Akimbo said it is taking orders for the new co-branded RCA Akimbo Player, which isn’t expected to ship until an unspecified date in mid-October.
The RCA Akimbo Player allows subscribers to download videos from the Internet through a broadband Internet connection to watch later on TV. Akimbo has cut a deal so that its subscribers will also be able to download motion pictures from Movielink.
The RCA Akimbo Player, which can store over 100 hours of programming, is selling for $179.99 with a free two-month trial offer for the Akimbo Service. When the player becomes available at retail, its price will jump to $199.99.
The Akimbo Service provides access to a wide variety of programs — subscribers can access over 13,000 titles from Akimbo, including favorites from well-known names like BBC, Food Network, Hallmark Channel, HGTV, Major League Baseball Advanced Media, National Geographic and many more, as well as hard-to-find specialty videos. Akimbo service is $9.99 per month.
Input/output options include component, S-Video and composite video connections, plus stereo and audio and both optical and coaxial digital audio connections. USB 2.0 ports have been added to the Player to support the 802.11g wireless adapter available on the Akimbo site and to offer future expansion possibilities.