Amazon Planning to Release Television Set-Top Box This Fall

From DailyTech: Amazon is looking to complete its gadget collection by releasing a television set-top box as soon as this fall.

According to BusinessWeek, the box will plug into user's television sets and allow the streaming of Amazon's video services -- such as the Video on Demand store and the Instant Video service.

The device will aim to compete with the likes of Apple TV, Roku, Boxee Cloud DVR, PlayStation 3 and Xbox.

It seems odd that Amazon would need a set-top box, considering Amazon streaming is already available through TVs, Blu-ray players and many other set-top boxes. However, with a box of its own, Amazon could place its own products on the forefront.

The company could adopt a model much like that used for the Kindle Fire, where hardware is sold cheap in order to lure customers to its digital products -- Amazon Prime. It's unclear whether competitors like Netflix will make an appearance on Amazon's new device.

Amazon's set-top box is reportedly being developed by the company's own Lab126 division in Cupertino, California.

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