Next in my iRecommend series is something free (as in beer). I’ve been using Boxee in private alpha for two months now. Boxee turns my Mac Mini and HDTV into a home theater powerhouse without the fuss of many alternate platforms out there.

When I launch Boxee, my Mac Mini transforms into a remote-friendly media center with access to all of my movies, pictures and music without the need for a keyboard or mouse. The content available isn’t limited to just my own digital media. Boxee’s slick interface alows you to play movies and music from many of the popoular online companies like Hulu, CBS, MTV and even….drum role please…Netflix. Yes, if you are a Netflix subscriber (and why aren’t you at a measly $9.95 per month) you can stream any of their 12,000+ titles through Boxee on your TV.

“Look Ma, no computer!”

Before the purists chime in, yes, I know that there are other devices that stream Netflix to your TV without a computer. But Boxee does so much more. Think of Boxee as modern-day “rabbit ears” that are capable of tuning into lots of TV “stations” on the Internet for free! (note: if you are younger than 25, you probably don’t know what rabbit ears are anyway, I apologize for the inconvenience).

But wait, there’s more! In addition to Boxee’s media features, it adds social networking to it’s already impressive line up. Now you can easily share and recommend what you are watching to your friends without leaving the comfort of your couch. Your viewing and listening habits are only shared with those that you have “friended” through the boxee.tv web interface. This of course, is an optional feature that can be disabled in the Boxee settings.

Consumers are quickly embracing on-demand programming on the Internet. Boxee not only makes that easier, but it converges social networking and TV which is the future of consumer entertainment. Enjoy!