Roku announced their Google Chromecast competitor the Streaming Stick TM earlier this week with a US price of $49 vs Google’s $35.
More importantly, for us over here, Roku are making their stick available in the UK from April. Whilst the $ conversion rate is unimpressive £49.99 is not wholly unrealistic if it performs as well as their existing offerings.
In our words it plugs into your TV’s HDMI port and needs power via a USB input either from a TV connection or via an AC adaptor. It’s basically controlled from a remote.
Roku say:
- TV compatibility – HDTV’s only
- 500+ entertainment channels
- Built-in wireless
- Plays up to 1080p HD video
- Control with included remote or mobile devices (via free Roku app)
- Send videos, photos and music stored locally on your smartphone to your TV via the Roku app
- Dual-band wireless
- Cast to TV direct from the Netflix and YouTube apps
- Tiny stick. Big entertainment.
Roku say they have over 8 million players streaming 1.7 billion hours of content in 2013 which they reckon translates into 13 hours per week per player which is quite a lot!
In the meantime the BBC have announced that BBC Three could well become a solely online broadcaster available via their iPlayer – maybe they will launch their own streaming stick the iPlayer for iPlayer!
We’ll leave you with CNET’s instant reaction to the Streaming Stick – remember they are informing a US audience re content etc
