RfRemote
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Roku planning to bring set-top boxes to Canada, UK in early 2012
It's been a big year for Roku. The streaming content box manufacturer launched its Roku 2 HD, XD and XS this summer, with a $50 LT model coming just last month. Now, the Netflix / HBO Go / Angry Birds player will cross the border into Canada and the U.K., with the expansion set to begin in early 2012. The company is looking to build its 350 channels with region-specific content, which can be provided free, supported by ads or with a subscription -- and if you choose to add your own content to the service, you'd certainly be in good company.
Roku 2 HD, XD, and XS officially launch: same price, smaller size and Angry Birds
Roku has gone from a barely known streaming media box manufacturer to a retail darling in a remarkably short amount of time (the last hardware revamp launched less than a year ago) and it's back with more new hardware to continue the assault. The Roku 2 lineup will put their (much smaller) footprint in the spaces left by their predecessors when they hit shelves later this month without changing the price one bit. Besides being more energy efficient, it brings new channels including Angry Birds, Epix, MLS and more, while also upgrading the Netflix experience with support for subtitles, surround sound and 1080p video. The pricing tiers of $60 (HD), $80 (XD) and $100 (XS) remain; while stepping up to the XD adds 1080p video output, splurging for the XS adds a game remote (a $29 accessory), included copy of Angry Birds plus Ethernet and USB ports. If you still need confirmation after all the leaks, there's another pic and a press release after the break, plus a quick demonstration of the box by the cutest product spokesperson of all time.
Engadget HD giveaway: win a RF remote extender!
The recession antidote giveaways over at Engadget Classic have been a huge hit, and nothing could make us happier -- except a special set of giveaways just for HD readers, of course! We're sure AV gear is one of the first things to get trimmed from the household budget, but we want to make sure our readers aren't totally cut off. Luckily, the good folks at Next Generation Home Products sent us a raft of HD-centric goodies, so we'll be going through the loot and giving out stuff for your AV rig until we reach the bottom of the grab bag. To kick things off, we're giving away three IR/RF remote extender kits similar to the one we reviewed a year ago. We'll also throw in a set of RF eyes , an extra RF transmitter and a USB charger and with each kit, just to make sure you're fully remotified. And because you might want to use your RF remote around the home, we'll cap things off with a pair of HDMI wall plates. Don't be bashful -- this is no April Fool's joke -- read the rules below and get commenting!Special thanks to Next Generation Home Products for providing the gear!The rules: Leave a comment below. Any comment will do, but if you want to share your proposal for "fixing" the world economy, that'd be sweet too. You may only enter this specific giveaway once.If you enter this giveaway more than once you'll be automatically disqualified, etc. (Yes, we have robots that thoroughly check to ensure fairness.) If you enter more than once, only activate one comment. This is pretty self explanatory. Just be careful and you'll be fine. Contest is open to anyone in the 50 States, 18 or older! Sorry, we don't make this rule (we hate excluding anyone), so be mad at our lawyers and contest laws if you have to be mad. Winner will be chosen randomly. Two winners will receive one (1) ATH-433 kit, one (1) TX-433 transmitter, one (1) 3-eye tether cord, one (1) USB charger and two (2) HDMI wall plates. One winner will receive one (1) ATH-418 kit, one (1) TX-418 transmitter, one (1) 3-eye tether cord, one (1) USB charger and two (2) HDMI wall plates. Approximate value of each package is $160. If you are chosen, you will be notified by email. Winners must respond within three days of the end of the contest. If you do not respond within that period, another winner will be chosen. Entries can be submitted until Wednesday, April 8th, 11:59PM ET. Good luck! Full rules can be found here.
Universal Remote's KP-900 RF keypad / remote makes pit stop in FCC
So do you go out and throw down on a fully-featured RF remote to control your home automation gizmos, or do you get one of those snazzy wall-mounted keypads installed to handle the same duties? Frankly, we'd recommend option C, which would involve picking up a device that operates as both depending on your mood. Universal Remote Control's KP-900 is one such unit, which easily snaps into and out of a wall mount for use in both of the aforementioned scenarios. Furthermore, there's even a built-in LCD which showcases relevant activities depending on what main selection you make first. As with everything else spotted in the FCC, you'll have to wait a tick longer before finding out a price or release date, but it looks like this bugger may actually be worth holding out for.
Sony's PCS-RF1 RF Remote Commander slips into the FCC
With a name like RF Remote Commander, it has to be good, right? Unfortunately, this here device looks to be a forthcoming member of Sony's IPELA family, which fits more in the boardroom than the living room, generally speaking. Nevertheless, the PCS-RF1 does have a few likable buttons, such as presentation, microphone, zoom in / out and connect / disconnect. Granted, it's easy to see that this thing wasn't designed with home theaters in mind, but we're sure there are a few engineering minds out there already dreaming up ways to connect the aforementioned keys to something in their setup. Per usual, the price and release date remain unknown, but if history repeats yet again, it's oh-so-close to being ready for primetime.
iLounge's iPod sport remote review roundup
While any review of a "sport" product from a gadget site has to be taken with a certain grain of salt, those looking for a more athletic-oriented iPod RF remote need look no further than iLounge, who have rounded up three of the top contenders: the Belkin SportCommand, the Scosche 150' Wireless RF Sport Remote, and the Monster iEZClick. Though they may not have put 'em through some of the same abuse that the target audience likely will, iLounge nevertheless gave top honors to the Belkin remote, finding it to be the best designed of the lot, with buttons big enough to be used wearing gloves, and a wireless receiver that actually works better than Belkin's claimed 50 feet. Its biggest drawback, not surprisingly, is the price: $80. They also found a lot to like about the Scosche unit, although the tiny buttons proved hard to manipulate wearing gloves and the aesthetics left a bit to be desired. The Monster iEZClick got the lowest marks, with a bulky design and the weakest RF transmitter of the bunch, although it is water and shock resistant, not to mention slightly less expensive than the other two. We'll leave it to the outdoors-types among you to report how well they hold up in more extreme sports -- and, no, Segway polo doesn't count.Read - Belkin SportCommandRead - Scosche 150' Wireless RF Sport RemoteRead - Monster iEZClick
