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Boxee Launches New API

Posted by Soulskill on from the take-that-hulu dept.

A recent post on the boxee blog announces the release of a new, fully documented API that will allow developers to create and share new apps and plugins. "The new boxee API enables developers to build sophisticated applications (such as the Pandora and RadioTime apps) using a set of API calls in Python and writing the GUI using XML. ... Users can install new applications via the boxee App Box, the beginnings of our app store. Unlike other app stores, boxee does not want to be a gate keeper (or bottleneck) in deciding which applications are published so anyone can become a publisher." A complete description is available at their developers page. I'm sure this will help in their ongoing battle with Hulu.

3 of 69 comments (clear)

  1. Say what? by qoncept · · Score: 4, Insightful

    A boxee app store? I understand that they are working on getting hardware created, but they are expecting people to pay for little applets that will run under boxee on hardware that you either had to build yourself or hack to even run it in the first place? And even after their own device is out, how many people are going to buy it [b]and[/b] buy plugins for it?

    I also understand that if they aren't thinking big, they might as well not even try (think you can or think you can't..) but I just don't see this being even remotely successful. People use their iPhone because its "cool" and want it to do everything their computer does while they're on the road. If you want the functionality of a computer while you're in your living room, get up and walk to your office.

    --
    Whale
  2. Re:I'm sorry by tjonnyc999 · · Score: 3, Funny

    Oh god, now I have that voice stuck in my head. "My name is Boxxy". FFFFFFFFUUUUUUU-

  3. Been done on Plex by DCstewieG · · Score: 3, Informative

    This looks very similar to what they're doing with the Mac fork of XBMC, Plex. It's very cool how they implemented it, basically making Plex a frontend for Safari with the plug-in defining the area of the browser that the video is in. This way, as far as the site is concerned, someone is using the browser like normal.

    They also have an App Store but it's not designed to be for pay, and I would doubt the Boxee one is either. I had never used Python before but I was able to whip up some plug-ins which are now available in the store.

    http://www.plexapp.com/