Roku has now announced that the UK customers will also get access to BBC iPlayer. That access allows customers to catch up on current BBC programs right on the TV with no need for a computer. That means no missing out on Top Gear and having to slum it by watching the program on your small computer screen.

UK fans will be able to buy the Roku LT and the Roku 2 XS. Those players will sell for £49.99 and £99.99 respectively. Each will offer over 40 channels of streaming content, including Crackle in the UK and a lot more. The players also support casual games such as Angry Birds. The content available on the devices does vary by country.

“Roku recognizes the importance of region-specific programmes so today we are excited to announce the addition of BBC iPlayer to our platform,” said Clive Hudson, vice president and general manager for Europe at Roku. “This is among the first of many significant content partnerships for Roku in Europe and we look forward to making additional announcements in the coming weeks.”

The entry-level Roku LT supports up to 720p, while the Roku 2 XS increases that to 1080p Full HD.  The Roku 2 XS also comes with casual games support, including Angry Birds, with a bundled motion-controlled game remote, hooked up via Bluetooth, and a MicroSD slot for additional game storage. It also includes a USB port for playing music, videos and photos off of a USB drive.

The Roku LT and the Roku 2 XS are available for pre-order now, priced at £49.99 and £99.99 respectively; they’ll begin shipping at the end of the month. Netflix will set you back £5.99 per month for unlimited streaming access.

That way, Roku can provide the Streaming Stick remote-free, instead relying on the TV’s own remote for navigation. The flash-drive scale stick contains a processor, memory and software, along with the wireless connection, and offers access to the same 400+ channels of content to the existing external set-top boxes in the company’s range.

Best Buy own-brand Insignia will be among the first to offer the Roku Streaming stick, bundling it with a new line-up of MHL-compliant TVs later in the year. Roku is also hoping to get the dongle into bundles from other manufacturers, though it will also be sold direct to consumers as a peripheral.

No word on pricing at this stage, but given the Roku LT is a mere $50, we’re guessing the Streaming Stick will undercut that.

The Roku remote app for iOS works on all models of the set-top box, from the original through the current year’s redesigned models. It can also be paired with multiple Roku boxes and works by connecting your iOS device to the box on the same network and then signing in with your Roku account.

All existing services, such as Amazon Instant Video, Hulu Plus, and Netflix can be accessed via the app. You simply touch-and-swipe to navigate and you can also rate channels and add or remove channels from your set-top box directly from the app. If you have the Roku 2 or Roku LT boxes, you’ll just have to make sure to upgrade to Roku software version 4.2 for compatibility.

The iOS app is free and available now. The company has promised an Android version, but has not given a timeline yet.

[via Engadget]

However, there’ll be region-specific channels on offer, as Netflix secures deals with Canadian and UK providers. There are also casual games on offer on the US models, such as Angry Birds, which is also likely to transition into the newly supported regions.

Pricing and specific availability hasn’t been confirmed, but Netflix recently launched its cheapest model to-date, the $49 Roku LT. That will now get a special remote with custom Netflix, Pandora and Crackle buttons, in the US at least, though we imagine services will be queuing up to get dedicated shortcuts of their own elsewhere.

[via GigaOm]

It’s unclear whether existing owners will be able to buy the new remote control, or if they’ll have to satisfy themselves with the menu option. It will be bundled with Roku’s most recent – and cheapest – STB, the Roku LT, announced last month and offering streaming access to Netflix, Pandora and other services for just $49.

We’re waiting on images of what the new Roku remote will look like, so for the moment we’ll just have to use our imaginations. Updates when the pictures arrive.

Update: Image of the remote has arrived, and as you’d expect it has a big Pandora button on there. However, there’s also a dedicated Netflix button and a dedicated Crackle button too.

The device is priced well, but still gets a ton of content with over 300 channels available. The player supports Netflix, Hulu Plus, Amazon instant Video, Pandora, EPIX, Crackle, Disney, and more. It will also get HBO Go, but you have to subscribe to HBO on a qualifying cable company to use that HBO Go app. It’s also worth pointing out that HBO Go has just today been announced on the Roku platform. When I saw the price, I figured what you give up is HD resolution.

That’s not the case with the Roku LT supporting 720p HD and it sports WiFi as well. The player will be available online and in retail stores in early November. The device lacks some of the capability of the new Roku 2 family though with no Bluetooth or gaming capability and no memory card slot.

That means you won’t get the full-length films to stream, but shorter cartoon length vids will be offered with popular Disney characters. The videos will include Winnie the Pooh, Lightning McQueen, the Jonas Brothers, Selena Gomes, and AllStar Weekend among others. Roku says that it is the first firm to offer the short form videos for streaming.

Exactly how many videos the service will offer from Disney is unknown. The videos come from Disney.com and the library is described as extensive. If you use Roku, let us know how extensive the library is. This should be good news for parents with children that love Disney content. You will need a Roku device to stream the videos naturally.

As before, there are three models to choose from: the Roku 2 HD is the entry-level, $59 model, with up to 720p HD playback support, while the Roku 2 XD comes in at $79 and offers 1080p. Finally, there’s the Roku 2 XS, at $99, which also supports 1080p, adds an ethernet port and USB, and debuts the company’s new Bluetooth remote control. That remote can be waved around, Wiimote-style, to control the on-screen gaming; Roku 2 HD and XD buyers can grab it separately for $29.

There’s also a selection of new channels in the pipeline, including AOL HD and FOXNews, along with Facebook support. The latter allows you to view your Facebook friends’ photos and videos – along with any attached comments – on your big screen TV, while Roku promises that YouTube support is also on the roadmap.

All three models will go on sale by the end of July.

That chip is good for up to 1080p Full HD resolution media, though the entry-level 3000X/Roku 2 HD will be limited to 720p and has half the RAM of its siblings. Connectivity includes WiFi-n, Bluetooth and a microSD card slot, though you’ll need the top-spec 3100X/Roku 2 XS if you want a 10/100 ethernet port. There’s also composite video across the range, plus the 3100X gets a USB 2.0 Host port.

Finally, there’s a new RF remote for the 3100X, though the others make do with IR as before. No word on what that might look like, however, but fingers are collectively crossed for a QWERTY keyboard. The Roku 2 HD will be sold direct from the company’s site, while the Roku 2 XD will be offered in stores; both routes will be used for the Roku 2 XS. No word on when that might happen or for how much, however.

[via Engadget]

The Roku XD player is in Walmart right now for $78. It offers watchers 250 entertainment channels with Netflix, Hulu Plus, Amazon Instant Video, and lots more. Sports fans can also get access to NBA Game Time, NHL GameCenter Live, and UFC content. The Roku XD also streams music and can share photos from Flickr and Facebook.

“We know that our customers love having instant access to entertainment on their TVs – and at great value. With the Roku XD player now available at Walmart, customers can get dad the perfect gift just in time for Father’s Day,” said Roku Founder and CEO Anthony Wood. “Whether it’s dad-centric flicks, sports or tips for grilling the perfect steak, Roku offers something for dad every time he sits down to enjoy TV.”

Roku will offer different types of Angry Birds content on the streaming box. With Angry Birds, Angry Birds Seasons, and Angry Birds Rio games all on offer. Roku will also offer an Angry Birds video channel with animated shorts and it will sell Angry Birds merchandise via the Roku Channel Store. This is the first Roku expansion to add casual games to the lineup of offerings. Roku won’t stop at Angry Birds though; it is in talks with other casual game providers for more game titles.

I wonder how the controls will work on a Roku box for playing the game. “Angry Birds is the most popular and fastest growing casual game yet is has been trapped on mobile devices. We believe there’s a huge market for games like these on the TV,” said Roku Founder and CEO Anthony Wood. “Just as we were the first to enable Netflix to stream instantly to the TV, we intend to be the catalyst for transforming the way people play casual games—starting with Angry Birds—on the biggest screen in the home.”

Admittedly, there are many such devices on store shelves right now. Consumers can opt for the Apple TV, Roku’s set-top boxes, and even HDTVs that come with built-in apps. The choices are endless, and for the most part, the entertainment opportunities are, as well.

But if I were to choose a single device that can best them all and deliver the kind of entertainment that would satisfy just about any customer in the living room, it would be hard not to pick Sony’s PlayStation 3.

Now, I know that there are some out there — especially Xbox fans — that hear that and scoff. For years now, they’ve heard people say that the PlayStation 3 is the go-to platform for entertainment, and they’re sick of hearing it. But the fact is, the PlayStation 3 is offering the best entertainment options in the living room today. And as worthwhile as the Xbox 360, Apple TV, and Roku set-top boxes are, they can’t match the PlayStation 3.

Sony’s console delivers just about everything entertainment-seekers are after. It comes with a Netflix app, Hulu Plus, the ability to listen to music, and support for 3D content. It’s also a game console, which means those who want to play a video game, rather than watch a few shows, can do so. It also boasts support for online gaming for those who spend most of their time engaging in that activity.

That alone would make the PlayStation 3 a good buy for consumers. But when one considers that the device also comes with a Blu-ray drive, and its player is widely considered one of the top options on the market, it quickly becomes clear that the device’s $300 price tag is a downright bargain.

If you’re still not convinced, think of it this way: for $100, you’ll get an Apple TV that can handle all your iTunes content and let you watch Netflix. You can also rent content, and access both Flickr and Internet Radio. It lacks gaming and a Blu-ray player. The same can be said for Roku set-top boxes, which offer a host of entertainment options, but lack those extra elements.

The Xbox 360 comes close to matching the PlayStation 3. It has all the same features as its chief rival in the gaming space, as well as the same price. However, it lacks a Blu-ray drive, which as 1080p sets enter more and more homes, is jumping higher on the average consumer’s list of desired features.

As someone who has spent ample time in the living room enjoying all forms of entertainment, I simply don’t see any other device that can deliver the same value proposition as the PlayStation 3.

Are there better game consoles? Perhaps. Is accessing Netflix content easier on the Apple TV or my HDTV? Sure. But for $300, those who are looking for a single option that will satisfy all their needs simply won’t go wrong with Sony’s console.

Previously the Netgear Roku XD player had been available in retail stores, though priced at $89.99 than the basic Roku XD direct. Both boxes offer Netflix, Pandora, Amazon Video on Demand, Hulu Plus, Vimeo, Flickr and access to multiple other content streams.

Press Release:

Roku Enters Retail with Nationwide Availability at Best Buy

Roku XD model featuring 1080p playback and 802.11n WiFi now available for purchase at your local Best Buy store

March 30, 2011 08:33 AM Eastern Daylight Time
SARATOGA, Calif.–(EON: Enhanced Online News)–Roku, Inc., maker of the best-selling and award-winning Roku streaming player, announced today that its Roku XD player is available for purchase at Best Buy stores nationwide and at BestBuy.com. With up to 1080p HD streaming support, integrated 802.11n WiFi and Instant Replay the Roku XD offers unlimited entertainment choices and incredible value to customers. The Roku XD has a list price of $79.99 and is available at Best Buy stores and at BestBuy.com for purchase today. Roku players can also be found at other leading retail stores including BJ’s Wholesale Club, Fry’s Electronics and RadioShack.

“Customers can now grab a Roku off the shelf at Best Buy, take it home and be up and running, enjoying their favorite TV show, movie, music or sports team in just a matter of minutes.”
“Having sold over 1 million Roku players through online sales only up until now, we are incredibly excited to announce our entrance into brick and mortar retail with nationwide availability from the preeminent consumer electronics retailer,” said Anthony Wood, founder and CEO of Roku, Inc. “Customers can now grab a Roku off the shelf at Best Buy, take it home and be up and running, enjoying their favorite TV show, movie, music or sports team in just a matter of minutes.”

All Roku players continue to deliver the largest collection of streaming entertainment available for the TV, including over 100,000 movies and TV shows from Netflix (NASDAQ: NFLX), Amazon Instant Video (NASDAQ: AMZN), Hulu Plus and Crackle; live and on-demand sports from NBA Game Time and NHL GameCenter Live; music from Pandora, MP3tunes, MOG and Rdio; photo and video sharing from Flickr and Facebook; plus news and entertainment from thousands of sources around the world.

First introduced in May 2008, the Roku player provides an easy, affordable, and reliable way for over 1 million customers to watch movies and TV shows instantly on their TV. Since the launch of the Roku Channel Store, all Roku customers now have access to over 150 channels from 85 unique content services, with more added all the time.

Pricing and Availability

The Roku XD is available for $79.99 and can be purchased at any Best Buy in the United States and at BestBuy.com. In addition to being available at Best Buy, select Roku players are available at BJ’s Wholesale Club, Fry’s Electronics and RadioShack. A full list of retailers and which Roku models are available at each one can be found at http://www.roku.com/retail.

Existing Rdio subscribers can simply punch their credentials into their Roku and get access, and there’s a 7 day trial for new users. In addition to simply picking from the catalog, it’s possible to see the listening activity, collections and playlists of other Rdio users, see what’s being played most, access top charts and quickly pick from newly released albums. There are  also Artist Rdio Stations and recommendations based on music previously played.

Press Release:

Rdio Expands to Roku and ‘Puts the Needle on the Record’ in the Homes of Music Lovers

Unlimited, On-Demand Social Music Service Debuts in the Roku Channel Store

SAN FRANCISCO, Feb. 24, 2011 /PRNewswire/ — Rdio, the unlimited, on-demand social music service from the founders of Skype, today continued revolutionizing the music experience by extending its reach to a leading home entertainment platform with its debut on the Roku streaming player.

Rdio service lets music fans listen to as many songs as they like, anytime, anywhere. Built around community and powered by people, Rdio puts the social into music by making it super easy to both share music and discover new music through friends and other influencers. Rdio offers millions of songs in its continuously expanding music catalogue for just pennies a day.

“This combination of Rdio and Roku is a solid step forward in our march to redefine the music experience across the variety of platforms and devices in the marketplace,” said Drew Larner, CEO of Rdio. “By extending Rdio’s core social and music innovations onto Roku devices, users can, for the first time, share and discover music from their TV and home entertainment system.”

Roku is a family of streaming players that deliver high definition video and audio via built in wireless and Ethernet to your TV and home entertainment system. The Roku Channel Store contains over 150 channels for customers to add to their Roku device for immediate, on-demand viewing and listening. Since pioneering the streaming player category in 2008, Roku has sold over a million devices and served over a billion streams of content.

“We are excited about the rich social dimension that Rdio brings to the Roku Channel Store,” said Anthony Wood, founder and CEO of Roku, Inc. “With great music and an innovative service, Rdio offers tremendous value for customers and an experience that will fuel connection within the Roku user community.”

Key features of Rdio’s Roku channel include:
Build your music collection – Whether you want to listen to the latest Top 40 album or indie artist, Rdio brings millions of songs in its library to your music collection.
Listen to playlists – Rdio users have created playlists with creative and descriptive names, making it easy to pick a playlist based on your mood.
Search everything fast – Search for more than just artists, albums and songs, our fast search also provides results for playlists and people.
See what’s popular – Check out what’s in “heavy rotation” and easily listen to the music that your friends and influencers are listening to most.
Check out new releases, top charts and recommended music – Be in the know about what’s new and buzzing in music. Rdio gives easy access to new releases, top charts, and recommended albums so you’re always up to date on the latest music and can easily re-discover old favorites. Check out top albums, songs and playlists, or browse album recommendations based upon the music you’ve previously played.
· Know your personal history – view the albums, songs and playlists you have previously played.
· Amazing web queue – Create a seamless listening experience across web, mobile and your TV by accessing your web queue across platforms. Queue up a set of albums, songs or playlists on the web and play that queue directly from Rdio on Roku.

Rdio is an unlimited, on-demand social music service that lets subscribers listen to music on the web, in your home and on your mobile phone, even offline. One of Rdio’s key differentiators is its unique social design that emulates the way music has always been shared—from person to person. Rdio subscribers build and share their online music collections from a catalogue of over 8 million songs, and can see the listening activity, collections and playlists of other Rdio users including friends and influencers. Subscribers can also see what’s in heavy rotation in their network and the Rdio community, top charts and newly released albums. Rdio can also help you decide to play what’s next with Artist Rdio Stations and recommendations based on music you’ve previously played. Rdio has relationships with all four major labels (EMI Music, Sony Music Entertainment, Universal Music Group and Warner Music Group) and thousands of indie labels. Rdio platform and device support includes a browser-based application, Mac and PC desktop clients, a Google Chrome Web Store App, Sonos, and Roku as well as iPhone, Android, Windows Phone 7 and BlackBerry mobile devices.

Pricing & Availability
The Rdio Channel on Roku is available to all Rdio Unlimited subscribers for $9.99 a month. Rdio offers a 7-day free trial for new users. Current Rdio Unlimited customers with a Roku device have immediate, all-platform access by simply linking their account to the Rdio channel which is now available in the Roku Channel Store. Roku customers can try Rdio on Roku by signing up for a 7-day free trial at www.rdio.com and then linking their Roku player to the newly created Rdio account. Current Rdio Web subscribers with a Roku device may upgrade to Rdio Unlimited for immediate access to Rdio on Roku. While Rdio is available in the US and Canada, Roku devices and the Rdio Channel on Roku are only available in the US.

You can probably guess exactly what the new feature allows you to do. The support allows the user to play content back from a connected USB drive directly. A few of the details are left out, but Roku has offered a pretty clear picture of how and what you can do.

The feature supports direct playback from USB drives for KV (H.264), MP4 (H.264), MOV (H.264), WMV/ASF (WMV9/VC-1), MP3, AAC, JPG, and PNG files. The firmware supporting the new feature is version 2.9 build 1529 that landed last week.

Via Zatz Not funny

But in its current form, Google TV isn’t there. Content providers aren’t playing nice with Google and running the platform in tandem with your cable provider’s DVR won’t deliver the same appeal that DISH customers enjoy. I view the software more as a proof-of-concept than a nicely thought-out implementation.

Realizing that, I just can’t see why Logitech continues to sell its Revue set-top box for a whopping $300. Yes, I know that it’s running Google TV, and the platform can do more than, say, the software running on the $99 Apple TV, but it’s clear now that the excitement everyone had about Google TV has died down. And it’s being viewed as what it really is: an under-performing entertainment platform.

As far as I’m concerned, the Logitech Revue should be selling for $150 at most. At that price, the company will be able to drum up some demand for the device, hopefully get most of its investment back, and at least have an installed base in place for when Google gets serious about its platform.

But the need for a price cut goes beyond demand.

Earlier this month, Vizio, currently the second-largest TV maker in the U.S., announced that it will offer Google TV in some of its sets going forward. In addition, reports surfaced last week claiming ARM-based Google TV devices are scheduled to launch “soon.” With the help of ARM, vendors should be able to offer lower-cost technology, pushing down the average price of Google TV products.

Logitech continues to feel pressure outside of the Google TV market, as well.

Apple announced in December that it hit 1 million unit sales of its Apple TV. The figure isn’t staggering, but it effectively highlights that the platform is catching on. And let’s face it: Logitech doesn’t enjoy the same brand recognition that Apple does.

Moreover, Roku’s set-top boxes, which can be purchased for as little as $60, continue to sell well.

So, I’m a little confused by Logitech’s insistence on maintaining its $300 price tag on the Revue. I understand that it wants to get every last dime out of its investment and I think it believes that the device will offer more value when Google updates its platform, but by then will it be too late? At least right now, the Revue is somewhat new and relevant. In a few months, it could be just another forgotten toy that failed to catch on with the mainstream.

Say what you will about Logitech and the future of home entertainment, but unless the company starts realizing that it’s not as well-positioned as it could be, and it understands that the competition is offering cheaper and more compelling alternatives, it simply won’t see success in the set-top box space.

Roku has already announced that its users watch around 10hrs of streaming content per week, and this appears to have been the motivating factor for the privately-owned WealthTV channel. New content was one of Roku’s pushes for 2011, and we’re guessing this is only the first stage in that expansion.

Press Release:

WealthTV Enriches Roku Users

WealthTV deploys its 24/7 ‘Cable’ Feed Over-the-Top on Roku

SAN DIEGO, Jan. 18, 2011 /PRNewswire/ — WealthTV, the premier luxury lifestyle and entertainment network, today announced that its 24/7 linear high definition feed, along with numerous video on demand titles, is now available on the award-winning Roku streaming player. The launch of WealthTV’s service marks the first deployment of a broadcast quality, high definition national cable network delivered over-the-top to Roku users on a 24/7 live streaming basis. WealthTV’s live streaming feed gives Roku viewers a “cable-like” watching experience that is augmented by a robust on-demand library of content as well. Roku users can now enjoy a wide range of programming offered by WealthTV including world travel, outrageous cars, culinary delights, top fashion, international news, movies and much more.

“WealthTV fans that can’t get our network from their local video provider can now enjoy our vicarious living programming lineup via Roku,” said Robert Herring, Sr., founder and CEO of WealthTV. “We’ve received a large volume of consumer requests to expand our distribution to connected devices and this deployment will let us gauge the acceptability and viability of alternative distribution methods for our traditional cable feed.”

“WealthTV delivers not only highly entertaining content, but also incredible HD picture quality,” stated Anthony Wood, founder and CEO of Roku, Inc. “With Roku surpassing one million units sold last year and with Roku customers averaging over 11 hours of programming on Roku a week, it’s logical for national programming services to make their content lineup available to our growing user base.”

WealthTV’s family-friendly, educational programming lineup allows Roku users to vicariously live in the lap of luxury from the comfort of their living room. The service, which rolled out on Roku at a price point of $2.99 per month on a subscription basis, allows Roku users to experience the American Dream for less than a dime a day. WealthTV launched its high definition programming services in June of 2004 making it one of the oldest high definition national programmer networks.

Over time, I realized that my perception was off. Blu-ray has not only become my go-to platform when I want to buy movies or television shows, but it has also helped me replace the need for DVD in my home. Practically my entire DVD collection has been wiped out in favor of Blu-ray. And as time has gone on, I haven’t missed my once-beloved DVD one bit.

But now my time is being split between watching Blu-ray content and streaming video via services like Netflix and Amazon Video On Demand. I’ve found that not having to get off the couch to watch something I’m interested in is far more preferable than finding the DVD copy and popping that into a player. Call me lazy, but that convenience is something that makes streaming a staple in my home.

However, when I pit streaming against Blu-ray, I can’t help but choose the latter option when I want to sit back, relax, and enjoy a movie. The streaming option is certainly much easier to get up and running, and if I went all-streaming, I could reduce all the clutter in my entertainment center, but then I would lose the higher-quality video and audio that comes with Blu-ray.

Streaming is great, but do me a favor and pop Avatar into your Blu-ray player, running on your 1080p set, and tell me that isn’t the best way to enjoy that film. Yes, most streaming services, like Apple’s iTunes content on the Apple TV, are available in 720p, rather than 1080p, which makes the comparison a bit unfair, but isn’t that central to this entire argument? Until streaming can match Blu-ray in terms of overall quality and sound, it’s simply not the best way to enjoy content.

Luckily, companies like Vudu realize that. The company offers a 1080p option to customers that actually looks quite nice. But even in those cases where folks get 1080p content from Vudu, it can’t quite live up to the audio-visual quality we enjoy on Blu-ray.

And as convenient as Netflix is, the company’s streaming option in no way comes close to matching the experience of watching the same film on Blu-ray.

As much as I enjoy the many streaming services I use, they have a long way to go to match Blu-ray. Yes, streaming is convenient, and yes, it’s getting better by the day. But to say that it can be a replacement for Blu-ray, at least right now, is simply outrageous.

Roku CEO Anthony Wood actually credited Apple and the launch of the streaming-centric Apple TV for the success of Roku in 2010, claiming that the high-profile device actually helped raise awareness of streaming media.

Press Release:

Roku Reaches 1 Billion Streams of Content to the TV

User base now matches reach of a Top 10 cable company; Over 130 unique streaming entertainment channels now available.

Saratoga, Calif. – January 4, 2011 – Roku, Inc., maker of the award-winning family of Roku streaming players, announced today that the company served its one billionth stream of content. This follows on the company’s previous announcement of surpassing 1 million units in 2010.

Roku streaming players continue to grow in popularity and usage as Roku makes more streaming apps, or “channels,” available. In December 2010, Roku players averaged over 11 hours of playing time per week – a significant amount of TV viewing for Roku customers when compared to the national average of 36 hours per week.

“A billion streams is pretty amazing and shows just how engaged our customers are with their Roku players,” said Anthony Wood, founder and CEO of Roku, Inc. “If you think about it, our active user base now matches that of a top 10 US cable company. Our core values of simplicity, great content and affordability clearly resonate with mainstream customers.”

Starting at $59.99, Roku players now feature over 100,000 movies and TV shows from Netflix (NASDAQ: NFLX), Amazon (NASDAQ: AMZN) Video On Demand and Hulu Plus; live and on demand sports and highlights from MLB.TV, NHL GameCenter Live and NBA GameTime; music from Pandora, MP3tunes, MOG, and TuneIn Radio; photo and video sharing from Flickr and Facebook; plus news and entertainment from thousands of sources around the world. The Roku platform has become the platform of choice for top content partners looking to reach TV viewers via instant and live streaming.

About Roku, Inc.

The market leader in streaming entertainment devices for the TV with over 1 million units sold, Roku has always believed that anything you want to watch, listen to, and enjoy should simply be there on your TV, whenever you want it. Roku streaming players are renowned for their simplicity, variety of entertainment choices, and exceptional value. Roku is privately held and based in Saratoga, Calif.

As for 2011, Roku is planning broader retail distribution along with a greater number of embedded implementations courtesy of licensing deals (as with Netgear’s Roku XD); there’s also the promise of new content. The company recently updated its streamers with 1080p Full HD, together with support for Hulu Plus.

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Why I’m Willing to Give 3D TV A Try [COLUMN]

To see more wrap-up posts, follow the following tags: [The Daily Slash] or [SlashGear Morning Wrap-up]

The new 2.9 firmware will automatically install on your Roku box at some point over the next few days, but you can also manually trigger the update from the Settings page.

- Enabled 1080P support for XR units.

- Hulu application optimizations for quicker trick play navigation and start of playback.

- Hulu application optimization for improved playback performance on networks with higher latencies.

- Fixed a bug that could result in a crash if an app tried to load an image that was too large (greater than 1280×720).

- Fixed playback of poorly interleaved video streams which resulted in rebuffers around the 25 minute mark in Roku Newscaster programs.

- Fixed a remaining case of playback at the incorrect aspect ratio.

- Changed option menu action name from “change order” to “change position” for re-arranging channels.

- Fixed a bug in channel re-ordering related to presence of screen savers.

- Modified channel store “go to channel” behavior to launch the selected channel instead of only focusing the icon on the Home screen.

- Added screensaver preview and set options to the channel store springboard.

- Fixed a subtle audio playback issue in UFC streaming.

[via Zatz Not Funny]

Hulu is promising to update its Samsung, PlayStation 3, and Apple iPad, iPhone, and iPod touch Hulu Plus apps over the next week, with “a variety of bug fixes and feature and performance enhancements.” It’s worth noting that Hulu Plus doesn’t save you entirely from adverts, however; the company only says that its content will have “minimal ad-load.”

If you already subscribed through the Hulu Plus Preview, the company will be slipping you the difference in subscription fees in your next billing cycle. Meanwhile, all new Hulu Plus users will get a one-week free trial.

Press Release:

HULU PLUS™ SUBSCRIPTION SERVICE LAUNCHES FOR $7.99 PER MONTH

Offers Deepest Library of Current Hit Network TV Shows Like Glee, Modern Family, and The Office; Extends Access to Even More Devices and Platforms

(LOS ANGELES) November 17, 2010 /PRNewswire/ — Hulu™ today officially launched Hulu Plus™, the first and only internet video subscription service to stream full current seasons and a deep library of back seasons of hit TV shows from ABC, FOX, NBC, and more, in HD, to computers, internet-connected TVs and Blu-ray players, set-top boxes, mobile phones, and tablets, all for $7.99 per month.

“We’re proud to offer consumers the best of current TV on their terms,” said Jason Kilar, chief executive officer of Hulu. “With Hulu Plus, it’s now possible to watch any episode from the current season of watercooler shows like Glee, Modern Family, 30 Rock and dozens more; whenever and wherever they want.”

Any users who subscribed during the preview period will also receive a credit for the difference from the $9.99 preview price to be applied automatically to their next billing cycle. Starting today, all new subscribers to Hulu Plus receive a 1-week free trial.

Access Anywhere on Multiple Devices
Today, Hulu Plus will be available through a wide variety of devices that have an installed base of over 50 million in the U.S. No matter when and where a TV lover wants to catch the latest episode of House, Saturday Night Live, or Family Guy – whether it’s in the office, in the living room, or on the go – Hulu Plus is there:

Connected TV and Blu-Ray players: Samsung, Sony BRAVIA® HDTVs and connected Blu-ray Disc™ Players, and coming soon: LG Electronics, Panasonic, VIZIO
Connected Set-top Boxes: Roku, Sony Network Media Player, and coming soon: TiVo Premiere DVRs, Western Digital’s WD TV Live Hub Media Center and WD TV Live Plus Network Media Player
Gaming Consoles: PlayStation® 3, and coming soon: Xbox 360
Mobile Devices: Apple iPad, iPhone, iPod touch
Other network appliances: Sony Dash
HD-available programs will stream to users in 720p high definition on HD-capable devices. Hulu will continue to announce additional supported devices and platforms in the coming months.

More of Today’s Top TV Shows
Hulu Plus offers full current and back seasons of both current and classic hit TV shows to subscribers in the U.S. TV fans can instantly stream any episode of current broadcast network shows such as Glee, Family Guy, Grey’s Anatomy, Modern Family, 30 Rock, House, and The Office all season long. In addition, TV lovers will be able to enjoy full series runs and numerous back seasons of classic shows like The X-Files, Arrested Development, Desperate Housewives, Battlestar Galactica, Monk, Psych, Saturday Night Live, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, Ugly Betty, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and dozens more.

The Hulu Plus library has grown by thousands of videos during its preview and will add more titles in the months to come.

Advertising Partners for Hulu Plus
Hulu has built one of the most effective brand advertising services in the world, with a platform that delivers 55% more effective ad campaigns than traditional channels. Hulu Plus extends this proprietary and innovative targeted ad platform across PCs, TVs, mobile phones, and tablets, creating multiple touch points to reach connected consumers wherever they live, work, and play.

For the launch of Hulu Plus, the company has partnered with leading brand marketers including Bud Light, McDonald’s, Nissan, and Microsoft to expand their reach to Hulu’s engaged and connected audience. Hulu is also working with comScore and Nielsen to help create accurate and leading edge measurement tools for the Hulu Plus service.

The update is specifically made to bring some much-needed changes to the User Interface. Users will now be able to reorder channels on the home screen, so that they can better access their favorite channels. The Channel Store now features a new grid layout, which should help in users finding new content, faster. Something that’s been missing since the launch is a clock on the home screen, as well as time controls, but those have been officially added in this new update.

There are some points in the fine print, though. If you want to actually reorder your channels, you’ll need to have the new Roku controller that was announced along with the new Roku boxes not too long ago. If you have an older box, you can still get the updated firmware, but you’ll have to drop $15 to get the new remote. And, while Roku has promised Hulu Plus streaming in the past, it didn’t make it to this update. You should see a pop-up notification that your system is ready for an update. Let us know how it goes, and how you like the improvements, if you update your box.

[via Zatz Not Funny]

Curiously, the Roky page is still showing up at the PlayOn site, at least at time of writing, offering Hulu, Comedy Central, Spike, PBS, ESPN, CBS, ESPN3, Nick, TBS and BET content for $39.99 in the first year and then $19.99 per year thereafter.  No official comment from either company as yet, so we’ll have to wait and see on this one.

[via Engadget]

Hulu Plus is one of the services that many TV fans will want to get. It will offer all episodes of some cool old shows and let the user catch up on shows that are airing now that they miss. The Hulu Plus service has been rumored to get a price cut before launch to $4.99 monthly and the cheapest Roku player is $59.99.

“We’re thrilled to be able to provide Hulu Plus subscribers with the most inexpensive device to stream Hulu content to their TVs,” said Anthony Wood, founder and CEO of Roku, Inc. “Hulu continues to be an amazing innovator in online entertainment, and Roku is an ideal platform to bring their content back to the living room and high definition televisions where it is best viewed.”

Next time you go to Best Buy or surf around Amazon, do me a favor and examine the Logitech Revue.

That device, which runs Google TV, has quickly become the benchmark by which all the other products in the set-top box market are judged. To some extent, that makes sense. After all, it features some of the most advanced functionality of any device in the space. And it’s the first Google TV-equipped product to hit store shelves. It would only make sense that it would garner so much attention.

The only issue is, the Logitech Revue is ridiculously expensive, sporting a price tag of $300.

Now, Google fans would say that it’s the right price. After all, they say, it allows you to search and surf the Web, access Netflix content, and enjoy all kinds of other content from the device. Plus, they say, it has full DVR integration.

But they don’t tell you the whole story. The Logitech Revue does let you surf and search the Web. And you can access far more content because of that. But developers won’t be able to offer apps for Google TV until next year. And that heralded DVR integration, which allows users to search cable programming and set shows to record, is currently only available on Dish DVRs. Yes, you can control your Comcast DVR with the set-top box, but you can’t get all the functionality it offers just yet.

So, the Logitech Revue seems to be more of a proof-of-concept than a set-top box winner. It has potential, but it’s not there yet. And for $300, it’s hard to see why many folks would invest so much in just potential.

Now, let’s go to the other side of the spectrum: Roku set-top boxes.

Those devices are simple, they bundle quite a bit of content into such a small box, and they’re quite cheap. In fact, they start at just $59.99. But the top-of-the-line model, the XD|S, is far and away the most viable device in the lineup.

Although the XD|S delivers 1080p video, Netflix streaming, and several outstanding channels, its software design is spotty, it won’t allow users to control DVRs, and it lacks the game-changing app store that Google is promising. Simply put, it’s great and it works well, but it’s lacking. And for $100, it seems rather overpriced.

But it’s not alone at $100.

The recently released Apple TV also sports a $100 price tag. For that amount, consumers get the ability to play their iTunes music, stream Netflix, and rent movies and television shows. However, the device lacks storage, the ability to buy tracks from the product, and the DVR integration so many had been hoping for.

But there is something to be said about the Apple TV’s and the XD|S’ price points — $100 is the ideal price for a set-top box.

The only issue is, the ideal set-top box would be more Google TV-like than Apple TV-like. Yes, that might be a dream at this point. But it’s one that I want to realize.

The future of the set-top box market relies upon a well-equipped $100 device. Charging $300 for the Revue is too much. And charging $100 for an Apple TV is too much. The sweet spot combines outstanding functionality with that $100 price tag. No more, no less.

And until vendors realize that, start throwing the kitchen sink into their products, and get the price point down to $100, they will continue to fight over a significantly smaller market than what it could be with the right product at the right price.

There’s also Pandora, Flickr, Vimeo and other sites offering free content as well.  It’s worth remembering that you can have up to six Roku players activated on any one Netflix subscription, too.

You’ll have to stomach a higher price for the Netgear name, however; whereas the Roku XD is $79.99, the Netgear Roku XD Player NVT250 is $89.99.  Annoyingly Netgear don’t even bundle an HDMI cable, despite that extra cost.

TiVo announced today that they would be making Hulu Plus available on their TiVo Premiere DVRs “in the coming months.” That means you’ll have to pay the $9.95 to get your hands on the full Hulu catalog, as well as your standard TiVo subscription. Check out the full press release below.

Press Release

TiVo Will Offer Hulu Plus on TiVo Premiere DVRs

ALVISO, CA — (Marketwire) — 09/28/2010 — TiVo Inc. (NASDAQ: TIVO), the creator of and a leader in advanced television services including digital video recorders (DVRs) for consumers, content distributors and consumer electronics manufacturers, today announced that it has teamed with Hulu™ to provide TiVo® Premiere DVR subscribers with access to the full-array of Hulu Plus™ content streamed instantly to their TVs. The Hulu Plus channel will be available via subscription to all TiVo Premiere customers in the coming months.*

The agreement solidifies TiVo’s leading position as the only one-box solution on the market that delivers the most complete entertainment content to the TV with the unmatched ability to use one user interface and one remote to access a sea of broadband, linear and video on demand content.

Hulu Plus offers one of the deepest offerings of current TV shows on a streaming platform to subscribers in the U.S., including every episode of more than 45 current hit programs from ABC, FOX and NBC like Modern Family, Grey’s Anatomy, Glee, Family Guy, The Office and 30 Rock. In addition, TV lovers with TiVo Premiere DVRs will be able to enjoy full series runs and numerous back seasons of dozens of classic shows like The X-Files, Law and Order: SVU, Arrested Development, Saturday Night Live, Miami Vice, Ugly Betty, Quantum Leap, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel, Roswell and Ally McBeal.

“Adding Hulu Plus to TiVo’s content offering was really the key missing piece to the programming portfolio that TiVo needed in order to deliver a truly comprehensive advanced television offering on the market today — bar none,” said Tara Maitra, VP & General Manager, Content Services and Ad Sales, TiVo Inc. “TiVo is the complete TV entertainment solution. No other service is as robust or offers consumers the ability to access live TV, Web video, and video on demand content from one box like TiVo does.”

Pete Distad, VP of Content Distribution for Hulu, said, “We are laser focused on helping people find and enjoy the world’s premium video content when, where and how they want it. Our goal for Hulu Plus is to provide as much consumer choice as possible, and Hulu Plus on TiVo’s Premiere DVR offering is a compelling way for us to drive our mission forward.”

* Separate subscriptions to Hulu Plus and the TiVo Service will be required to access Hulu Plus on TiVo Premiere DVRs.

There had been some grumblings about the availability of Hulu on the Roku box for a little while now, and while some of those rumors may have been powered by nothing more than hope, it certainly paid off. Roku announced today that the popular Hulu service would be made available to all Roku boxes later this fall. You’ll have to pay the $9.99 monthly fee to access the full catalog of Hulu, and watch older episodes.

“We are excited to bring Hulu Plus to all Roku users,” said Pete Distad, VP of Content Distribution for Hulu. “With Hulu Plus on Roku, TV fans will have an easy way to stream to their TVs the shows they love, whenever they want.”

Considering the refresh of Roku boxes, with prices for the set-top variants starting at $59.99, it would be hard not to say that Roku is one of the best options available. Check out the full press release below for any additional information you might be looking for.

And, if that’s not enough, it’s also coming to TiVo Premiere customers, too.

Press Release

Roku Announces Content Partnership with Hulu
Hulu Plus Coming this Fall on All Roku Streaming Players

Saratoga, Calif. (September 28, 2010) Roku, Inc., maker of the best-selling and award-winning Roku streaming player, and Hulu™, the leading online TV service, today announced a partnership to offer the Hulu Plus™ service on all Roku players. The Hulu Plus channel will be available via subscription to all Roku customers later this fall.

Hulu Plus offers one of the deepest offerings of TV shows, both current and classic, on a streaming platform to subscribers in the U.S. Through Hulu Plus on Roku, TV lovers can watch every episode of more than 45 current hit programs from ABC, FOX and NBC like Modern Family, Grey’s Anatomy, Glee, Family Guy, The Office and 30 Rock. In addition, TV lovers will be able to enjoy full series runs and numerous back seasons of dozens of classic shows like The X-Files, Law and Order: SVU, Arrested Development, Saturday Night Live, Miami Vice, Ugly Betty, Quantum Leap, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel, Roswell and Ally McBeal. The Hulu Plus channel will be available via subscription to all Roku customers later this fall.

“We are excited to bring Hulu Plus to all Roku users,” said Pete Distad, VP of Content Distribution for Hulu. “With Hulu Plus on Roku, TV fans will have an easy way to stream to their TVs the shows they love, whenever they want.”

Roku pioneered the streaming player category in 2008, and recently launched its new line of HD streaming players starting at $59.99, featuring the largest collection of streaming entertainment available for the TV, and the lowest prices in the industry.

“We’re thrilled to be able to provide Hulu Plus subscribers with the most inexpensive device to stream Hulu content to their TVs,” said Anthony Wood, founder and CEO of Roku, Inc. “Hulu continues to be an amazing innovator in online entertainment, and Roku is an ideal platform to bring their content back to the living room and high definition televisions where it is best viewed.”

The Roku HD streaming player ($59.99) delivers video in high-definition and features built-in wireless and Ethernet for easy broadband connectivity anywhere in the home. The new Roku XD ($79.99) and XDS ($99.99) models add 1080p HD support (delivered over HDMI) and extended-range Wireless-N. In addition, the XDS model features dual-band Wireless-N technology and USB playback.

In partnering with Roku, Hulu joins major entertainment partners including Netflix (NASDAQ: NFLX), Amazon Video On Demand (NASDAQ: AMZN), Pandora, MLB.TV, and Ultimate Fighting Championship®.

About Roku, Inc.

The market leader in streaming entertainment devices for the TV, Roku has always believed that anything you want to watch, listen to, and enjoy should simply be there on your TV, whenever you want it. Roku streaming players are renowned for their simplicity, variety of entertainment choices, and exceptional value. Roku is privately held and based in Saratoga, Calif. For more information on the company and its products, visit: http://www.roku.com.

About Hulu
Hulu is an online TV service whose mission is to help people find and enjoy the world’s premium content when, where and how they want it. As we pursue this mission, we aspire to create a service that users, advertisers and content owners unabashedly love. Hulu was founded in 2007 and is operated independently by a dedicated team with offices in Los Angeles, New York, Chicago, and Beijing. NBC Universal, News Corporation, The Walt Disney Company, Providence Equity Partners, and the Hulu team share in the ownership of the company. (www.hulu.com)

Each hit of the Instant Replay button takes you back seven seconds, just as you might be used to from a DVD or DVR.  The entry-level Roku HD supports 720p HD, composite and HDMI outputs, has integrated wireless and wired ethernet, and measures under an inch tall and under five inches wide.  Meanwhile the Roku XD upgrades to 1080p over HDMI and 802.11n.

Finally, the Roku XDS makes that WiFi connection dual-band, for more stable connectivity with compatible routers, and it has an optical audio output, component video, and a USB port that – as of November – will allow you to plug in a hard-drive and play locally stored content as well.  All three new models are available now.

Press Release:

Roku Introduces New Line of HD Streaming Players Starting at $59.99

New XD and XDS models feature 1080p HD, Wireless-N, and Instant Replay

Saratoga, Calif. – September 23, 2010 – Roku, Inc., maker of the best-selling and award-winning Roku streaming player, introduced today its new product lineup, featuring improved performance and the lowest prices in the industry. With up to 1080p HD streaming support and Instant Replay, the new players are shipping immediately at prices starting from just $59.99. All models feature high-definition playback as well as support for older, standard definition TVs.
There are three new Roku models: the entry-level Roku HD at $59.99; the Roku XD with Wireless-N and 1080p, and the top-of-the-line Roku XDS, which adds dual-band wireless technology and extensive connectivity options for home entertainment systems.

All Roku players will continue to deliver the largest collection of streaming entertainment available for the TV, including over 100,000 movies and TV shows from Netflix (NASDAQ: NFLX) and Amazon (NASDAQ: AMZN) Video On Demand; live and on-demand baseball from MLB.TV; music from Pandora, MP3tunes, MOG, and RadioTime; photo and video sharing from Flickr and Facebook; plus news and entertainment from thousands of sources around the world.

“We’re committed to delivering the best entertainment experience at the lowest price in the industry,” said Anthony Wood, founder and CEO of Roku, Inc. “Customers can now buy an HD-capable Roku player with wireless for 40% less than the price of our original $100 Roku HD player. Or, think of it this way: for around the price of two Blu-ray Discs, a Roku player brings you access to limitless instant streaming entertainment choices available today and in the future. It’s perfect for anyone who wants the most choice and control over their entertainment.”

The new $59.99 Roku HD streams video in high-definition at up to 720p, and features built-in wireless and Ethernet for easy broadband connectivity anywhere in the home. The small, sleek Roku HD is only 1 inch tall and less than 5 inches wide, so it fits anywhere and is tiny enough to take on a trip. A composite A/V cable is included so that it can connect to virtually any TV, including standard definition models. An HDMI port enables HD playback on HDTVs.

The new Roku XD ($79.99) and XDS ($99.99) models deliver the next level of streaming performance, with 1080p HD support (delivered over HDMI) and extended-range Wireless-N. In addition, the XDS model features dual-band Wireless-N technology, component video output, optical audio output, and a USB port. Over USB, customers will be able to play stored music, photos, and up to 1080p video using a USB playback channel, available as a free upgrade to XDS owners (expected to be available in November 2010).

Both XD and XDS models also feature an industry first in streaming devices for the TV: an innovative Instant Replay button on the remote, enabling the viewer to skip back in 7-second increments without having to wait for a rebuffering delay. It’s a convenience that until now has been limited to DVRs and other hard-drive based devices.

First introduced in May 2008, the Roku player provides an easy, affordable, and reliable way for hundreds of thousands of Netflix customers to watch movies and TV shows instantly on their TV. Since the launch of the Roku Channel Store last fall, all Roku customers now have access to over 85 channels from 50 unique content services, with more added all the time.

Pricing and availability
The new Roku HD is available for $59.99, while the XD and XDS models are available for $79.99 and $99.99 respectively. All three Roku players are available immediately at www.roku.com, and available for preorders at www.amazon.com.

About Roku, Inc.
The market leader in streaming entertainment devices for the TV, Roku has always believed that anything you want to watch, listen to, and enjoy should simply be there on your TV, whenever you want it. Roku streaming players are renowned for their simplicity, variety of entertainment choices, and exceptional value. Roku is privately held and based in Saratoga, Calif.

In-between the two models sits the Roku HD, which has dropped from $99 to $69.  According to Roku, their intention is to see not just one of the cut-price streamers in every US home, but three.  It’s worth remembering, of course, that you’ll also need an active Netflix subscription if you want to actually view content on the devices.

[via Review Horizon]

In a deal inked today, Roku is teaming up with MP3Tunes. The latter company is designed to provide people with a secure cloud-based location for their music, with the ability to also listen to music in an “unlimited” capacity. The site gives customers the ability to sync their music to the cloud, so that they can later enjoy it from any web browser, as well as a large variety of mobile products, and home entertainment devices. That last bit is the most important part, as the Roku Box definitely fits in there.

You will be able to access 10GB of storage for absolutely no charge, just as long as you can stand the ads that they’ve installed. But if you want to pay to get rid of them, or you just need more storage up there in the ethereal, then you’ll be able to start paying your way all the way up to 200GB of storage. We love options, especially those that let us pick and choose where we play our music, but we’re not sure how excited to get our iTunes library on our TV. We’ll probably have to give it a shot before we can make a final judgment.

Press Release

MP3tunes and Roku Partner To Bring Personal iTunes Music Collection To TVs

An Industry First: No PC or home server required to play iTunes music libraries on Home Entertainment Systems
San Diego, CA – For the first time, music lovers can play their personal iTunes music collection on their TV without a home server. Roku, the market leader in streaming entertainment devices has added expanded support for personal music collections with the addition of MP3tunes. Available now on all Roku players, the MP3tunes channel connects securely to a customer’s personal music stored online in their MP3tunes Locker. After a few simple steps to connect and sync music to a web-based locker, any Roku becomes a rich music player.

“Now customers can get their music library to their TV without the complexity or cost of a home server,” said Michael Robertson, CEO of MP3tunes. “For less than $100, iTunes users or any music enthusiast can turn a TV into a home stereo and take advantage of the best speakers in their house.”

Roku customers can find the free MP3tunes channel in the Roku channel store. By adding this channel to their Roku, customers can access their song libraries and playlists which have historically been available only on their PC in iTunes or portable players which they sync. The MP3tunes channel defaults to a one-click shuffle mode, which immediately plays a random mix of music along with a visual display of accompanying cover art. Customers may choose to browse their music and select artists, albums or playlists to hear.

All Roku customers receive 10GB of free storage space for their music which, on average, will store music libraries up to 2,500 songs. Additional storage for larger music collections is available with MP3tunes premium locker accounts up to 200GBs. For a limited time, customers may also buy a Roku player with a $20 discount and get a free MP3tunes Premium Locker. See www.mp3tunes.com/rokubundle for more information.

“Roku customers are increasingly taking advantage of streaming music services, and now with MP3tunes we are giving them access to their full iTunes music library right on the TV,” said Jim Funk, vice president of business development for Roku, Inc. “In addition to being a terrific video player with support for Netflix, Amazon Video on Demand, and a whole host of other great sports and entertainment content, the Roku player is also a gateway to rich audio entertainment thanks to MP3tunes.”

By choosing Roku as its first launch partner in the home entertainment category, MP3tunes joins major streaming services like Netflix (Nasdaq: NFLX), Amazon Video On Demand (Nasdaq: AMZN), MLB.TV, and the Ultimate Fighting Championship®. The Roku digital video player joins a growing family of devices that play music from a secure MP3tunes locker including Apple iPhone, iTouch, Google Android and Logitech radios. MP3tunes’ unique open music API (www.mp3tunes.com/api) allows any net aware device for car, home, mobile to play a personal music collection.

A video tour of the service can be viewed at: http://www.youtube.com/user/mp3tunes#p/u/6/ctn4Dx0IGPE

However, they did launch Google TV, which is based on four technologies: Android 2.1, the Chrome browser, Adobe’s Flash, and an Intel processor. Google TV isn’t a single product, it’s a platform that can be built as a standalone box or integrated into other devices. Logitech has signed up to build a dedicated Google TV device, Sony promises to have embedded Google TV in some of its TVs and Blu-ray players in time for the holidays, and DISH Network will have a settop box with Google TV in it at some point. Best Buy has agreed to sell these things.

Google TV allows consumers to browse the web on their TV, watch YouTube on the TV, and search for content to watch. Searches return results with both traditional broadcast and cable results mixed with Internet video content. It wasn’t clear what Internet content will be included; when I asked Google if Netflix Watch Instantly shows would be included in search results, they told me to ask Netflix. (At that point I didn’t bother asking about Hulu, which actively blocks its content from Google TV alternatives such as Boxee’s upcoming Box being built by D-Link.)

Since it’s based on Android and supports Flash, Google hopes that developers write apps for Google TV, and the company is extending the Android Market to Google TV to make it easy to find apps. This is far from the first app store concept we’ve seen – even for televisions – but the potential for unique apps is one of the more compelling aspects to the announcement. On the flip side, Google TV doesn’t necessarily have a tuner (unless it’s built into a TV or satellite set top box) and there’s no storage as part of the spec, so there is some setup required to get Google TV to talk to your TV, cable box, or DVR if you actually want to watch or record the traditional TV content you found in your search.

I like Google TV as a platform, but find the initial execution lackluster. The problem is simple: consumers are not willing to attach another device to their TV unless it offers a clear value proposition. For example, game consoles play games and optical disc players play movies and the Roku is an inexpensive way to stream content from Netflix. The Google TV value proposition – search-based directory and viewing Internet content on the TV – does not justify the expense of an integrated solution or the cost and complexity of an external box. (At least Google isn’t also asking for subscription fees – its investment will be repaid with advertising).

But Roku was only successful once the cost of the box dropped below $100, and Google’s Intel-based solution is bound to be more expensive than that. Google needs to get the price down and then either convince cable operators to embed Google TV into the cable boxes they already rent to consumers, or get a much bigger coalition of TV manufacturers to embed it into their sets. Today’s piecemeal approach doesn’t offer consumers enough value and won’t get Google a large enough footprint in the home.

As you can see from the video, the User Interface has taken quite a big improvement from its previous iterations. First and foremost, if you’ve seen the UI before, then you’ll notice that the “press left to see all other movies” is gone, giving your screen some more real estate, and allows for Netflix to show you more digital entertainment. And, while searching is all well and good, we’re leaning more towards the fact you can alter your Instant queue right from the Roku box as being the single best feature of the upcoming upgrade.

What’s new and different from what you may have seen out on the market w/ other devices?

1. Search the entire Netflix Instant Streaming Library from your TV screen
2. Browse and Play Movies and TV shows on your TV via our new immersive user interface
3. Add Movies and TV shows to your Instant Queue for watching later

Better late than never, as the old saying goes. Looks like Roku and Netflix are definitely good bed fellows now, and we’e glad to hear that the update is going to hit Roku boxes in June. The update itself is going to be free of charge, and it’s going to hit your box through an automatic software update. As soon as you get it, let us know, and be sure to tell us what you think of the new layout and features.

[via Roku]

Early in the week Roku unveiled its new open content delivery platform along with its first ten channels of content. Roku expects that the platform will be picked up by more developers as time goes by.

A Microsoft roadmap was spied this week that showed Microsoft has Windows 8 set for a 2012 delivery. If it can hit that delivery date, it would be back on its every four-year major release schedule. A cool digital Etch-a-Sketch was spied this week with real analog knobs with resistance and shake to clear. The real knobs actually control the onscreen drawing.

The HP Pavilion DM1 was reviewed and found to be a decent notebook with respectable battery life. The catch was that the notebook has a cramped keyboard.

If you are a big fan of HTPC machines and have one in your living room, you have probably wished for an easier control method than a normal mouse and keyboard. A cool mini QWERTY keyboard with a track pad built in turned up this week that may be perfect for HTPC duty. The Nintendo DSi LL has received the obligatory teardown online. Other than the larger screens, the thing seems to be more of the same the DSi already offers.

Word came in this week that some Core i7 iMacs were showing up DOA and with cracked screens. The cracked screens are being blamed on shipping and seem to happen on the lower left corner. UPS guys hate gadgets I think. Android phones running OS version 1.6 have been gifted with the Google Maps navigation beta pack that 2.0 users received a while back. The free app turns Google Maps into a turn-by-turn GPS device. Google’s new Chrome OS has been benchmarked and found wanting. The new OS came in dead last in a recent test of other open source OS’.

We reviewed the Nokia E72 this week and declared the device in one of the best messaging handsets this side of a Blackberry. However, its design is pedestrian and not very appealing next to devices like the iPhone. AT&T announced that it will offer DataConnect Passes this week. The passes will be offered for 3G service by the day, week, or month without a contract.

Klausner Technologies sued RIM and Motorola this week over alleged patent infringement on visual voicemail technology. The case was filed in East Texas court infamous for siding with patent holders. MSI unveiled the X-Slim X430 notebook computer this week with an AMD Athlon Neo processor inside. The X430 has the super slim design that the X-Slim line is famous for.

The Motorola Milestone is rumored to be hitting the UK on December 7. The device can already be preordered for the equivalent of $731. Amazon unveiled a firmware update for the Kindle DX this week that increased battery life by 85% with wireless turned on. The new update also adds a native PDF reader to its bag of tricks.

Industri Repro announced a new enclosure for the Xbox 360 that allows the user to put the game console into an AV rack. The case is called the XBEE, the chassis should keep things cool with three 120mm fans. That super cool Kohjinsha DZ dual-screen netbook is set to start shipping in December. I am still very curious what the battery life for the device is like.

The Lenovo IdeaPad U150 ultraportable showed up in the US this week at a price starting from $649. The machine has processor options and lots of other options in an 11.6-inch screen notebook. The MSI Wind 12 U230 running the AMD Congo platform debuted Friday. The rig has a 12.1-inch screen and 4GB of RAM. The most notable feature is the very thin profile of the notebook.

Late in the week the Viewsonic N01 MID was spied in the wild. The small tablet device uses Windows XP and a 1.1GHz Atom CPU. Another week in review is in the bag, thanks for reading and Happy Thanksgiving!

The channels include Pandora, Facebook Photos, Revision3, Mediafly, TWiT, blip.tv, Flickr, FrameChannel, Motionbox and MobileTribe. Roku reports that there are several other developers working on channels that will be offered.

The platform is expected to be adopted by other developers over time. Developers can get the SDK needed to build channels for the platform for free. New channels will be added to the Roku Channel Store automatically as they become available and all Roku players are compatible with the new offering.

The Roku HD-XR does just the same as the original set-top box, but now offers faster WiFi (the HD only has WiFi b/g support).  The company have also added a USB 2.0 port to the back, but right now there’s no use for it; Roku are saving it for some unknown future purpose.

Meanwhile the Roku SD promises only DVD quality video, with integrated WiFi b/g and composite audio/video connections (and wired ethernet) rather than HDMI and optical audio.  All three models are pretty much identical aside from the rear panels, and come with the same basic remote control; the Roku SD comes in at $79.99, the Roku HD remains at $99.99, and the Roku HD-XR is $129.99.  You’ll obviously need a monthly Netflix subscription as well.

All of the games can be navigated directly from the Roku box, rather than requiring a PC to queue them up, and the system offers full play/pause, rewind/fast-forward and resume functionality.  The Roku device itself has HDMI, component, composite and S-Video connectivity, together with digital audio output, and can link to your network via either a wired or wireless connection.

The Roku streamer is priced at $99.99.  As for a subscription to MLB.TV Premium, that comes in at $34.95 per year or $19.95 per month.

Update: Commenter jstraw points out that $34.95 is the fee for the remainder of the 2009 season; a full season is around $110.