Boxee

About

Boxee, a digital media company founded in the United States, developed a proprietary, free personal media center software designed for home theater PCs. Initially available for Mac, Windows, Linux, and iPad, its core product compiled media from local computers and the internet into a simple, remote-control friendly user interface. The software included built-in social media features, allowing users to see what friends had watched and recommended, and offered capabilities like watching and sharing videos with Facebook and X integration. However, by late 2011 and early 2012, Boxee announced a significant strategic pivot, discontinuing support for its PC/Mac/Ubuntu software (with version 1.5 being the final release) to concentrate entirely on hardware devices such as the 'Boxee Box,' connected TVs, Blu-Rays, and second-screen devices like tablets and phones. This shift, driven by the belief that the future of TV lay in dedicated devices rather than HTPCs, led to the removal of features like Netflix support on PC and generated considerable user criticism. The company subsequently focused on new products like Boxee Live TV, aiming to compete in the evolving connected TV and consumer electronics market.