Well my prediction that Akimbo would leave the hardware market in 2006 has proven false, and it’s only the fourth day of the year! A new RCA-produced box running Akimbo software will debut at $199 this spring. Unlike the existing box, a video-on-demand (VOD) library of current releases will be offered by broadband service Movielink. Sadly, like the existing box, content will not be offered in HD.
Akimbo says: The new RCA Akimbo Player, priced at $199 with rebate, will offer a high quality audio and video experience, broadband connectivity and a powerful processor for improved UI performance. Its Ethernet and dual USB ports will provide consumer options for peripherals and home networking connectivity, such as through the use of wireless 802.11g adapters. The hard disk drive will allow Akimbo subscribers to store up to 150 hours of movies and video for on-demand playback. The RCA Akimbo Player is based on Thomson’s next generation IP1100 IPTV platform which offers an array of advanced compression codecs to deliver improved video performance at lower bandwidths. “Today is a milestone for Akimbo as we join with the legendary consumer electronics brand – RCA, and Movielink, a leading broadband VOD movie service which offers premium Hollywood content,” said Chief Executive Officer Joshua Goldman. “It has always been our vision to supply consumers with a robust video collection and the combination of Thomson’s latest technology and Movielink’s broad film library will provide an unparalleled entertainment experience.”
I honestly just don’t get this service. You pay a fee to pay fee’s to access almost anything… Many of the fee’s are super high the average is a couple bucks. Almost any normal usage patterns would end up costing more then cable, and then on top of that they expire the content left and right, even the stuff you paid for. I guess if you can’t get anything else, but it seems like a seriously flawed business model with very limited consumer appeal. It’s fair to mention that my experience was solely with the MCE trial addition.