Web browser Kylo, which claims to improve the experience of watching online video from a PC on the TV, is getting an upgrade with new features that should make couch potatoes and web video enthusiasts happy.
Kylo users can now launch the browser from a plug-in created for Windows Media Center and connect to Hulu through the browser — though how long that feature will stay alive is anyone’s guess.
Kylo’s creator Hillcrest Labs has also halved to $50 the price of its bangle-shaped Wiimote-like Loop pointer mouse that can be used to wirelessly click browser icons on the screen.
Hillcrest introduced the Kylo in March as a free Mozilla-based browser specifically designed to be viewed from a distance in the living room. Kylo works with both PCs and Macs but is not meant to replace Internet Explorer, Safari or Firefox on PCs, says HillCrest. And unlike other media players or Web sites, Kylo is not a walled garden, but a browser that can take users anywhere they want to go on the internet.
Google’s recently announced set-top and streaming web media software Google TV has revived interest in ways users can access web content including video and TV shows on the large screen in their living room. Companies such as Boxee, Roku, Netgear and Apple offer media players that aggregate web videos, photos and meld it with TV shows from broadcasters and serve it up through an easy-to-use interface.
But a big challenge for all these companies has been cracking Hulu. Boxee and other companies have been playing a cat-and-mouse game with Hulu to offer the service through their streaming media players. Boxee, for instance, has been regularly blocked by Hulu though it is available currently through the software.
Hillcrest Labs says it is talking to Hulu to ensure Kylo watchers can have uninterrupted access.
“We know that one feature that is likely to attract attention is the capability for advanced users to configure the Kylo browser to access Hulu,” says Dan Simpkins co-founder of Hillcrest Labs in a statement. “Our hope is that a respectful dialog with Hulu will encourage them to consider changing their policies.”
But even if Hulu blocks Kylo, the browser is counting on a few new features to keep its users hooked. Kylo will have an auto-hide control bar which is useful for video sites that do not offer full screen mode. It lets watchers maximize viewing space.
Kylo now also has a print from TV browser options for computers linked via ethernet or Wi-Fi to a networked printer.
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