Posts Tagged ‘roku’
Roku Player Will Soon Stream Porn [Roku]
Posted by: Gadget Boy in Gadget News, Technology on December 27th, 2009
I guess this was hinted at back in November, but now it's an all but certain reality: the Roku player will soon stream NSFW porn to your television set.
The streaming, no pun intended, comes from EroticVision.TV. The company will deliver a number of channels to your Roku player, but for now all we know of is "Wasteland.com." For the unfamiliar, that's a BDSM website.
Parental controls will bar yougins from seeing any BDSM tomfoolery, and to access the content you'll have to register your box with EroticVision.TV. Uh, enjoy? [CrunchGear]
Roku HD-XR now 50 percent off… for the first 500 to take the plunge (update: sold out!)
Posted by: Gadget Boy in Gadget News on November 27th, 2009
Roku's HD-XR doesn't add much to the overall Roku HD equation, but if you've been holding out -- just waiting, patiently -- for the perfect time to snag yourself yet another movie set-top-box, today's the day. Actually, right now is the moment. Roku is offering its newest STB for an unheard-of 50 percent off, but it's only for the first 500 customers who pony up and purchase it through the outfit's website. For this very moment in time (starting at 11AM ET and continuing until 500 HD-XR units are claimed), the box will be priced at just $64.99, and as if that weren't good enough, Roku is also covering the shipping. Need the specifics? Click on past the break.Update: Well, that was fun while it lasted. All 500 have been claimed, and if you don't believe us, have a gander at the proof after the break.
Roku HD-XR now 50 percent off... for the first 500 to take the plunge (update: sold out!) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 27 Nov 2009 10:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | | Email this | CommentsRoku Channel Store delivers ten new content portals for zero dollars
Posted by: Gadget Boy in Gadget News on November 23rd, 2009
Continue reading Roku Channel Store delivers ten new content portals for zero dollars
Roku Channel Store delivers ten new content portals for zero dollars originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 22 Nov 2009 23:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | | Email this | CommentsRoku Channel Store Opens, Hulu Is a No-Show [Roku]
Posted by: Gadget Boy in Gadget News on November 23rd, 2009
When Roku released their new HD-XR box, they mentioned that big new features would be launched in the coming weeks via software update. Now the Roku Channel Store is finally here, but it's awfully short on excitement.
The Roku Channel Store is an open platform for delivering content to Roku boxes beyond the already-integrated Netflix, MLB.tv and Amazon channels. We all had high hopes for full-length streaming video, and rumors pointed to Hulu, but alas, it is not to be. The first ten "channels" were released today, and Hulu is not among them. The list:
Pandora, Facebook Photos, Revision3, Mediafly, TWiT, blip.tv, Flickr, FrameChannel, Motionbox and MobileTribe.
The Channel Store itself seems pretty open-ended, with a freely available SDK so developers can add to the Store's selection—and we hope they do, because these offerings are pretty meager at the moment. The Roku Channel Store is a free and automatic upgrade starting today, and works on all Roku devices, but there aren't any killer apps here (and neither Pandora nor Flickr is really a barn-burner at this point—at this point, every gadget I own, including my alarm clock, does that stuff). Here's hoping for some serious development efforts. Press release is below. [Roku]
Roku Launches Open Platform for Delivery of Content to the TV; Announces First 10 New Channels
Pandora, Facebook Photos, Revision3, Mediafly, TWiT, blip.tv, Flickr, FrameChannel, Motionbox and MobileTribe all now available on the Roku player
Silicon Valley, Calif. – November 23, 2009 – Roku, Inc., maker of the popular and award-winning family of Roku players, announced today the Roku Channel Store and the first 10 free channels for Roku customers to enjoy on their TVs. From internet radio to video podcasts, professional web content to photo sharing and personal videos, the Roku Channel Store provides an open platform for delivering quality content to the TV. New channels now available for customers to add today to their Roku experience via the Roku Channel Store include: Pandora, Facebook Photos, Revision3, Mediafly, TWiT, blip.tv, Flickr, FrameChannel, Motionbox and MobileTribe. For the complete list of channels and specific channel descriptions and features, please go to http://www.roku.com/roku-channel-store.
These first 10 channels are just the beginning for Roku. Many other developers are working on Roku Channels now, and Roku expects additional developers to adopt the Roku platform over time. New channels will appear in the Roku Channel Store automatically as they become available.
The Roku Channel Store represents an opportunity for content owners and publishers to reach an already large and growing audience of Roku customers. By creating an open platform for delivery to the television over the Internet, Roku has leveled the playing field for content owners.
"The Roku Channel Store turns the Roku player into the world's first open platform designed specifically for the TV," Anthony Wood, founder and CEO of Roku, Inc said. "Now content producers and distributors – from single person shops to billion dollar corporations – can deliver their content directly to consumers without having to go exclusively through cable operators, satellite networks or TV affiliates."
To create a channel for the Roku Channel Store, a developer creates an application using Roku's free software developer kit. This SDK is available free upon request by emailing partners@roku.com.
All Roku players, including the Roku SD, Roku HD and Roku HD-XR models, are compatible with the Roku Channel Store. The new channels are in addition to the existing Roku channels already available: Netflix (NASDAQ: NFLX), Amazon (NASDAQ: AMZN) Video On Demand and MLB.TV.
Pricing and availability
The Roku Channel Store will be delivered as an automatic and free upgrade to all existing Roku customers over the course of the next two weeks. New customers will automatically be upgraded when they first install their Roku player. To browse and use the Roku Channel Store, customers will be prompted to create a Roku account. Existing customers who do not want to wait for their Roku player to update automatically can manually update their Roku player immediately. Detailed instructions can be found under the Roku Channel Store tab at http://www.roku.com/support/faqs.
First introduced in May 2008, and updated regularly with free software updates, the Roku player family provides the easiest, most affordable and reliable way for hundreds of thousands of Roku customers to watch their favorite movies, TV shows and sporting events instantly on their TV. All three Roku players are available immediately at http://www.roku.com starting at $79.99 and include free shipping for a limited time.
About Roku, Inc.
Roku is a market leader in innovative applications for digital media, opening up a new world of entertainment to the TV. Through its work in both software and hardware, the company develops and sells consumer products that give customers the ability to take charge over their entertainment choices, combining high-value content and immediate access to that content at a low price. Its products include: The family of Roku players and the SoundBridge Internet radio line. Roku is privately held and based in Saratoga, Calif. For more information on the company and its products, visit: http://www.roku.com.
Roku HD-XR Player and Roku SD Player announced (with hands-on!)
Posted by: Gadget Boy in Gadget News on October 27th, 2009
Roku's also launching the SD-only Roku SD Player for $79, which might actually be the more interesting product here, as we know tons of people with old TVs in bedrooms and basements who would love some cheap movie streaming. It'll be in the same enclosure as the HD Player and the HD-XR Player, but only have 802.11g WiFi and RCA audio / video outputs.
Filed under: Home Entertainment
Roku HD-XR Player and Roku SD Player announced (with hands-on!) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 27 Oct 2009 08:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | CommentsRoku HD-XR Hands On: Where’s Roku Going With This? [Roku]
Posted by: Gadget Boy in Gadget News on October 27th, 2009
Roku updated their lineup today with two new models bookending the current Roku HD. I took a look at the higher-end HD-XR—it's solid, but disappointing, since it needs a firmware upgrade (coming soon) before it feels truly next-gen.
Before we get into the HD-XR, there's the other new model to introduce. The low-end Roku SD is pretty much a stripped-down version of the current Roku HD model, appropriately enough. It has Wi-Fi b/g and Ethernet, but only offers composite output—no HDMI, component, S-video or optical audio out, all of which the Roku HD has. The SD offers just standard-def streaming to go along with its standard-def output, and retails for $80 (the HD, in comparison, sells for $100). Both the SD and HD-XR are crammed into the same small, fanless case as the HD, so they're all the same size.
The HD-XR is Roku's new high-end model, selling for $130: In addition to everything the Roku HD has, the HD-XR is packing 802.11n Wi-Fi and, intriguingly, a USB port. But therein lies the problem with the HD-XR, and the reason we're bringing you a hands-on and not a review today: The USB port doesn't do anything. Yet.
Roku tells me that they've got some substantial additions coming to their service via automatic firmware upgrade in "the coming weeks." First is the Roku Channel Store, which "will offer a number of new content channels for the Roku player, many of which are free." This comes in addition to the currently offered Netflix (duh), Amazon and MLB. What could the new channels be? We'd say Hulu is a fair bet, given past rumors. Other dedicated streaming sites like ABC or MSNBC wouldn't be out of the question either, and since everybody's doing it, I wouldn't be surprised if Facebook and Twitter come to invade your tidy little Roku box.
Second is that currently-useless USB port—it may not do anything yet, but I assume it'll allow video playback from UMS devices like hard drives and flash drives when it's enabled through firmware. A helpful tip, Roku: Extensive codec support is mandatory, not optional, in a device that has as few features as this one. It only does a couple things, so it had better do them damn well. DivX, MKV, and H.264 would be a start.
So how does the HD-XR perform? Just about as well as I could hope. It's a bit slow to start streaming a video (two minutes at most, but that's a long time to stare at a progress bar on your TV), but once it started it never stutters, and video quality is nearly as good as when streaming on a computer. I do wish you could browse through Netflix's catalog, rather than only being able to stream what's in your Instant Watch queue, but it's super simple and works well. The remote is small but feels solid, and has few enough buttons that pretty much anyone can figure it out. Setup is easy and the antenna picks up my Wi-Fi signal just as well as my laptop. Overall I was really pleased with it, and so were my non-tech-savvy roommates—no mean feat, since they're not usually into all the nerd stuff that I deal with every day.
So what's new right now? Um, well, 802.11n. That's it. It's pretty disappointing to see new hardware released without the accompanying software that takes it to the next generation, especially given Netflix's invasion onto Blu-ray players (only $100!), HTPCs, PS3s and god knows what else. I'm not so sure the HD-XR is worth $130, given the growing ubiquity of Netflix streaming, so Roku had better bring it with this firmware upgrade—the days of a one trick pony in the living room are nearly up. [Roku]
Roku XR Slightly Less Underwhelming With Addition Of 802.11n and USB [Roku]
Posted by: Gadget Boy in Gadget News on October 19th, 2009
Spy shots of the new Roku XR Netflix streaming box over at Engadget seem to indicate that upgrades like 802.11n and a USB port are on their way—but that isn't nearly enough to justify getting one.
After all, Roku players only stream media from a handful of sources while an HTPC opens up the entire internet for playback on a TV. Plus, nettops and other small PCs are becoming extremely affordable. Unless the XR costs next to nothing, it makes more sense to save up for an HTPC. In the end, you might recoup the added expense by ditching your cable service. [Engadget]
Roku XR adds 802.11n, USB port and a longing for something more
Posted by: Gadget Boy in Gadget News on October 19th, 2009
[Thanks, Anonymous]
Filed under: Home Entertainment
Roku XR adds 802.11n, USB port and a longing for something more originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 19 Oct 2009 14:37:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | CommentsRoku Video player now streaming live HD baseball games from MLB.TV
Posted by: Gadget Boy in Gadget News on August 11th, 2009
Filed under: Home Entertainment
Roku Video player now streaming live HD baseball games from MLB.TV originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 11 Aug 2009 00:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsLive Streaming MLB Games Now Available on Roku [Roku]
Posted by: Gadget Boy in Gadget News on August 11th, 2009
In addition to Netflix and Amazon on Demand, Roku users will now be able to access baseball games from premium MLB.tv accounts. That means live, out-of-market games as well as on-demand games from the past week.
Only problem is, you have to be a subscriber of the paid MLB.tv service, which would cost $35 for the remainder of the 2009 season. But if you're already streaming ballgames on your computer, the Roku box would make a very inexpensive and portable way to get on-demand and live baseball on your TV. MLB.tv says the picture is high-definition quality, which probably means something like 480i or 480p (like Netflix's streams), but that'll still look pretty decent on the TV. [MLB on Roku]
