Roku announced the Roku Streaming Stick today, which manages to pack
nearly all the functionality of a full-size Roku box into a device not
much bigger than an USB flash drive. It's actually a new version of
Roku's old MHL-based Streaming Stick, but there are two major differences: it now works with any TV that has an HDMI input, and it's half the price, at just $50.
If this all sounds familiar, that's because the design is awfully
similar to Google's $35 Chromecast, and it's hard not to see the updated
Streaming Stick as a response to Google's popular streamer. So what do you get for the extra $15?
For one, you get a traditional remote and an onscreen interface. It's a
pretty standard Roku remote, and it works via Wi-Fi Direct, so it can
still control the Streaming Stick when it's hidden behind your TV.
The other major perk over the Chromecast is you get access to all
1,200 of Roku's apps, or "channels" in Roku's parlance. This includes
nearly every major service -- such as Netflix, YouTube, HBO Go, Amazon
Instant, MLB.TV, Showtime Anytime, and PBS -- as well as a huge number
of niche content sources. While the Chromecast has added some crucial
apps since its launch (including HBO Go, Hulu Plus, and Pandora), it
still can't compare to Roku's sprawling and frequently updated library.
No comments:
Post a Comment