Roku

The half-cut cord: What's bugging me about cable

I cut the cord years ago. My wife sat across from me on the sofa and finally convinced me that paying well over $100 a month for the privilege of a bunch of random cable channels wasn't worth it. We could save money, learn to live lower to the ground, read more, and watch TV shows and movies on demand. Netflix, Hulu Plus, and iTunes. I agreed. With apprehension.

It worked. We relaxed, we used an over-the-air antenna, we caught our TV shows on broadcast networks and just sat through commercials. I even borrowed an old DTV Pal DVR … Read more

Prizefight: Roku 3 vs. third-generation Apple TV (video)

It's one of the best back-and-forth battles we've had between two gadgets in the Prizefight ring. Streaming-media boxes are here to stay, and they are only getting better.

The Roku 3 brings a new design, an all-new interface, and a boatload of new features including a unique private-listening mode.

The Apple TV still remains a favorite for any owner of an Apple device with its wireless-streaming capabilities and the power of its iTunes ecosystem.

Will the Roku 3 reclaim its top spot, or will Apple defend its title? Who is your Prizefight champion? Vote now!

Roku's speedy streamer is the best box yet

How do you get someone to buy your streaming-video puck when everything already streams Netflix?

That's the question Roku has answered definitively with the Roku 3 ($99), by serving up more content sources than anyone else, with lightning-fast navigation and an onscreen interface that's finally competitive with the Apple TV. The Roku 3's updated processor and always-on design means you go from "TV off" to "House of Cards" much faster than alternative streamers, and the overhauled interface and improved cross-platform search lets you quickly find the content you want to watch. And there'… Read more

Roku 3 streaming box rocks new features

CNET Update is cuckoo for Roku:

The Roku 3 continues prove its the king of the streaming machines. The latest version replaces the XS model with a faster processor and a new remote that includes headphones, so users can listen to shows in private without bothering others in the room. It also has a new interface that makes it easier to scroll through channels. Current Roku owners will also see the new menu in April.

The Roku goes beyond simply streaming videos on demand -- it also can tune into live TV channels with a new app for Time Warner … Read more

TWC TV app turns Roku into a cable box for Time Warner customers (hands-on)

Roku streaming boxes can now be used as cable boxes for Time Warner Cable subscribers.

The feature upgrade comes courtesy of the free TWC TV app, which went live in the Roku Channel Store earlier today. The app was first announced at CES in January.

Once installed, the app provides access to hundreds of live channels, including most major broadcast and cable networks. The only requirement is a valid Time Warner Cable username and password; that security feature verifies that you're a current paying customer, and that you're accessing the stream from within your own home via your … Read more

Get a Roku 2 XS for $64.99 shipped

There are two kinds of TVs in the world: smart and dumb. The smart ones have Netflix, Hulu, and other streaming-service apps built right in. The dumb ones, well, they need a little help.

Arguably the best help you can get comes in the form of a Roku box, which brings pretty much every streaming service known to man (except, annoyingly, YouTube) to your TV.

Today only, and while supplies last, 1SaleADay has the refurbished Roku 2 XS for $64.99 shipped. The same model sells new for $99.99.

This is the premium Roku model, the one with every … Read more

How trapped are your digital movies and TV shows?

Have you decided to ditch DVDs and Blu-rays to instead buy movies and TV shows only in a pure digital format?

There are certainly advantages to that. But one of the biggest downsides of going all digital is that how you can view your content is largely dependent on the service you purchased it from.

Digital video providers In this column, I look at how "trapped" video content purchased from iTunes, Amazon, Vudu, Xbox and Google Play may be. The first four video marketplaces were listed yesterday by NPD as among the top ways people purchase digital video. … Read more

Facebook unfriends Twitter's Vine app

Friday's CNET Update is looking so Vine:

Today's tech news roundup looks at the latest skirmish between Facebook and Twitter. The new iPhone app Vine (owned by Twitter), lets users create six-second mash-up videos and share it on social media. But Facebook has blocked Vine from being able to find Facebook friends in the app. The move is similar to how Twitter shut off Facebook's Instagram from accessing its user data.

As the world is still learning what a Vine is, take a look at CNET's tips for using the app. Keep in mind that although … Read more

Updated Aereo app adds improved live TV streaming to Roku

The Aereo app on Roku boxes just became a much more potent alternative to traditional cable TV.

Aereo -- the Barry Diller-backed online video startup that streams local TV channels to multiple devices for a monthly fee -- had previously been available on Roku boxes, but it required an iPhone or iPad to use as a remote. But the updated app, which went live on Roku earlier this week, allows viewers to use an onscreen navigation with the standard Roku clicker.

Disclosure: CBS, the parent corporation of CNET, is currently in active litigation with Aereo as to the legality of … Read more