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Chumby has closed down according to former CEO Derrick Oien. The company had attempted to redevelop its widget platform for smart TVs and had released the NeTV. It had also signed deals with LG and Best Buy, however speaking to The Verge, Oien says that investors finally decided to pull out leaving its staff to be largely absorbed by Technicolor.
Chumby's Duane Maxwell has confirmed suspicions among prospective buyers that the company had stopped selling hardware. He told community members that the company had stopped selling its own-branded products, having stopped production in 2011. Chumby had run out of stock, he said.
Sony has announced that it has stopped development for the Dash portable web and app capable streaming media player. The Chumby-based devices are centred on a 7-inch display that allow users to access Flickr, Photobucket as well as Pandora and Shoutcast Internet radio through custom apps. Developers visiting the official Sony Dash developer website are advised that beginning February 29 the site will close and no longer support the development of new applications.
Sony as part of its home media push Wednesday unveiled a rearchitected Dash and brought the N200 streaming media player to the US. The Dash HID-B7 and HID-B70 are now PC-free, having their own setup processes, and have a simple web browser for a quick information check. The B70 adds a built-in lithium-ion battery to let it serve as a traveling clock radio.
Chumby has announced the NeTV, an appliance that turns a conventional TV into a "smart" TV. The device, placed between the TV and any video source, inserts additional content. Using it, a viewer can browse the web, view photos sent from an Android-based smartphone, or access over 1,500 apps including a personalized internet news crawler, Facebook, Twitter, Pandora, or Flickr.
Best Buy has announced its Insignia-branded Connected TV (cTV). The Insignia cTV is a smart TV that uses the TiVo interface to simplify searching for broadcast programming, internet content, and chumby social media applications. The cTV does not have DVR capability and does not require a paid TiVo subscription. Two models will be available, featuring either a 32-inch or 42-inch 1080p/120Hz LED display.
Best Buy appears to be readying its Insignia televisions to launch with a number of connected features, including the Chumby apps that were detailed last month. Corroborating recent rumors, a fresh set of leaked images, which were posted on Zatz Not Funny, show the packaging for the 42-inch variant. Earlier reports already pointed to several other connected features, such as Netflix and Pandora, however the TVs may arrive as the first to offer the Chumby apps.
Internet content company Chumby Industries and digital video device manufacturer Pace have collaborated on a set of applications to run on Pace's Internet-connected television set-top boxes. Chumby had previously focused on managing content through stand-alone Chumby-branded and third party devices such as the Sony Dash and Best Buy Insignia Infocast Internet Media Display. Chumby apps are also available for the Android OS.
Chumy has announced that its latest device, the Chumby 8, has finally received a solid launch time-frame and pricing. The device is already available to pre-order directly from the company for $199, with shipments expected to begin on April 5. Customers can choose from black or red color schemes, along with custom skins from Skinit.
Confirming a number of recent rumors, Chumby has officially unveiled a new version of its Internet device. The Chumby 8 features a larger eight-inch resistive touchscreen with 800x600 resolution, more than doubling the screen size from its predecessor. The form has also changed from a cube to a thinner design resembling a photo frame.
A surprise leak on Thursday has revealed what's likely to be the second-generation Chumby. The shot shows a device with a larger screen than the 3.5-inch original and a more serious look than the plush original, possibly inspired by the Chumby-based Sony Dash. The version spotted by Gizmodo would be considerably thinner than either, resembling more a photo frame with a large base and speakers built into the sides.
Chumby, the Linux-based widget platform, reached Android phones today. The release marks the first time users can take the Chumby experience outside of a dedicated device. Users can access the same streaming Internet radio, games, web apps and the alarm clock function of Chumby.
Sony this morning said it would bring Hulu Plus to virtually all of its devices. Every 2010 Bravia TV with Internet either built-in or added on, as well as similar Blu-ray players and home theater bundles, will get access to the $10 monthly streaming service. The company is also lifting the invite-only limit on PS3s and will let all American PS3 owners sign up for TV viewing.
A new firmware update for Sony's Dash Personal Internet Viewer adds AOL's free Shoutcast Internet radio service to the Chumby-based device. Any of the Shoutcast stations can be used with the device's clock radio feature. The update also includes a shortcut to a thumbnail gallery for faster access to apps installed on the user's personal channel. The update installs automatically when the Dash is restarted by unplugging it momentarily then plugging it in again.
The open-source hardware community, that has products such as the Chumby multimedia gadget among others, has received its first set of standards recently. Dubbed the Open Source Hardware Draft, it's in version 0.3, and includes 11 rules. This includes documentation, necessary software, derived works, free distribution, attribution, no discrimination against persons or groups, no discrimination against fields of work, distribution of license, not limiting a license to a specific product, allowing use on other hardware or software and making the standards technology-neutral.
Chumby software may soon extend its reach beyond the Chumby One, Sony Dash, and Insignia's Infocast picture frame to include tablet computers, TVs and home energy control monitors. Chumby is open-source software that includes an applications market and the company is marketing the software as a media platform that is easily adaptable for a multitude of portable and home electronics.
Best Buy has announced the Insignia Infocast Internet Media Display , a web-based media player powered by the same OS as the Chumby. Strikingly similar to the Sony Dash, the Infocast centers on an 8-inch, 800x600 LCD touchscreen and has access to most Chumby content Over 1500 widgets are available from the Chumby app store to display news, weather, and content from social networking sites like Facebook, and Pandora. The Infocast can also share files with other Chumby-powered devices.
Introduced at CES, the Dash Personal Internet Viewer is now being sold on Sony's website. As promised, the device is priced at $200 and has a Wi-Fi connection to access apps that can bring news, weather, traffic, sports, gaming, social networking and other content to the Chumby-based device.
Sony today said the Dash would get a custom Netflix app by the time it reaches shops in April. The software will let it stream Watch Instantly movies and TV shows in what Sony says is ideal for watching in bed or in the kitchen. Owners won't have the option of creating the movie queue themselves but will have the option of browsing an existing queue.
As part of a slew of updates brought out with its CES keynote, Sony added the Dash to the mix. Expanding beyond what it mentioned at the presentation, the company views it as an upscale parallel to the Chumby. The all-touchscreen device can display news, make Facebook updates and play media but thrives the most on apps: over 1,000 Chumby apps will work and significantly extend its features beyond what's in the box.
Chumby will add a new gadget to its range, with the Chumby one, which will be a clock radio. The all-purpose device adds both a regular FM radio tuner, and will bring in Pandora Internet radio as well as access to other Internet radio stations. As with the original Chumby device, userscan install widgets that include Google Calendar, weather, Facebook and nearly 1,500 others.
Executives at Chumby have said on Thursday that they plan on bringing the gadget's software to other consumer electronics via a series of partnerships. The Chumby can so far bring weather, music, news, photos and trivia to living rooms from the Internet. According to a Thursday Forbes report, the company's chief executive, Steve Tomlin, has established partnerships with Sony, Samsung, Broadcom and Marvell to bring the open-source operating system into TVs, Blu-ray players, clock and tabletop radios and other consumer electronics, with some expected for a release before the end of 2009.
Broadcom announced on Monday that the Chumby platform will be made available for the company's Internet connected devices that include digital TVs, set-top boxes and chips uses in Blu-ray players. The cooperation between the companies will allow users to tune to Internet radio stations and podcasts as well as access other personalized Internet content. Via widgets, users can access social networks, including Chumby's own, in addition to streaming video or audio content offered by its media partners.
Chumby today added support for a new set of features on its namesake customizable Internet media device. The updates are headlined by the addition of Pandora's radio streams; users can now listen to their personal Internet music feeds on the device and flag songs as they would on a computer or cellphone to favorite certain music styles or exclude others. Pandora can also be used as the default alarm along with other usual sources. Using the new stream on the Chumby is free.
