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Boxee Box Ships Today Sans Netflix, Hulu Plus: Unboxing Shots

Wendy Sheehan Donnell
 & Wendy Sheehan Donnell Editor-in-Chief, PCMag / VP of Content, Ziff Davis

Our team tests, rates, and reviews more than 1,500 products each year to help you make better buying decisions and get more from technology.

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D-Link's long-awaited Boxee Box finally starts shipping today and, along with Apple TV and Logitech's Revue with Google TV, completes the trifecta of devices fighting to bring the Web to your television just in time for the holidays.

What you won't get if you buy the $199 box on Amazon.com today: Netflix streaming or Hulu Plus support—at least not right away. On its blog, Boxee said Netflix will be added before the end of the year. The company also said it was working with Hulu to bring Hulu Plus to the Boxee Box, but didn't commit to a firm date.

Both Apple TV and the Logitech Revue with Google TV include Netflix streaming, but neither incorporates Hulu Plus. Hulu and Boxee have an interesting history: In February 2009, Hulu pulled its content from Boxee at the request of its content providers. Boxee then added a built-in RSS reader to its site in order to provide access to Hulu.com content, but Hulu blocked that once again.

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For now, you can rent movies from VUDU and watch content from other Web services like OpenFilm and IndieMoviesOnline on the Boxee Box. You can also stream your own content; one of the more attractive features of the Boxee Box is its compatibility with a wide variety of video and audio file types. Like Google TV, the Boxee Box integrates a full browser, and also lets you search right from your television for content from a variety of sources including Boxee services and the Web at large. The box also supports HTML 5-based Web sites.

The Boxee Box is built around Intel's CE4100 1.2GHz Atom processor, integrates 802.11n Wi-Fi, and supports full 1080p streaming and 5.1- and 7.1-channel audio. We're about to start testing the Boxee Box here at PCMag, so for now, enjoy the unboxing photos in the slideshow, but check back soon for a full review to see what else the Boxee Box can do, and how it stacks up against Apple TV and Google TV.



Chloe Albanesius contributed to this story.

About Our Expert

Wendy Sheehan Donnell

Wendy Sheehan Donnell

Editor-in-Chief, PCMag / VP of Content, Ziff Davis

My Experience

I'm the Editor-in-Chief of PCMag.com and the Vice President of Content for Ziff Davis. I oversee the editorial operations of PCMag and ExtremeTech.com, leading more than 65 writers, editors, and contributors, steering PC Labs, reviews, and product coverage, as well as news, expert commentary, and service journalism across the sites.

Back when the first iPhone was released, I started at PCMag as a senior editor covering consumer electronics and mobile reviews. After that, I went on to head up the reviews team as executive editor. And most recently I served as deputy editor, managing PCMag's editorial team and day-to-day operations. I've covered more product releases and have edited more reviews, roundups, and buying guides than any human reasonably should, each and every one contributing to the noble pursuit of helping you find the right technology to fit your life.

Before joining PCMag, I was the managing editor of Computer Shopper. I earned my master's degree in magazine journalism from New York University. (Nope, the irony of witnessing the deaths of both of the print magazines I've managed is not lost on me.)

Though I rarely have the opportunity to write these days, I still crave the rush that comes from crafting the perfect headline and enjoy nothing more than a spirited AP Style debate.

My Areas of Expertise

In my quarter-century-long journalism career, my main areas of focus have been mobile technology and electronics, but I've managed to cover most aspects of consumer and business technology. These days, I spend most of my time strategizing in endless video calls. I'm an ace at sharing my screen and telling people who are already speaking that they're muted.

The Technology I Use

I'm a Mac. Always have been, since my family got our first computer, the Apple IIe, in the early '80s. More irony: I was the first staff editor to use an Apple computer instead of a PC to edit reviews for PCMag. Today, my main computers are a Mac Studio with Pro Display and a 13-inch MacBook Pro. I've carried an iPhone since 2008, and proudly display the click-wheel iPod in my office. My 12-year old stole my iPad a long time ago and now he's eyeing my AirPods. I have more smart devices installed in my home than most people on the planet, and I drive an electric Mini Cooper SE and have become mildly obsessed with EV charging. There's a video game museum in my basement.

The Technology I Use

I'm a Mac. Always have been, since my family got our first computer, the Apple IIe, in the early '80s. More irony: I was the first staff editor to use an Apple computer instead of a PC to edit reviews for PCMag. Today, my main computers are a Mac Studio with Pro Display and a 13-inch MacBook Pro. I've carried an iPhone since 2008, and proudly display the click-wheel iPod in my office. My 12-year old stole my iPad a long time ago and now he's eyeing my AirPods. I have more smart devices installed in my home than most people on the planet, and I drive an electric Mini Cooper SE and have become mildly obsessed with EV charging. There's a video game museum in my basement.

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