Cost | What to Enjoy | Features | Video | News & Updates | Sales Info | Press Releases | Buy | Editor’s Assessment
What to enjoy:
Roku offers Netflix Instant and Amazon Video On-Demand streaming through their set-box allowing movies when you want them delivered to your TV set. And now, with the addition of MLB.tv, Roku has started its first live broadcasts, streaming Major League Baseball games from around the U.S. for a price that’s much cheaper than your cable provider wants you to pay.
Third-Party Features:
Roku only gives you access to Netflix, Amazon Video On-Demand, and MLB.tv however their website states content from other parties is pending. No word as of yet as to who these providers will be.
News & Updates:
New York Times/Bits Blog (05/20/2008): Why the Roku Netflix Player Is the First Shot of the Revolution – “In the small, generic plastic box that is the new Netflix Player made by Roku, I think you can see the future of video. I’m not saying that this product itself is going to take the world by storm, even though I think it is better than any other set-top box I’ve ever seen. Netflix and Roku expect the $99 device to sell in the hundreds of thousands, not millions, this year.” {Read more}
Sales Info & Figures:
Ars Technica (03/03/2009): Amazon VoD now rocking Roku set-top video player – Amazon VoD now rocking Roku set-top video player – “While the company does not release specific sales numbers, [Tim Twerdahl, Roku's Vice President of Consumer Products] did share that the Roku player is ‘well into six-figures’ since its release in May 2008.” {Read more}
Latest Press Releases:
04/21/09: Amazon Video On Demand Announces Launch of High Definition Movies and TV Episodes – Amazon.com, Inc. today announced that customers can rent box-office favorites and purchase top TV shows in HD from Amazon Video On Demand. Customers can select from more than 500 HD TV shows and movies from major studios and networks including Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc., Sony Pictures, Paramount Pictures, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc., Universal Studios Home Entertainment and Showtime Networks. {Read more}
Buy:
Roku HD Player
Editor’s Assessment:
The Roku box offers an inexpensive way of transferring Netflix Instant, Amazon On Demand and MLB.com, as well as many other nice features, to the television. They have also shown that they are vigorously adding features to their box which must be comforting to consumers.
