Boxee first began about three years ago as a startup in NYC with a beta version of its media center software and then D-Link-made a physical Boxee Box, and the company began selling limited quantities through Best Buy and a few other online retailers. Starting tomorrow with the Boxee TV, the startup company has reached a whole new level and will begin selling in Walmart stores.
The Boxee TV will go nationwide tomorrow at Walmart for $99.00. It will be supported by a big in-store advertising campaign, which includes live demo endcaps and extra signage.
This is the company’s third product, following the Boxee Box. For those that don’t know, the Boxee TV features Netflix, Pandora and a number of other streaming apps, but the main focus is on live TV rather than streaming content like the Box. The Boxee TV sells for the same price as the Apple TV and the Roku, but offers even more than these competitors: a live TV tuner and unlimited DVR storage. But there’s a catch, obviously.
This “no-limits DVR” uses Amazon’s cloud service to provide a DVR without storage limits and users can really record as much content as they want from OTA and basic cable. That sounds pretty good, but the problem is that the no-limits DVR costs $14.99 a month and will only be available in a few markets when it launches.
Regardless, with Walmart’s help, the Boxee TV could turn into quite a successful product. It’s priced realistically and offers even more than similar devices from competitors. Being featured in one of America’s biggest retailers throughout the holiday season probably won’t hurt either.
Image Credit: TechCrunch
