Final Thoughts
Moving from the XIOS DS to the XIOS XS is a step in the right direction for Pivos. It really gives you more functionality and allows for easy out-of-the-box setup. You really only have to go through a few menus to have the XIOS XS setup to do its basic functions. The included remote works great and makes going through the menus very easy. You also can connect input devices via or USB ports or connect them via Bluetooth. So you really have a lot of options. The extra USB ports and microSD card slot also give you the ability to add more storage extremely easily.
Being built on XBMC means you can completely customize your XIOS XS experience and add all types of functionality. XBMC is widely supported and has a very large user-base. This means that it will continue to be updated and there will always be new features being added. Most of the main services and media you want to use with the XIOS XS are supported through XBMC. If there happens to be an service or app that is not supported through XBMC you still have the option to download it via the Google Play Store and run it via Android. You do have to realize that not all of these will work 100% correctly on the XIOS XS though.
While Pivos has made the XIOS XS easier to use compared to the XIOS DS it still can take a while to really get used to and if you are not familiar with XBMC you may run into a few headaches. I even had to contact Pivos a few times to ask about a few things and I feel that I am pretty tech-savvy. The XIOS XS is like a double-edged sword, it is sort of cumbersome to get setup the way you like it, but if you take the time you can really customize it to your liking and it can be extremely powerful. This is not a device like some of the other popular media player devices that are truly out of the box and ready to use for the average consumer. But then again this device can give you more functionality than those if you sit down with it and properly set everything up.
At the end of the day this is a great media player device and one that can truly become powerful if you take the time to set it up. If you are just looking for a basic device to use popular streaming services than the XIOS XS might not be for you. Right now the XIOS XS is selling for $89.99 at my favorite online retailer. That puts it at the same price as the other popular media player devices. Overall ThinkComputers gives the XIOS XS a n 8 out of 10 score.
Pros:
– Easy basic setup compared to XIOS DS
– Remote works well
– Built on XBMC so you have all the functionality and support of XBMC
– Can install Android apps via Google Play Store
– Can add storage via USB or microSD
– Can connect input devices via USB or Bluetooth
– Ethernet port
Cons:
– Will be a little hard to set up for the average consumer
– Not all Android apps work correctly
– Not that great to look at
– Not a lot of documentation included
