AfterDawn: News

Popbox launching later this month

Syabas has announced July 23rd as the shipping date for the highly-anticipated Popbox media player.

Pre-order began in May with a July 4th tentative release date. The company decided to delay the launch to work on some final tweaks for the Popbox software.



Among the first Popapps to ship with the box are Picasa, YouTube, Photobucket, Twitter, Next New Networks and Revision3.

The interface also includes a cover-flow-esque visual thumbnails selection for videos, music and other data, as well as universal search.

More notably, the interface can handle Flash, Java and QT meaning Netflix will be available eventually. Also available in the future is Hulu, CBS and ABC content, which can now include the in-video ads required for playback. Facebook Shoutcast MP3, and other Popcorn Hour content will rollover to the new box eventually, as well.

For video, full 1080p at 100Mbps is now supported, along with the standard MPEG formats, H.264, VC-1, WMV, MKV, XviD and other containers. The player can also support most subtitle files, including Microsoft's proprietary one. For streaming, the Popbox can recognize iTunes via Bonjour, and DLNA and UPnP sources.

At launch, the device will cost $130 for a wired version, or $150 for a Wi-Fi version.







Written by: Andre Yoskowitz @ 3 Jul 2010 14:42

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• 4 comments

• deftoneradio

  Source please.
  
  Your inclusion of screenshots from CES (January 2010) that show Syabas' overly optimistic app partners does not constitute confirmation that Netflix, Hulu, CBS, etc. will be coming to the Popbox "in the future." And honestly, it doesn't instill a lot of confidence in the authenticity of your reporting.
  
  Also, just because the box may theoretically be able to play content from these sources doesn't mean they will actually be included in the lineup. There's that pesky little detail called licensing.
  
  Until I see a source confirming that Netflix, Hulu, etc. will definitely be included in the future, I'm calling shenanigans on the authenticity of this article.

  4.7.2010 19:36 #1

• Jethroz99 (unverified)

  Shenanigans have been called! You must reply or loose your credibility forever!

  5.7.2010 20:58 #2

• KillerBug

  "More notably, the interface can handle Flash, Java and QT meaning Netflix will be available eventually. Also available in the future is Hulu, CBS and ABC content"
  
  NetFlix uses silverlight...so I see no reason to expect netflix support. Hulu blocks devices; they do not even allow android devices to watch their videos, so I wouldn't expect those videos either. If it does not already have CBS and ABC content, it never will.

  6.7.2010 00:10 #3

• Mark Chance (unverified)

  Pure BS!!!
  
  Old screenshots from CES!!! There is no Netflix or the like, it was removed just after CES and not going to be there.
  
  Check your sources (if they even talk to you, they sure dont talk to us)

  8.7.2010 15:40 #4