Today Boxee unveils their much anticipated beta (link) and for those that can’t be there in person we have a short video demonstration of it’s new look and feel.

Boxee is a cross-platform freeware media center software with a 10-foot user interface and social networking features designed for the living-room TV.  It’s a cross between Facebook and the Apple TV.  Better yet, Boxee can be easily installed onto your Apple TV by creating a USB patchstick and booting from it while still retaining all the original Apple TV functionality like rentals or purchases from iTunes.

Once installed you get some of the missing features many Apple TV Junkies want to see in the Apple TV such as:

• Support for additional video and audio codecs and containers (such as DivX, ISO/VOB, MKV and so much more)
• Support for streaming media from network shares (such as a NAS)
• Support for streaming media from various Internet sources
• And so much more

Another expected announcement is that Boxee will be partnering with a vendor to embed Boxee software into a standalone consumer electronic device or set top box.

Click here for details on how to signup for early-access to the Boxee Beta.

Stay tuned for our wrapup of the event.  Let us know in the comments what you hope to see in the Boxee Beta

I can’t even claim to have used Apple TV 3.0 so why should I be such an alarmist? Not surprisingly, installing any Apple TV update will wipe out non-Apple features you may have installed like Boxee. The Apple TV without Boxee is just pointless. I suspect many Apple TV junkies rely on Boxee for fundamental media player functionality like the ability to stream from ubiquitous network attached storage (NAS) devices (a must for even modest media libraries) or support fo additional video codecs like DivX.

After reading all the underwhelming reviews of Apple TV 3.0 the most visible of changes is in the user interface. According to reports on the Boxee community forum this new UI appears to be causing problems with the Launcher menu items required for Boxee. Until a new ATV patch stick is available, when you upgrade to Apple TV 3.0 you cannot reinstall Boxee.

Its been over 2.5 years and the Apple TV still doesn’t support streaming from a NAS or additional codecs like DivX. Apple, when are you going to open the platform up for third-party developers to fill the gaps? Updates like Apple TV 3.0 only serves to irritate and frustrate Apple TV junkies as their beloved Apple TV suffers a long slow death into obsurity.

We can only hold solice in the fact that Apple TV junkies are a resourceful group of people determined not to give up. They’ll find a way to update Launcher so Boxee can live, yet again, on our Apple TVs. It’s too bad this coincides with the highly anticipated November release of a new version of Boxee. Regardleas, expect Boxee to continue to impress while ressurecting the Apple TV once again.

I’m going to go speculate that the Mac Mini refresh may be the start of a convergence with the Apple TV.  I’m not here to suggest Apple will include TV tuner or capture/record capabilities as this could distract users away from their cash cow iTunes Store for content.  However, as a media playback device, the Apple TV is missing the ability to play my existing DVD collection.  The Mac Mini could become Apple TVs big brother for Apple TV Juinkies that want to de-clutter by eliminating their tradditional DVD player.   A ‘pro’ version of the Apple TV, if you will.

Sound off in the comments and let us know what you think.

Wrong:  Apple TV will get a price drop and larger capacities.

Correct: Apple TV wont receive any CPU or BluRay updgrades.

Wrong: More studios and networks signing deals to release content on iTunes. Introduction of a Rhapsody-like subscription model for unlimited music.

Wrong: iTunes to support the ability to re-download previously purchased movies and TV shows.

Wrong: For my “one-last thing” I’ll go out on a limb and suggest announcement of an App Store for Apple TV.

Correct: Movies and TV shows from iTunes Store will still contain digital rights management (DRM).

Correct: Still unable to import my DVD collection so I can watch on Apple TV (maybe they’ll try to compromise with a lame DVD sharing feature from PC/Mac).

Correct: Still unable to stream content to Apple TV from my network attached storage (NAS) devices.

Correct: Still unable to play non H.264 content (like DivX/Xvid) on Apple TV.

I know my predictions were kinda lame and loaded for failure (or is that success?), however, this does underline the continued hobby status Apple has given to the Apple TV.  Not a peep… even the iPhone got some lovin’!

Throw us Apple TV Junkies a bone Apple.  The introduction of iTunes Extra for movies would have made the perfect transition to atleast drop mention of this feature coming to the Apple TV.  We’re being relegated to the back woods to die a slow pitiful death.

• Oct. 2008. Apple declares the Apple TV “still a hobby in 2009″ during quarterly conference call.
• Feb. 2009.  Bernstein Research analyst Toni Sacconaghi sparked rumours of Apple TV becoming the digital media hub for cable TV. 
• Sept. 2009.  Apple CFO says cable set-top box functionality doesn’t fit with Apple’s business model
• Piper Jaffray’s senior research analyst predicts Apple TV news on September 9.
• The Loop’s Jim Dalyrymple predicts no Apple TV news on September 9.

I have mixed feelings about this. On one hand it shows that producers are willing to explore digital-only distribution in a particular market and cut out the middle man (i.e. cable TV providers) all together. I’d love to eliminate my cable bill and pay for only the quality programming I want. I like this trend. There are only a few shows I find worth watching anyways. Eliminating cable, I could purchase 16 to 48 episodes per month (depending on cable TV package). Unlike my cable service, I’d have something to show for it!

This brings us to the other hand. What am I left with? Protected video that can only be played via iTunes or Apple devices. Many of you may be an Apple TV Junkie and proclaim “So?” However, digital rights management (DRM) is evil and not cool. The Apple TV is still a hobby and I’m not prepared to lock myself into the technology “du jour”. The Apple TV hardware platform hasn’t seen any improvements (aside from storage) since it debuted over two years ago. As big as iTunes is now, it wont be around forever (see Yahoo! Music and MSN Music) and nor will the Apple TV.

I want to support digital distribution and purchase content, however, the built-in obsolescence costs of DRM are just too high. Alternate download sites are looking more attractive and it has everything to do with freedom of choice to use Apple TV, Boxee or any media player I want to.

You may remember me from such places as the Boxee community forums, Boxee video tutorials I’ve created on Youtube, Clearware or any number of online projects I get involved with.

I happen to be an information security professional with interests that include digital media and it’s social implications (such as digital rights management, fair use and copyright legislation).

I’ve got a few ideas ripe for sharing and expect to see you all actively posting your comments.