content into the device including popular services like Pandora, Revision3, Netflix and VUDU.

With Netflix included in most mainstream Blu-ray players, media streamers and mid-level HDTVs shipping the Boxee Box without it was a problem.  Taking a few months to fix that didn’t help either, but it was worth the wait with the integration provided on the Boxee Box providing the excellent HTML 5 based interface, and the best overall experience I’ve seen--including the better looking, but more sluggish, implementation found in Windows 7 Media Center.  Where many boxes include it the application is often severely limited; lacking important features like search or subtitles found on the Boxee.  We are still waiting for Dolby Digital Plus (DD+) support, but I take hope that it is coming from two things: the surround sound audio option is displayed and DD+ works beautifully in VUDU.

For those unfamiliar with VUDU, let me chastise because you have not listened to the MissingRemote podcast where we discussed the service’s near Blu-ray audio/video quality that somehow gets streamed down the tubes between Wal-Mart and your TV.  With that in mind, it is easy to see why it is a natural fit for Boxee’s application platform.  The coolest thing about the integration is how content from VUDU integrates into the general experience, both on the home screen and within the Movies experience.  Anyone can build an over-the-top application framework, but the real differentiating value is in the quality of aggregation.  When I want to watch a movie, having to know what service provides it is a barrier to consumption.  Boxee obviously understands this, and as cord cutting becomes more feasible, they are positioned well to enable it.

When evaluating HQV-HD scores it is important to remember that while numbers are produced, the outcome is still somewhat subjective and open to interpretation so results should only be evaluated within the context that created them and are not directly comparable between displays or reviewers.  The most interesting comparison from the values above is between the Boxee Box and the NSZ-GT1 as the devices are based on Intel’s CE4100 platform.  Overall the scores are in-line with what I expect from a device in the mainstream CE category.  That said, and given these results, and the nature of the majority of content that the Boxee Box makes available a source direct feature would go a long way for those with a more capable video processor downstream from the device.

With a peek power number of just under 14 Watts the Boxee Box is miserly in contrast to most HTPC and in-line, or better than, the many other CE devices.  The most interesting output is that the device’s “Standby” mode actually uses more power than it would looping a 1080p Blu-ray rip, so while it takes about 50 seconds to power on the device it is probably worth the savings unless used quite frequently.

Conclusion

The Boxee Box is still a work in progress, and as a moving target it is difficult to evaluate completely.  With that in mind I still cannot help but have mixed feelings about the device.  It excels at Internet content aggregation, but fails with what is found locally It excels at content aggregation, providing a rich, integrated experience that appropriately blurs the line between local and online.  The user experience is generally easy and intuitive enough for mainstream users, but suffers from some HTPC style issues as well that create a barrier to adoption.  Despite that, and that it cannot replace any device in my primary viewing environment, or act as the only component in the secondary location it was an excellent complement in every environment I placed it – and I often missed it in those locations while testing the device in another. I suspect though, that those with a greater willingness to "cut the cord" or just a cable/satellite DVR would find it easier to use the Boxee Box as their primary media consumption device, especially on displays without a built in over-the-top application platform.

One thing is clear however, Boxee has an innovative and interesting product with enormous potential.  I look forward to watching the platform evolve over the next few months and seeing what devices it ends up on-- a Boxee Box Blu-ray player would be awesome.

Pro:

Internet TV experience
Netflix & VUDU
RF remote
Multi-user support
Continually adding functionality and features

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There may be another victim in the smartphone-strewn battlefield of the mobile OS wars.

Intel’s Meego OS could be dropped from the ranks due to a lack of enthusiasm from smartphone and tablet manufacturers. Industry sources say Intel will instead focus on hardware and turn to Android or Windows Phone 7 as a platform for mobile devices that debut in 2012.

We asked Intel about the report, from Taiwanese publication Digitimes, and got this response:

Intel does not comment on industry speculation or rumor. We remain committed to MeeGo and open source, and will continue to work with the community to help develop and meet the needs of customers and end users.

Nokia officially abandoned Meego, and its own Symbian operating system, in favor of Windows Phone 7 in February. The N9 smartphone is one of its few Meego devices, but the platform never garnered much confidence, either among handset makers or consumers.

Recently, another fledgling OS, HP’s webOS, was put to rest, but recent reports show it might be revived in the TouchPad tablet a bit longer.

Can smaller mobile operating systems stand a chance against big guys like Android and iOS? Even the former BlackBerry empire appears to be bowing to increasingly popular Android and Apple devices. Recent stats put Android at 39 percent of the mobile market, with iOS at 28 percent and RIM not too far behind at 20.

But big innovation often springs out of the little guys. For instance, with the Meego-running Nokia N9, there’s no home button. Returning to the home screen is done with a sideways swipe from any side of the screen. Fusion Garage employed a similar technique with their Grid OS tablet and smartphone and revamped what we think of as the home screen interface.

History has shown that as tech companies become bloated empires (cough Microsoft cough HP), their level of innovation doesn’t always match that of their smaller counterparts. You can blame it on bureaucracy, or perhaps employees’ lowered drive as they settle into a cushy, secure job.

Relentless patent-trolling and lawsuit-filing also prohibits creativity, in the software space in particular, as corporations and patent firms try to block one another’s progress in an effort to get ahead (or at least reap some cash).

Regardless, in the mobile space, apps — lots of apps — are a boon to the success of your OS. It’s a lesson both iOS and Android have taken to heart, one that makes a successful entry into the market exceedingly difficult, as webOS’s demise unfortunately shows.

But at least Intel has a strong hardware business to fall back on. It could use a little more TLC if it’s going to maintain its dominance and stand out in the mobile arena.

And why’s that? Apple reportedly has been considering switching to ARM processors on more of its devices, a move that would help unify the iOS/OS X computing experience, but at the expense of Intel’s business. Apple has pushed Intel to develop more efficient chips and threatened to take its business elsewhere if Intel doesn’t meet its power consumption demands. Some reports posit that Apple already has a deal to spread the ARM architecture to its laptops by 2013.

If that’s true, we could see Intel go the way of HP in the next few years...N

It’s time to kiss your social life goodbye as September begins the avalanche of games lying in wait for us this holiday season wetting your appetite with some news IPs, HD remakes and sequels.  

Resistance 3 (PS3)



Ending the Chimera menace

Developer Insomniac hope to redeem themselves after the crap fest that was Resistance 2 with R3. In it you play as Joseph Capelli, a discharged soldier who leaves his home to finish the Chimera oppression plaguing Earth, once and for all. This time around the entire game will be playable in co-op and once players are done eliminating the Chimera, they can head online for some revamped multiplayer action.















Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine (Xbox360 PS3 PC)



You shall not pass

Moving away from its RTS (Real Time Strategy) roots for the first time, Space Marine is a brand new third person action game from the Warhammer 40,000 universe. Using both ranged and melee weapons, players dole out pain on the entire Orc race as the Titus, Space Marine extraordinaire.

















Gears of War 3 (Xbox360)




Bring it

Marcus Fenix and his hyper violent gang of dudebros are back for the final fight against the blood thirsty Locusts; only this time, they face a new enemy in the form of the Lambent. While most of the game will be spent taking cover, chainsawing and shooting Locusts in the face, a significant amount of time will also be spent in the game’s new revamped Horde mode.














God of War Origins (PS3)


Kratos kicks ass on all platforms


Not to be limited by handheld consoles, Chains of Olympus and Ghost of Sparta turned out to be two of the most badass games from the God of War universe. Now with the move to HD, players can expect upscaled visuals in 1080P, 3D and trophy support and most importantly, better controls thanks to the DualShock controller.















Dead Island (Xbox360 PS3 PC)


Skull meet machete

Much like the Left 4 Dead series, Dead Island is all about slaughtering hordes of the undead with up to four of your friends in co-op. This game branches out from L4D, with its open world structure and RPG (Role Playing Game) mechanics, where one can upgrade their skills and weapons, as well as the ability to craft your very own weapons of death and destruction.













Driver: Driver: San Francisco (Xbox360 PS3 PC)


Driving Mr. Tanner



With Driver: SF, Ubisoft have decided to axe the on-foot mechanic from previous Driver games to concentrate wholly on driving around San Francisco. The series’ recurring protagonist, Tanner is now in a coma and the entire game takes place in his dream world of sorts where players will be able to hijack cars using their mind.














ICO Collection (PS3)



That's one big spider



An HD remake of two of the most arty PlayStation 2 games ever made, the ICO Collection will offer players both ICO, and Shadow of the Colossus on one single Blu-Ray. While gameplay stays unchanged in both games, players can expect upscaled 1080P visuals, as well as 3D and trophy support. I can’t vouch for ICO, since I haven’t played it, but SoTC is worth the price of admission alone.








F1 2011 (Xbox360 PS3 PC)


Corners are always tricky



While co-operative gameplay is largely restricted to action games, F1 2011 is jumping on the bandwagon this year with a co-op championship that allows you and a friend to play through a full season together as teammates. The game also boasts of a more personal career mode that emphasizes on putting you in the shoes of an F1 driver with a more cinematic presentation.








FIFA 12 (Xbox360 PS3 PC)




Eye on the ball bro



Normally, yearly iterations of games like FIFA tend to dole out pretty much the same game with shinier visuals but this year EA plan on revamping FIFA 12 big time with a new player impact engine that'll deliver realistic, bone-crunching player collisions. Besides that, you also have a new dribbling feature that now allows better close control in tight situations.








Rise of Nightmares (Xbox360)


Braiiiiiiiins

The first M rated game to hit Microsoft’s Kinect, Rise of Nightmares is a first person survival horror where players are forced to explore the demented domain of a sadistic scientist to save their wife. Like the Condemned series, players bring the pain with some devastating melee weapons like chainsaws, axes and lots more.











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