Items tagged with Roku
People all around the U.S. are tired of paying high prices for cable or satellite TV. High cost has led to a big movement of people cord-cutting and going to streaming services, rather than paying big cable or satellite. A recent survey showed that cord-cutting is going mainstream as more and more people move to streaming only; big cable and satellite companies see the writing on the wall and are moving to appeal to these users. Comcast recently unveiled a set-top streaming box to lure back some of the 106,000 subscribers it lost in its most recent quarter. Roku has announced new services that...
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Roku is making 4K streaming hardware even more affordable for those that don't have a Smart TV (or for those that simply don't like the Smart TV interface on their current television). The company has announced the Premiere and Premiere+, which both offer 4K HDR streaming. This is a direct stab at Amazon, which is currently selling its Fire TV 4K for $39.99 (for Prime Members), but usually costs $69.99 when not on sale. At that price, you'll receive a quad-core processor, 4K HDR10 support, Roku's standard remote, 802.11n Wi-Fi connectivity, and support for Dolby and DTS Digital...
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Earlier this year, Roku announced the Roku Connect platform for allowing devices like Roku TVs and settop boxes to wirelessly communicate with smart speakers and sounders. One of the first fruits of that new initiative is coming in the form of the new Roku TV Wireless Speakers. Roku’s primary mission is to allow users to quickly and seamlessly add high-quality wireless speakers to their Roku-powered TV. Roku says that Roku Connect allows its product to be uniquely positioned in the market as it can "optimize sound for the picture and ensure audio video sync". Rather than taking...
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Pandora is taking a page from Spotify's book and has unveiled a new plan that will let multiple family members have their own sub-accounts. The Pandora Premium Family Plan costs $14.99 per month, which is the same price Spotify asks for its family account. The new membership gives full access to Pandora Premium features for up to six people in the family. That is where Pandora is trying to set itself apart from the Spotify family plan with its five member slots. Each family member can listen to what they want, when they want. Each can create radio stations and custom playlists, download music for...
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Consumer Reports has found that millions of smart TVs are vulnerable to hacking, and according to the publication, the exploits are often easy to find and execute. TVs vulnerable to these hacks include Samsung and TCL smart TVs along with other brands that use the Roku platform. Streaming devices are also vulnerable with the example cited being the Roku Ultra. Consumer Reports (CR) wrote, "We found that a relatively unsophisticated hacker could change channels, play offensive content, or crank up the volume, which might be deeply unsettling to someone who didn’t understand what was happening....
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Roku's family of devices is the most popular streaming platform out there, and some smart TVs even come with Roku integrated by default. Roku users now have another option for watching their favorite content and cutting the cord from satellite or cable providers: YouTube TV. The app used on the Roku device is the same YouTube TV app that is available currently on Android TV, Xbox One (launched in October), and other platforms. That means you get the same features that users on other platforms are enjoying, namely the unlimited Cloud DVR, personalized recommendations, and a grid-style...
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When it comes to standalone media streaming hardware, Roku is the market leader with it family of affordable devices. Roku has even managed to integrate its streaming goodness into smart TVs, including popular budget brand TCL. First initiated in 2014, the Roku TV initiative has grown to include eight television brands (the recent addition of Magnavox will make it nine), and Roku claims that one out of every five smart TVs sold in the United States is running the Roku OS. Now, Roku is looking to further extend its reach by expanding its technology licensing program to include smart speakers and...
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YouTube TV launched earlier this year as the latest in a long list of streaming services aimed at people looking to cut the cord. However, the launch was limited by the fact that the service was primarily focused on watching content from a smartphone or tablet. While that may be OK for people that want to watch TV shows while on-the-go, it didn't specially address the market for people that primarily watch content in front of a big screen television. Well, that all changes today, as Google just announced the YouTube TV app is coming to a host of devices specifically designed to provide a big screen...
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Over the summer, Plex Live TV arrived in beta form for all Plex Pass subscribers. Unlike services like YouTube TV or Sling TV, this isn't a streaming service from a content provider. Instead, Plex Pass subscribers have to hook up an over-the-air (OTA) antenna to a compatible digital tuner, after which you can access OTA content from within your home or anywhere in the world using the Plex App. When Plex Live TV first launched, it was made available for NVIDIA SHIELD TV, Android TV and iOS devices. In early August, availably was extended to the Android smartphones/tablets, and Apple TV. Today, that...
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There was a collective "meh" from the media streaming community when Apple launched its Apple TV 4K last month. Priced from $179, many felt that the streamer doesn't really offer much over its rivals besides the ability to tap into the Apple ecosystem. However, Roku, which is the market leader in streaming players, is fighting back with an updated family of products to fight the competition from Apple, Amazon and Google. The most interesting member of the family is the all-new Streaming Stick+. This powerful little device has a "dongle" form-factor, and incorporates an advanced wireless receiver...
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Roku has been one of the leading makers of streaming set top boxes for a long time now and it has some serious competition in the market. Those competitors include Amazon and Apple and that competition will only grow. A rumor is making the rounds that an Apple TV supporting 4K HDR is set to debut alongside the iPhone 8. One of the things that Roku needs to compete in the market is money and to get that cash, Roku has applied for an initial public offering (IPO). The company has stated that it applied to list Class A common stock on Nasdaq and wants to use the ticker symbol "ROKU". This is a big...
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Roku’s new streaming player family has been rumored for weeks, but the veil has finally been officially lifted. The all-new lineup includes players priced as low as $30 and tops out at $130 for the Roku Ultra. Starting at the bottom, we have the $30 Roku Express, which is in essence a replacement for the venerable Roku 1. The unit itself is roughly 75 percent smaller than its predecessor, and offers up twice the processing performance. The tiny device packs in an HDMI port, offers up 1080p streaming, and can connect to 802.11b/g/n wireless networks. An IR remote and an HDMI cable are included in...
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When it comes to the media streaming category, Roku’s family of streamers usually top the sales charts. One of Roku’s most popular products has been been the Steaming Stick, which is priced at a reasonable $50 compared to $130 for the top-of-the-line Roku 4. After four years on the market (and two years since its last update), the Streaming Stick has finally been redesigned, and it appears to be well worth the wait. The new Roku Streaming Stick retains the $50 price point of its predecessor, but brings upgraded internals which seriously up the game in performance. A new quad-core processor powers...
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The $129 Roku 4 may be the flagship of Roku’s streaming lineup, but that doesn’t mean that the company has forgotten about the folks that don’t need a voice-controlled remote or 4K support. That’s where the new Roku SE comes in, which is for people that just want the basics when it comes to a streaming box. First of all, the Roku SE has a suggested retail price of just $49.99, however, it will debut on Black Friday with a price tag of $25. The Roku SE will be available in “limited supplies” from Roku’s online store and select retailers, so if you’re at all interested, you’d better order it fast...
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