SteamOS

Valve has announced its first of three surprises of the week with the unveiling of SteamOS. The Linux based operating system will be free to download for Steam users and will be available for living room based machines. SteamOS is part of an initiative by Valve to move Steam onto the big screen without sacrificing cost for the consumer. 4 key features for SteamOS include In-Home Streaming, which allows any machine running SteamOS to stream games running on a computer to a TV. Family Sharing will allow multiple users to take turns playing a game on a single account while earning their own achievements. Media Services is still in the works but will use the function of many media services to stream music and video with Steam and SteamOS. Lastly, Family Options will allow parents to have more control over what titles are played by whom with a parental control system. Steam OS will be available soon, although Valve has not given a specific date. The next announcement coming from Valve will be on Wednesday, September 25, 2013 at 10AM PDT.