Roku has updated its product line with three new streaming devices aimed at users who want a great connected video player at an affordable price.
Back in March, Roku launched the Roku 3, its most powerful streaming player to date. At $99.99, the Roku 3 has a dual-core ARM Cortex A-9 processor, dual-band 802.11n Wi-Fi, a Wi-Fi remote with an included headphone jack, and the latest UI.
The Roku 3 is now available in Canada, the U.K. and the Republic of Ireland. The Roku 3 has proven to be extremely popular with consumers and now the company is bringing the styling of that box to the rest of its lineup.
Beginning in October, Roku will sell updated versions of the Roku LT and a new Roku 1 and Roku 2 player.
Here are the specs and price points:
Roku LT
Roku 1
Roku 2
Roku director of product management Lloyd Klarke, the new boxes are really about bringing more convenience to the customers at all price points.
Roku tells us that its Wi-Fi remote control with built-in headphone jack is a huge hit, with 50% of Roku 3 owners using the feature. That's one of the reasons the company made the decision to bring support for that feature to the Roku 2.
The Wi-Fi aspect of the remote is also popular among users because it doesn't rely on line-of-sight like traditional IR remotes, meaning someone can put a Roku 2 (or Roku 3) in a cabinet and still control it.
The Roku line will also soon support the DIAL standard. This should allow users to send video files from their phones â€" using Roku's iOS and Android app â€" to the Roku a la Chromecast. DIAL support will launcher later this fall.
Having DIAL support is a great move and will make the overall value of the Roku that much higher.
New Channels and Improved UI
Roku updated its UI last spring to coincide with the launch of the Roku 3. The company has further refined the UI, including making its Roku Search feature even better.
This is one of my favorite Roku features and the new update has an even better look. Just search for an actor, movie or TV show and Roku will scour a number of its channels including Amazon, Netflix, Vudu, M-Go, Redbox Instant, Crackle, Hulu Plus and Blockbuster On Demand.
Speaking of channels, Roku now has more than 1,000 of them, with more being added daily. The latest big-name partner to join Roku is M-Go. M-Go is a pay-as-you-go digital service that lets users buy and rent TV show sand movies. It's a collaboration between DreamWorks and Technicolor and has been available on select Smart TVs, tablets and desktops for the last few years.
M-Go offers lets users rent or buy new film and TV releases. Roku is supporting M-Go with integrated billing and with a dedicated button on the Roku LT, Roku 1 and Roku 2 devices.
From a content perspective, M-Go's selection is similar to that of an existing provider, Vudu. It includes new releases, such as The Hangover 3, The Great Gatsby and World War Z as well as new and catalog episodes of TV shows such as Modern Family, Breaking Bad and the new Fox comedy Brookyn Nine-Nine.
M-Go will have its own channel section as well as easy access from a new "Movies" and "TV Shows" menu from the main grid screen.
From a content perspective, having content from M-Go helps Roku better compete against the Apple TV's iTunes catalog.
Great Value Against Growing Competition
Roku was one of the first companies to come out with a streaming device, back in 2008. Since then, support for streaming media services have come not just to set-top boxes such as the Apple TV, but to smart TVs, Blu-ray players and video game consoles.
Even with strong competition from the Apple TV and Chromecast â€" not to mention new devices such as the PlayStation Vita TV â€" Roku still manages to offer a great value for the money. With its new models and channels, Roku just gets better.
Do you have a Roku? Let us know in the comments.
Images: Mashable, Christina Ascani; product photos, Roku
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