Lifehacker Most Popular Free Mac Downloads of 2010

The Kylo Web browser for TV was developed for the millions of consumers who view online content on their PCs or Macs® connected to the TV. Kylo lets users access sites across the Internet, with a browser that was designed to provide optimized presentation of websites for viewing from a distance in the living room, family room or dorm room. The Kylo browser works with any mouse, but is ideal for use with Hillcrest’s Loop pointer, the award-winning, in-air mouse that is powered by Hillcrest’s Freespace® in-air pointing and motion-control technology. The Kylo Web browser for TV is available for free via download at http://www.kylo.tv. The Loop pointer is available for just $49 as part of a current promotion via Hillcrest Labs or Amazon.com at http://www.hillcrestlabs.com/loop.

“It is a great honor to be named as a CES Innovations Award Honoree for the second year in a row, first for our groundbreaking Loop pointer, and now for our Kylo TV browser,” said Dan Simpkins, founder and CEO of Hillcrest Labs. “The combination of the Kylo TV browser and Loop in-air pointer lets consumers access the full Internet on TV and is an easier to use alternative compared to most costly over-the-top video peripherals.”

The prestigious Innovations Design and Engineering Awards have been recognizing achievements in product design and engineering since 1976. It is sponsored by the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA)®, the producer of the International CES, the world’s largest consumer technology tradeshow.

Hillcrest’s Kylo browser will be displayed at the 2011 International CES, which runs January 6-9, 2011 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Innovations Design and Engineering Showcase will feature honorees by product category in the Grand Lobby of the Las Vegas Convention Center and will also be featured at CES Unveiled: The Official Press Event of the International CES on Tuesday, January 4.

Latest Version Includes Instant Visual Search Through Integration with Clicker.tv
Now Available for the United Kingdom, with a UK-Centric Kylo Directory
Ideal Companion Product, The LoopTM Pointer, Offered at Reduced Price

Rockville, MD – October 5, 2010 – Hillcrest Labs today unveiled the latest version of Kylo™, the free Web browser for television, with many new features for the millions of consumers who view online content on their PCs or Macs® connected to the TV. Kylo lets users access sites across the Internet, with a browser that was specifically designed to be viewed from a distance in the living room, family room or dorm room. To mark the occasion, Hillcrest’s award-winning companion product, the Loop pointerTM, is now available for $69 in the U.S. for a limited time – a thirty dollar savings from its usual price.

The latest version of the Kylo browser (Kylo Beta 0.8) is available for free via download at http://www.kylo.tv. Current Kylo users report a high level of satisfaction and their feedback directly impacted the new design and improvements in the browser. The latest Kylo browser includes a variety of new enhancements, including: 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; tighter product integration for users of Windows® Media Center; a new Kylo Directory for users in the UK; and more.

The Kylo browser is not meant to replace traditional browsers such as Internet Explorer®, Safari® or Firefox® for use with standard computer display screens, but instead is for use on a television connected to a computer. Unlike other applications or websites, Kylo is not a “walled garden” of aggregated video content, but rather a true Web browser that lets users go where they want across the Internet. Compared to conventional browsers, the Kylo browser provides more on- screen 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.

“Kylo is the simplest, most open and affordable way to enjoy Web content on TV,” said Dan Simpkins, founder and CEO of Hillcrest Labs. “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 UK for the first time.”

New Features of the Kylo Browser Beta 0.8 include:

• New look and interface – The new Kylo browser includes visual and usability enhancements, such as better zooming, that improve the overall user experience. With even more space dedicated to the actual Web page and fewer buttons than before, learning and using Kylo is easier than ever.

• Instant visual search capabilities – Through Hillcrest’s new strategic relationship with Clicker.tv users who type in a search query using the on-screen keyboard or a physical keyboard are provided with instant thumbnail views of results from across the Web. This visual feature can greatly reduce the amount of text needed to find a match and provides a more appropriate way to interact with content options from across the room.

• UK-centric directory – Kylo now automatically detects a users’ location and replaces the US-centric directory with one that includes popular UK sites, when applicable.

• Enhanced integration with Windows Media Center – Users are now able to automatically integrate the Kylo browser into Windows Media Center. This feature enables users to launch Kylo from within Windows Media Center and then easily return directly to Windows Media Center when the Kylo browser is closed. It also includes new control key settings that enable Kylo to be controlled by standard Window Media Center remotes.

• Better bookmark management – The new Kylo makes it easier to organize and customize bookmarks. Users can utilize the new bookmark feature to set up customized, visual directories of favorite sites, which can be organized in various subfolders within the Kylo browser.

• Default search engine – This new setting allows a user to set Google, Bing, Yahoo, Ask or Truveo as the default search engine.

• Updated directory of links – The Kylo directory, which serves as a fast index to top sites, has been updated with a variety of new and increasingly popular sites. The directory contains links to dozens of sites across a range of topics including: TV, movies, music, sports, games, and more. In addition, the directory now includes a co-branded Clicker.tv Internet television programming guide, specifically revised for the Kylo user.

The Kylo browser for TV works with any mouse, but is ideal for use with Hillcrest’s Loop pointer, the award-winning, in-air mouse that is powered by Hillcrest’s Freespace® in-air pointing and motion-control technology. For a limited time, the Loop pointer is available for $69 via Hillcrest Labs or Amazon.com at http://www.hillcrestlabs.com/loop. The Kylo browser is available for free via download at http://www.kylo.tv. A downloadable media kit, including product images, is available at http://kylo.tv/news/. Consumers can follow Hillcrest Labs on Facebook at: http://www.facebook.com/kylobrowser or Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/kylotvbrowser.

About Hillcrest Labs
Hillcrest Laboratories (a.k.a. Hillcrest Labs) sells products to consumer electronics manufacturers, service providers, and consumers that enable unique, interactive digital media experiences for TVs and other digital media devices. Hillcrest Labs sells and licenses its pointing technology, called Freespace®, for use in a wide range of consumer devices including remote controls, PC mice, and game controllers. Companies that have licensed Hillcrest Labs’ technology for use in their products include: Eastman Kodak, LG, Logitech, Sony Computer Entertainment Inc., Universal Electronics (UEI), and others. For consumers, Hillcrest Labs sells the LoopTM pointer, an in-air mouse for TV that lets users control an onscreen cursor with a flick of the wrist and navigate the Web or their home media content on TV. Hillcrest Labs also offers the KyloTM browser, a free Web browser for TV.

Hillcrest Labs has received numerous awards and recognitions including the CES Innovations Award, PC World’s 100 Best Products and Greatest Tech Designs, Popular Mechanics’ Editors Choice, ECN’s Reader’s Choice Tech, and many others. For additional information, visit http://www.hillcrestlabs.com.
All product and service names listed in this release remain property of their parent companies and do not indicate official support or endorsement for the Loop pointer, Kylo browser or Hillcrest Labs. All other trademarks and copyrights are the property of their respective owners. Hillcrest Labs, Freespace, the Loop pointer, and the Kylo browser are trademarks of Hillcrest Laboratories, Inc.

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Press Contacts: Jeremy Pemble, JLM Partners for Hillcrest Labs, jeremy@jlmpartners.com, 206-381-3600
Renée Burch, JLM Partners for Hillcrest Labs, renee@jlmpartners.com, 206-381-3600

So, many people wind up sitting on the couch with a laptop and a long cord, or with a wireless keyboard and mouse on a coffee table.

There are various workarounds, such as using the browsers’ zoom controls, fiddling with screen resolutions, and using wireless adapters to eliminate cords. But now, a small company from Rockville, Md., Hillcrest Labs, thinks it has a simpler, better idea. It has invented a new kind of Web browser and a new kind of wireless remote control explicitly designed for using TV-connected computers from the couch.

One product is a free browser called Kylo, available at kylo.tv, which came out in beta form a few weeks ago. Hillcrest calls it “the Web browser for television,” and it runs on both Windows and Mac. It has huge icons, and a large on-screen keyboard for pecking out Web addresses and search terms with your cursor.

Read more: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702303348504575184093468480142.html?mod=WSJ_Tech_RIGHTTopCarousel

Kylo was designed to complement the nifty gyroscopic mouse—produced by Kylo’s parent company—called The Loop. While The Loop is pretty sweet and we certainly wouldn’t mind field testing one, for our testing we just used a regular old wireless keyboard and mouse hooked up to our HTPC. Kylo shines without any fancy peripherals, although it’s certainly a great ambassador for The Loop.

Kylo is optimized to be easy on your eyes and to make browsing the web from your couch as comfortable as possible. The address and toolbar are located on the bottom of the screen—looking down repeatedly towards the bottom of the screen is more eye-friendly than looking up to the top of the screen, it’s also a better spot for good contrast if the TV is mounted too high.) They tailored everything from the buttons to the visual bookmarks for fumble-free clicking when the screen is far away.

Read more: http://lifehacker.com/5517207/kylo-is-a-big+screen-tv+optimized-web-browser.

The Kylo browser is not meant to replace traditional browsers such as Internet Explorer®, Safari®, or Firefox® for use with standard computer display screens, but instead is for use on a television connected to a computer. Unlike other applications or Web sites, Kylo is not a “walled garden” of aggregated video content, but rather a true Web browser that lets users go where they want across the Internet.

“No matter how hard they try, no single set-top-box manufacturer, specialized TV widget developer, or content aggregator can match the volume of online viewing choices available on a computer,” said Dan Simpkins, founder and CEO of Hillcrest Labs.  “For this reason, many consumers are simply using their new HDTVs as an alternative display for their PCs or Macs. So, we’ve developed Kylo as a free and simple TV browser that enables them to visit any site on the Web, and makes the entire experience more enjoyable.”

The Trend: Computers in the Living Room

A variety of recent findings demonstrate the growing popularity of pairing computers with televisions.  For example:

• In Forrester Research’s report, “How Consumers Get Online Video to The TV,” June 9, 2009, the firm estimates that nearly 9 million homes in the US watch at least some online video on a TV set in a typical month.
• In Deloitte’s, “State of the Media Democracy Survey Fourth Edition,” December 2009, the firm found that 65% of US Internet users would like to connect their televisions to the Internet, a figure that jumped to 74% among Millennials (ages 14-26).
• According to Pew Research’s, “The Audience for Online Video- Sharing Sites Shoots Up,” July 2009, 23% of those who watch online video have connected their computer to a TV (29% of males who watch online video vs. 16% of females who watch online video).
• Research conducted by One Touch Intelligence as reported in VideoNuze on November 4, 2009, states that approximately 13.4% of Netflix “Watch Instantly” usage is by people who connect their computer to the TV, versus approximately 3.6% that is done by people using a Roku set-top box.
• In December of 2009, Hillcrest Labs also conducted its own mall intercept survey of 200 consumers within the high-tech corridor of the Washington DC area, and found that 34% of consumers connect their computers to their TVs “always” or “often,” while 80% were interested in surfing the Internet on TV.

The Problems

Despite this growing trend, the first hurdle that consumers face is the physical act of connecting their computers to their TVs. For this reason, Hillcrest Labs developed a simple online guide to help people get started.

“When users connect their computer to the TV, they typically run into a series of mundane and irritating complications,” said Simpkins.  “Many people rely on unsightly keyboards and mice on their coffee tables or couches – often to the dismay of their spouse or roommate.”

Simpkins continued, “Some Web sites have optimized settings for TV viewing, but most do not. Fonts and items of interest are generally too small, and too hard to see from across the room. In addition, conventional Web browsers tend to clutter the screen with unnecessary status bars, menus, tabs, indicators and more, since they were designed to be used from two feet away. People deserve something better when it’s time to connect to the TV.”

The Solution: Kylo Browser + the Loop Pointer (or Any Other Mouse)

Last year, Hillcrest Labs launched its iconic Loop pointer as its first company-branded product for consumers. The stylish in-air mouse was named a CES 2010 Innovations Award Honoree, and is powered by Hillcrest’s Freespace© in-air pointing and motion-control technology. Hillcrest’s Freespace technology is also used in the award-winning Logitech MX™ Air Rechargeable Cordless Mouse.  Like the Kylo browser, the Loop pointer was specifically designed for consumers who connect their computers to TVs. It is available for $99 via Hillcrest Labs or Amazon.com at hillcrestlabs.com/loop.

“We’ve been very pleased with consumers’ responses to the Loop pointer,” said Chad Lucien, vice president of Freespace products at Hillcrest Labs. “With just four buttons and a scroll wheel, it’s an attractive, in-air mouse for the living room.”

Simpkins added, “With the Loop pointer, we felt that we had the right hardware for consumers, but that was just part of the solution. The Kylo browser lets people view any Web site from a distance, use an onscreen keyboard, and benefit from a suite of optimized features for surfing the Web from the couch.”

Matt Marshall, Executive Producer of DEMO, said, “Over the years, DEMO has selected companies and launched new products that have changed entire industries. Very often simple ideas that solve real problems are the most impressive, and that’s how we feel about the Kylo Web browser for TV. Hillcrest Labs has a stellar reputation for innovation, and the Kylo browser is further evidence of their ability to envision and develop compelling products.”

Key features of the Kylo Web browser for TV include:

• the ability to visit any site on the Web;
• an onscreen keyboard that appears when there is a need to enter text, eliminating the need for a physical keyboard; compatibility with any physical keyboard for users who prefer to use one;
• Fonts, cursor, and onscreen targets are larger than those in traditional browsers;
• easy zooming and panning;
• the maximization of useful viewing space by hiding or removing toolbars, tabs, buttons and indicators;
• works with any mouse, but ideal for use with an in-air mouse such as the Loop pointer;
• easy bookmarking;
• a directory of links to dozens of popular Web sites;
• a Mozilla-based design, and
• free, easy download and setup.

The Kylo browser is available for free via download at kylo.tv. Additional details about Hillcrest Labs are available at hillcrestlabs.com. The Kylo browser’s hashtag is #Kylo.

About Hillcrest Labs

Hillcrest Laboratories (a.k.a. Hillcrest Labs) sells products to consumer electronics manufacturers, service providers, and consumers that enable unique, interactive digital media experiences for TVs and other digital media devices. Hillcrest Labs sells and licenses its pointing technology, called Freespace®, for use in a wide range of consumer devices including remote controls, PC mice, and game controllers. Companies that have licensed Hillcrest Labs’ technology for use in their products include: Eastman Kodak, Logitech, Universal Electronics (UEI), and ZillionTV. For consumers, Hillcrest Labs sells the Loop™ pointer, an in-air mouse for TV that lets users control an onscreen cursor with a flick of the wrist and navigate the Web or their home media content on TV. Hillcrest Labs also offers the Kylo™ browser, a free Web browser for TV.

Hillcrest Labs has received numerous awards and recognitions including the CES Innovations Award, PC World’s 100 Best Products and Greatest Tech Designs, Popular Mechanics’ Editors Choice, ECN’s Reader’s Choice Tech, and many others.  Based in Rockville, Maryland, Hillcrest Labs was founded in 2001 by Dan Simpkins.  The company is funded by NEA, AllianceBernstein, Columbia Capital, and Grotech Ventures.  For additional information, visit hillcrestlabs.com.

About DEMO

Produced by the IDG Enterprise events group, the worldwide DEMO conferences focus on emerging technologies and new products innovations, which are hand selected from across the spectrum of the technology marketplace. The DEMO conferences have earned their reputation for consistently identifying cutting-edge technologies and helping entrepreneurs secure venture funding and establish critical business. For more information on the DEMO conferences, visit demo.com.

All product and service names listed in this release remain property of their parent companies and do not indicate official support or endorsement for Kylo, the Loop pointer or Hillcrest Labs. All other trademarks and copyrights are the property of their respective owners. Hillcrest Labs, Freespace, the Loop pointer, and the Kylo browser are trademarks of Hillcrest Laboratories, Inc.

Press Contact:
Jeremy Pemble, JLM Partners for Hillcrest Labs, jeremy@jlmpartners.com, 206-381-3600
Renée Burch, JLM Partners for Hillcrest Labs, renee@jlmpartners.com, 206-381-3600

The main reason for Kylo’s existence is to work with—and presumably sell—its $100 motion-sensing Loop remote control, although any mouse will sync up with the browser just fine. (Hillcrest’s Loop connects to the computer as a mouse, and like Kylo, works on Windows and OS X.)

Hillcrest Labs Pairs Kylo “TV Browser” with Motion-Sensing Loop PointerThe browser, available for free, isn’t meant to replace your trusty ol’ PC browser, or decimate Internet Explorer’s install base numbers. Instead, as is the trend these days, it’s meant to establish a presence (or beachhead, in Kylo’s case) in the home server and Internet TV space. Not internet-connected TVs, but TVs with actual computers connected to them.

Read More http://gizmodo.com/5498609/hillcrest-labs-pairs-kylo-tv-browser-with-motion+sensing-loop-pointer

Meanwhile, we played around with Kylo a bit using one of those Loop pointers for gyroscope-based cursor control, and found the mousing experience just as intuitive as ever, setup non-existent (we tested on a Mac, but it’s easy on a PC as well), and the browser nicely unobtrusive and distance friendly. Typing with the onscreen keyboard is about exactly as nice as typing with your mouse, which is to say “not preferred,” but completely doable in a pinch. The address bar has the same sort of URL prediction we’ve come to know and love in modern browsers, though we wouldn’t mind if it pulled in our Firefox history to round out the database from the start. In theory we also think the Loop pointer could provide some sort of more intuitive control for zooming and panning, but overall it’s a simple, clean UI that should at least beat out your PS3 or Wii browser for this sort of duty—if you’re smart enough and rich enough to get your PC or Mac plugged into your TV, or have an extra one to spare. The browser also of course works with any old mouse you might having lying around, but Hillcrest Labs sure hopes you’ll make the Right Choice. Check out a video of the browser and Loop pointer in action after the break.

Read More http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/22/hillcrest-labs-builds-tv-friendly-kylo-browser-for-its-loop-poin/

Web content is intended for a “three-foot” experience (i.e., sitting at a computer) while TV is the proverbial “10-foot” experience-basically, the text on the screen is too small to read from your sofa. In addition, most people don’t want a keyboard and mouse on their coffee table, so there’s no great way to navigate the Web on TV.

Hillcrest’s Kylo browser"Hillcrest’s Kylo browser"Hillcrest Labs founder and CEO Dan Simpkins claims his company has finally cracked the Web-on-TV code. This week, Hillcrest plans to introduce a new Web browser for the TV called Kylo that, coupled with its Loop motion-sensitive pointing device, promises to make accessing Internet content on a big screen easy and fun.

“We’re confident that Kylo is the best way to browse the Internet on TV,” Simpkins said. He added that the browser’s sweet spot is a TV with a screen size of between 40 and 50 inches.

Read More http://www.multichannel.com/article/450480-Hillcrest_Goes_Big_Screen_Surfing.php

But it’s been awhile since Demo produced a brand name tech product. And Demo itself is in transition, with a new executive director, VentureBeat CEO Matt Marshall.

The semi-annual conference still attracts an A-list audience of tech investors and journalists, plus a collection of startups that reflect emerging tech trends. The general sessions at this latest shindig will focus on social and media technologies, cloud technologies, consumer technologies and the enterprise.

Read More http://content.usatoday.com/communities/technologylive/post/2010/03/demo-tech-conference-what-to-watch-for/1