Boxee Box update 1.1 improves browser, adds movie trailers

Boxee aims to release a firmware update for D-Link's Boxee Box -- and in the future other Boxee-based devices -- approximately every three months. The last firmware update took place in February (version 1.0.4.17443) so now it's time for the next one: version 1.1. The new release will be rolled out over the next few days, and your device will automatically prompt you to download the latest firmware at start-up when it becomes available.

If you'd rather not restart your device, you can check to see if there is a newer version of the firmware by going to Settings > System > Check for new version of Boxee. If you just can't wait, here are the instructions to update manually:

1. Download the latest Boxee Box firmware at boxee.tv/download/boxeebox. The downloaded file will be named boxee.iso, and that name must be maintained.
2. Copy the boxee.iso file to a thumb drive. Make sure to properly eject the flash drive after copying the file.
3. Power down the Boxee Box.
4. Power up the Boxee Box by pressing and holding the power button for 6-10 seconds. Upon release, the Box will boot with the logo turned orange.
5. After the Recovery Menu appears, connect your thumb drive to the Boxee Box, wait two seconds, then select Upgrade from USB from the menu, and follow on-screen instructions.

If you're wondering what's new in this release, you can read through the Boxee Box 1.1 Release Notes. Alternatively, here's a summary in eight points:

• Browser Upgrades: Favorites (Bookmarks) & History have been added, New On Screen Display (no auto-full screen), and improved support for HTML 5 so you can access more content, like HBOGO.
• Movie Trailers: under Movies there's now a Trailers section, split into Library, Coming Soon, and Box Office.
• On Screen Display: a new seek bar has been added for precise rewinding/fast forwarding, the button count has been slimmed down, and the volume control has been removed for a more consistent experience.
• Customized Artwork / Info for Media Files: import video into Boxee and add your own artwork and metadata to accompany it with NFO files.
• Local File Playback: added support for HFS formatted drives, seek functionality inside music playback, and filtering local files by source.
• Share Where You Want: share content to Facebook, Twitter, or Tumblr. A character counter is also built-in.
• MLB.TV Upgrades: you can now watch live and archived games, jump to specific innings or game events, see pop-up details on every pitch, as well as rewind and fast-forward games easier.
• More Languages: the Boxee Box is on sale in 34 countries and has been translated to German, French, Italian, Spanish, Swedish, Hebrew, Danish, Dutch, Turkish, Russian, Arabic, Portuguese (Brazil), Czech, Norwegian, Finnish, and Polish.

When Boxee first discussed this update two months ago, it mentioned adding support for the Apple iPad. However now that the release is out, there is no mention of the iPad at all, so for now it looks like this functionality has been delayed.

Boxee promises that over the next few versions, the company will streamline the interface so that everything works the same, regardless of whether you're in an HTML 5 app, a normal web page, playing a movie file, or watching video from inside an application. We'll keep you updated on what they have planned for August 2011.