Rockville, Md. –
unveiled Tuesday the newest
version of its Kylo free web browser for television.
The Kylo browser is designed to let users view content from their
PCs and Macs on connected TV screens.
It was specifically designed to be viewed from a distance in the
living room, family room or dorm room.
Meanwhile, Hillcrest said it is making its Loop air pointer/mouse
available as a companion product at a $69 street price in the U.S. for a
limited time. The offer marks a $30 savings from the usual price.
The latest version of the Kylo browser (Kylo Beta 0.8) is
available for free via download at
.
The company said that current Kylo users are reporting a high
level of satisfaction and their feedback was used in developing the latest
version.
New enhancements include:
* an instant visual search feature that provides thumbnails of
images as users begin to type search terms, enabled by a new integration with
Clicker.tv;
* a simplified user interface;
*improved bookmark management and customization; and
* tighter product integration for users of Windows Media Center.
The Kylo browser is designed to do the work of PC-centric
browsers such as Internet Explorer, Safari or Firefox on TV screens.
The system is said not to be a “walled garden” of aggregated video
content, but rather a true web browser that lets users go where they want
across the Internet.
Compared with conventional browsers, the Kylo browser provides
more onscreen viewing space and less visual clutter, larger fonts and buttons
for easy navigation from across the room, an easy-to-use onscreen keyboard, and
zoom-and-pan capability for enhanced viewing, Hillcrest said.
“Kylo is the simplest, most open and affordable way to enjoy web
content on TV,” stated Dan Simpkins, Hillcrest Labs founder and CEO. “For the vast majority of households that
already own a computer, there is no need to buy a separate box or pay
additional subscription fees in order to enjoy the entire web on TV. With our
new product enhancements, Kylo is an even better browser than before, and we
are very proud to offer a version for the U.K. for the first time.”
