boxes

Less than a day after a schematic of what appeared to be the fourth-generation Apple TV set-top box appeared in a U.S. regulatory filing, the company says it's not a new version at all, but a minor behind-the-scenes hardware change.

In a statement today provided to The Verge, the company said it had to file new paperwork with the Federal Communications Commission following a change to one of the internal components.

"We sometimes make component changes which require an updated model number for regulatory approval," an Apple spokesperson said. "The component changes we made don't affect product features and Apple TV customers will continue to have the same great user experience." … Read more

A new regulatory filing suggests Apple is readying a fourth-generation Apple TV set, one that looks a whole lot like the last two models, but with one minor difference.

That difference is size. The new version, which Engadget spotted in a filing with the Federal Communications Commission today, is 93.78mm around versus the current model's 98mm. It also carries the model number A1469, which differs from the current model's A1427 designation.

The filing comes on the heels of a reference to an unreleased Apple TV model inside of iOS 6.1, which Apple released to the public yesterday … Read more

Box is poised to go public as soon as next year, following in the footsteps of other recent and successful Wall Street debuts for enterprise software companies.

The company's co-founder and CEO, Aaron Levie, told Bloomberg in an interview that Box is aiming to declare an initial public offering in 2014. He hinted that 2013 is still a possibility, but he described it as a "long shot."

Levie added that Box will "have to go public" as company leaders have no intention to be acquired by a larger competitor, perhaps Google or even Microsoft.

Expectations … Read more

LAS VEGAS--As reported by Kotaku earlier this evening, modular PC vendor Xi3 announced an new project funded by PC game maker and digital distribution service provider Valve Software. The company says it isn't discussing many details about the project, other than the fact that it's "designed specifically to support both Steam and its Big Picture mode for residential and LAN party computer gaming on larger high-def screens."

Steam, if you're unfamiliar, is Valve Software's dominant PC gaming digital distribution service. Big Picture Mode is Valve's new feature that provides a TV-friendly overlay to … Read more

LAS VEGAS--Toshiba is known primarily for TVs, laptops, and home theater gear, and at a pre-CES event tonight at the Mandalay Bay hotel, it trotted out its latest innovations in each category.

One of the most remarkable is the L9300 series of TVs, which marks the company's first U.S. foray into 4K TV and presages what are sure to be many more 4K TV announcements in the next few days at the show -- stupid as they may be. Shipping this summer, the series will be available in 58-, 65- and 84-inch sizes. Pricing was not disclosed, but … Read more

LAS VEGAS--One could argue that Blu-ray players have been misnamed for years. Yes, they play your Blu-rays, but they're even more about their embedded Smart TV suites that serve up streaming video and music.

That's the angle Toshiba is taking, rolling our four new devices curiously called "Media Box with Blu-ray Disc player capabilities." That's more awkward than it needs to be, but it's hard not to like Toshiba reversing the importance of Blu-ray and streaming capabilities.

The specific features are broken down in the chart to the right. Miracast is supported by all … Read more

Shortly after its rebranding in 2008, year-old gadget trade-in service Gazelle had a problem.

People were sending in diapers.

Not used diapers, of course. But after agreeing to send the company their old smartphone in return for cash, some customers were eschewing typical pack,aging materials in favor of whatever was in their house. As it turned out, this could be spare diapers, worn-out shoes and even pillows.

Why was this happening? The service, which buys used gadgets then sells them off to third-parties, was giving customers U.S. Postal Service shipping boxes and an envelope. People took one look … Read more

Intel may offer a peek at its rumored cable TV set-top box to people attending the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas next week.

An unnamed source inside Intel said that the first working version of the chipmaker's set-top box will be shown at Intel's CES event on January 7, according to tips received by TechCrunch. A video distribution industry source familiar with Intel's plans also told the blog site that the rollout of the new service will start "soon," but couldn't provide a specific date.

TechCrunch's source further said that Intel is … Read more

I've long admired Pro-Ject turntables, but I was only vaguely aware of their electronics line so it was high time to check out one of their amplifiers. I requested their baby amp, the Stereo Box S ($299). It's the smallest power amp I've ever seen, a mere 4.1 by 1.4 by 4.8 inches, and the build quality of its all-metal chassis felt robust. The amp is available in silver or black finishes. A remote control adjusts volume and switches between two RCA inputs. The gold-plated speaker binding posts are really pretty small, and so … Read more