Set-top boxes are so 2011. And Roku, a company that helped popularize cheap streaming video boxes, is out to prove it with its new Streaming Stick.
The Stick, which is about the size of a USB flash drive, plugs into your TV and gives you access to Roku’s more than 400 apps. It packs in Wi-Fi capabilities, a processor, and storage — you can think of it as a miniaturized version of Roku’s set-top boxes.
The device will likely be embraced by consumers who want access to TV apps, but don’t want to sully their home entertainment system with yet another box, and its requisite wires and remote. Since it can turn pretty much any HDTV into a Smart TV (with one caveat, listed below), Roku says it will also bundle the Streaming Stick with some televisions, which means TV manufacturers won’t need to worry about bundling their own Smart TV software.
The Streaming Stick connects to a HDMI port on your TV — but the rub is that your TV has to support……………………Read More @ MediaBeat
