Geekisms!

After teasing the world for over a week with its countdown website, Valve today unveiled its Steam OS, a linux based operating system which builds on its Big Picture user interface that it launched last year. With the focus being offering a complete entertainment experience for the living room, Steam OS will cover four major areas: In-home game streaming which will allow you stream games over your home network from your existing PC/Mac to your Steam OS machine in your living room; Music, TV, Movies which will be delivered through partnerships with popular media services (no word yet on confirmed media partners); Family Sharing which will allow your family and friends have access to your personal library of Steam games; and Family options which will allow you to manage who can access what. 

Though they haven't announced a release date (website says downloadable soon), they have confirmed that it will be free, which is pretty exciting. Since it is based on Linux, I can definitely see this running on a cheap barebones HTPC which sits with my TV and soundsystem, and streaming content from a more powerful laptop over my home wi-fi connection to it. 

Interestingly, after the countdown ended on the Steam website, another one started counting down and is due to run out in 2 days. Probably another revelation about Steam in the living room from Valve. I still have hope that a Steambox will be announced. Then the battle for the living room space can really begin, what with the PS4 and Xbox One due to launch before the end of the year, and other smaller competitors like the Ouya, Sony's PS Vita TV, and the Apple TV, among others.

Soo Exciting!!!