(Image courtesy of AppleTVHacks.net)
If you’re one of the few who’s running a stock Apple TV — go read something else. For the rest of you, it’s time to get your Boxee on again!
MacNN is reporting that the latest beta of Boxee — version 0.9.20.10708 to be precise — now restores the ability to run on Apple TV, according to the developer. This is significant, since the new, redesigned Boxee has been MIA from most hacked Apple TVs since Cupertino updated it to version 3.0 (it was technically possible, but only for those with a knowledge of SSH).
Thanks to a “resurrected” atvusb-creator tool, Apple TV users can again create a USB matchstick to boot their device and get Boxee running in just a few steps. Upgrading users are encouraged to perform a clean install, deleting any prior Boxee UserData folder and starting from scratch. This folder is located on your Apple TV within the Library/Application Support/BOXEE/ directory.
For the less adventurous among you, the new Boxee beta is also available from ATVFlash, a more commercially-minded program which collects a number of third-party hacks into one package and allows you to easily update them via the Internet on your Apple TV at any time.
For those of you who haven’t heard of Boxee yet, the open source software based on XBMC is a media browsing interface with far greater format support than the stock Apple TV will get you — including the ability to stream web video from sources other than YouTube. Boxee is also available in Mac, Windows and Ubuntu Linux flavors, and the company has partnered with D-Link for a Boxee Box hardware device that’s promised for this spring.
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Telltale Games is bringing Tales of Monkey Island, Sam & Max Beyond Time and Space, and nearly all of its other titles to the Mac. For a single price, gamers will be able to download both Mac and PC versions through the Telltale site.
The company confirmed plans to demonstrate titles at the San Francisco Macworld Expo beginning on February 11. Tales of Monkey Island will be released first, with the company planning on a February 8 release. Telltale will then follow with two seasons of Sam & Max, Wallace & Gromit’s Grand Adventures, and Strong Bad’s Cool Game for Attractive People.
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Telltale declined to officially explain the timing for most of the games, but a source within the company said that they would follow the previously mentioned order; Tales of Monkey Island will launch first, Sam & Max will launch in several weeks, and the others will be out in the next few months. Other than Bone and Texas Hold ‘Em, the source confirmed that Telltale plans to port its entire catalog to OS X.
PC, Xbox 360, and Wii gamers have enjoyed these titles over the past several years. Telltale treats the games like a television season, releasing individual episodes on a regular schedule for a lower cost than a typical, full game. And adventure fans will recognize the Monkey Island and Sam & Max franchises; Telltale has relaunched those classics with the help of some of the original developers.
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Telltale’s different titles use essentially the same game engine, helping make the Mac transition possible in a single swoop. Since Mac OS X and the iPhone/iPad are close cousins; Mac OS X developers can move products to those portable devices without starting from scratch.
Now that Telltale’s games will run on OS X, will they migrate to the relatively similar iPhone and iPad OS platform? The company source was coy and didn’t confirm any specific plans, however he noted that Telltale wants to release its games for every platform possible. While an iPhone/iPad release is unconfirmed, we think it’s likely, eventually.
