I was beaten today by our own Engadget and The New York Times, both of which reviewed a new on-demand TV device called Akimbo. I was going to (and still may) review this device because it has some PVR characteristics.
Containing an 80 GB hard drive, and about the size of a VCR or TiVo, Akimbo is able to download programming over the Internet on demand. You can think of it as a PVR that lets you choose programming beyond that available to you from cable TV and satellite TV services.
The box is currently on sale for $99. The downloading service is $10 a month or a one-time $170 fee. These charges will get you a library of 2,000 TV shows and movies you can download. Unfortunately, not every show is free; some carry charges of $2.99 or so for a month's viewing. After that period, you have to pay up again to watch them.
The review in the New York Times was brutal. Here's a snippet:
"And despite Akimbo's claim to be `the first digital quality video-on-demand service over the Internet,' the video quality is erratic. None of it is high-definition, none of it looks as good as a DVD, and some of it has the blockiness and pixellation of a Web cam. One children's series is so obviously a transfer from a VHS cassette, you can actually see the white streaks of the VCR's dirty heads."
Akimbo plans to update the box with an operating system that will allow for faster rewinding and fast-forwarding, according to the Times. Right now, the paper's review says, both functions are incredibly slow.
According to Engadget's review, Akimbo has 46 channels, including some well-known ones like A&E, BBC and The History Channel. But there are plenty of less-known, niche channels like AdvenTV and LetGo! Yoga. Many of the programs take a long time to download -- often as long to download as the length of the show itself.
Clearly, Akimbo isn't for everyone. In fact, from reading the two reviews, it's hard to see that it's for anyone. But if the company improves its programming lineup, does some integrations with things like Media Center PCs or TiVo, and overall makes the system work faster, it could be a nice complement to your existing cable TV or satellite TV feeds.
