Boxee partners with Iomega, NAS device running Boxee is coming

[cooldfuz1on]

We are happy to announce that Iomega will be bringing out a Network Attached Storage (NAS) device running the Boxee software.

Boxee is a software company (even though some people mistake us for a set-top box maker) and we would like to get our software embedded into as many devices as possible: set-top boxes such as the Boxee Box by D-Link, NAS devices such as the upcoming Iomega TV with Boxee, TVs, BluRays, Game Consoles, etc.

Iomega will be our second device partner and we hope to continue to grow the list in 2011 and beyond.

We love the idea behind a NAS device running Boxee. For people with media storage that’s running low, it’s a perfect place to expand their collections while giving them wireless / wired access to their existing collection on a TV. The Iomega product will come with 3 different configurations: Diskless, 1TB and 2TB. If you have large HD files that are just too much for your WiFi network to handle then having them stored locally is a perfect solution.

Like the Boxee Box by D-Link the Iomega TV with Boxee is powered by the Intel® Atom™ processor CE4100, bringing the fire power required to play 1080P HD videos, run a TV browser, play Adobe Flash 10.1 and more. Having both Boxee-based devices running the same system-on-chip is also making life simpler for us, since we can develop virtually identical firmware for both.

Iomega is a worldwide leader in storage solutions, with a variety of NAS, external hard drives, multimedia drives, and removable storage solutions. We are excited about the partnership and the opportunity to bring Boxee goodness to a new type of device, giving users more options for getting Boxee to their TVs.

The pricing of the Iomega TV with Boxee will be (MSRP):

No disk – $229
1TB – $299
2TB – $349
We expect the product to be available in the first half of the year.

Source: Boxee blog

[davefromcamp]

Why would you get the no disk vs the d-link boxee box?

[Vandetta]

Why would you get the no disk vs the d-link boxee box?

To put in a 2tb hard drive yourself. Many go for $80-100 and 3tb should be the norm soon.

[gmd024]

To put in a 2tb hard drive yourself. Many go for $80-100 and 3tb should be the norm soon.

There seems to be some confusion on this -- but I believe you can not add any HHDs to 'any' of the models, even if the HDD on the models that have one built in fails -- and the Boxee OS 'might' be installed on the int. HDD models - this is only speculation -- but I believe the "No adding your own HDD" is not

[Mevi]

While this form factor might work better for some people than the unusual styling of the Boxee Box, why do Iomega products look so rubbish? I'd want to hide that well out of sight.

Anyway, is there no space inside a Boxee Box for a HDD?

[FuguAndFries]

While this form factor might work better for some people than the unusual styling of the Boxee Box, why do Iomega products look so rubbish? I'd want to hide that well out of sight.

Anyway, is there no space inside a Boxee Box for a HDD?

With the Iomega remote using IR, the Harmony fanboi's will be delighted. IR is practically line of sight, so no stuffing this thing on top of the cable nest...so the form factor helps with this aspect of the aesthetic.

Personally, I don't want to see tech. I prefer this Iomega styling because it's a smaller form factor -but again, IR is a deal breaker in my case. Thank goodness for vendor choice -thanks Boxee!

[pcm2a]

The IR remote is amazing! Right now I have a IR dongle sitting up by my Boxee box so I can use my HArmony 880 remote control. I hope I kept the package to that thing.

Still no specs on the NIC in the Iomega, if it is 100mbit (like the BBox) or 1000mbit like the WDTV and every other device made in the past few years.

[Randall_Lind]

If you can't add a hdd or ever replace it then screw that. I figure a DIY system will cost me $400 with 2tb hdd's then for another $100 I can add another if I want.

Boxee windows software needs to get to 1.0 before I do a DIY. I am saving now however.