Due to the great feedback from Alpha 3 users in terms of bug reports, many of which have already been fixed, Team-XBMC have released the latest Alpha version of XBMC for Linux, Mac OS X, Windows and Xbox. This is the last in a series of alpha releases in preparation for the upcoming stable release of XBMC, code named ‘Atlantis’.

XBMC ‘Atlantis’ is still in a feature freeze and the final version is planned to be released on Linux, Mac, Windows, and Xbox in October. You may track the development progress here, with the next release scheduled to be the first Beta.

We need your help in order to make ‘Atlantis’ as stable as possible. Please download and use this latest Alpha release instead of XBMC SVN builds. We encourage all users to test it thoroughly and report all bugs to our tracking-system.

We would also appreciate any and all assistance in making sure that the XBMC Online Manual and FAQ are as up to date as possible. Both the manual and FAQ are wiki based so just register and request write access if you wish to contribute. In addition, translations and updates of XBMC language files is another area where help would be appreciated.

We expect to be inviting some official beta testers on to the team in the next few weeks, so get testing if you wish to be considered for this role - we’ll be looking for people submitting good quality bug reports for these positions.

Yours sincerely / Team-XBMC

Many of the latest skins for XBMC are now supporting the recently added XBMC feature that is FanArt backdrops. Skins such as Aeon, Focus, MediaStream, and even the default Project Mayhem III, all feature FanArt backdrop support. We think that FanArt really enhances the look and feel of XBMC skins, especially when combined with the not so new ability to download posters, banners, and screenshots directly from XBMC.

Our sincere thanks goes to Scott Zsori (a.k.a. szsori) of TheTVDB.com and MovieBackdrops.com for providing us with a direct API to all the data on his websites, so that getting FanArt backdrops into XBMC is now easier than ever. TheTVDB.com and MovieBackdrops.com are both user driven sites which let anyone upload and share FanArt, posters, banners, screenshots, and meta data information of their favorite TV shows and Movies. So again, thank you Scott! Our thanks also goes out to everyone who contribute artwork and information to these websites.

Team-XBMC encourage you all to visit both TheTVDB.com and MovieBackdrops.com, register to upload, and help maintain the content. Sharing your artwork with others through these websites makes it possible for people to enjoy XBMC even more.

Yours sincerely / Team-XBMC

Today Team-XBMC have now officially hit a feature freeze in anticipation of an upcoming stable release of XBMC, codenamed ‘Atlantis’. XBMC Atlantis will be released on Linux, Mac, Windows and Xbox simultaneously in about 2 months time. You may track the development progress here.

In order to make this release as stable as possible, we will need your help in testing XBMC and reporting bugs to trac. We would also appreciate any and all assistance in making sure that the XBMC online manual and FAQ is as up-to-date as possible (both the manual and FAQ are wiki-based so just register, if you haven’t already, and request for write access). In addition, translations and updates of the language files is another area where help would be appreciated.

*UPDATE* The first Alpha version, “Alpha 3″, has been released for all platforms. We encourage all XBMC users to use this release instead of SVN builds, thoroughly test it and report all bugs.

Yours sincerely / Team-XBMC

Related links: XBMC Community Forum discussion

Boxee’s Dave “Gadget Guy” Mathews recorded some short interviews with members of Team-XBMC during the final day of the XBMC Developer’s Conference in Amsterdam. Please forgive the incoherence - it was the last day, after all.

Also, here is a link to a few pictures from the DEV CON (better late than never).

Thanks Dave and Team Boxee for the video!