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Woot offers up refurbed Roku HD-XRs for $75 shipped
If you were into last week's announcements from Apple and Roku but still thought separating from even one Benjamin for a media streamer was just too much to ask, we have a solution that may work. The One Day, One Deal people at Woot.com have picked the Netflix, Amazon VOD and UFC-streaming Roku HD-XR with WiFi N (and a 1080p upgrade practically around the corner) for today's offering, currently standing at $69.99 + $5 shipping for a refurbished unit with a 90 day warranty, which is the best deal we've seen since it launched. Sure, you can sit around and keep thinking over the comparisons, or you can just click the buy button now before they run out of stock, which could happen at any moment. Like now. Or now. Or...you get the point. [Thanks, Isaac]
Apple TV vs. the competition -- how does it stack up?
Although it's only just been revealed and won't actually go on sale for four long weeks, Apple's new hockey puck is far from the only media streamer on the market -- and with Sony's Netbox and the Boxee Box on the way, the sub-$200 set-top box market is exploding with options. So let's line up the revised Apple TV against the (post-price cut) Roku HD-XR, Popbox, and even an LG Blu-ray player in the same price range and see what you're actually getting -- and more importantly, getting access to -- on each device. Oh, and there's some choice words from Roku after the break. Update: You asked for them, so we added the PS3, Xbox 360 & WDTV Live as well, after the break. Device: AppleTV Roku XR Pop Box LG BD550 Price: $99 $99 $129 $130 - $150 Form Factor/Size: 3.9 x 0.9 x 3.9 5 x 5 x 1.75 8 x 1.4 x 6 inches 16.9 x 1.8 x 7.9 Available Content: HD TV shows from ABC & Fox ($0.99), HD Movie rentals ($4.99/$3.99), Netflix, iTunes, YouTube Netflix, Amazon VOD (now with $0.99 HD TV show purchases from Fox & ABC), MLB.tv, UFC, NBA GameTime, YouTube, Pandora YouTube, Revision3, Blip.tv, h.264 / XviD / MPEG-4, MKV / AVI / WMV Blu-ray discs, VUDU, Netflix, CinemaNow, YouTube, Pandora, Napster Apps / SDK: N/A Roku Channel / SDK available Popapps Store / SDK available NetCast widgets Connectivity: WiFi N, Ethernet WiFi N, Ethernet Ethernet, optional WiFi adapter Ethernet, Disc Video Quality: 720p, 5.1 audio 720p (1080p upgrade coming soon), 5.1 audio 1080p, 5.1 audio 1080p, 7.1 audio, DTS-HD MA / Dolby TrueHD audio
Roku lowers prices across the board: HD box now $69, $99 HD-XR to get 1080p support
Looks like Roku's going aggressive on price with its lineup of streamers in response to Sony's new $130 Netbox streamer, the upcoming Google TV launch, and rumors that we'll see that rumored $99 iOS-based Apple TV arrive on Wednesday. The SD box is down to $59 from $79, the standard HD is now $69 from $99, and the HD-XR with dual-band 802.11n and soon-to-be-enabled USB playback support is now $99 from $129. The HD-XR is also due to get 1080p streaming support later this year; it'll be focused on USB playback at first since most of the streaming channels are 720p right now. Those prices are definitely getting close to impulse-buy territory, especially since a Roku is now one of the cheapest ways to get Netflix and Amazon VOD on a TV, along with other channels like MLB and UFC. In fact, Roku says its goal is to put three streamers in every house -- one next to every TV in the average American home. We applaud the ambition, but we've got a feeling this entire market is about get turned upside down once Apple and Google launch their initiatives.
Roku HD-XR now 50 percent off... for the first 500 to take the plunge (update: sold out!)
Roku's HD-XR doesn't add much to the overall Roku HD equation, but if you've been holding out -- just waiting, patiently -- for the perfect time to snag yourself yet another movie set-top-box, today's the day. Actually, right now is the moment. Roku is offering its newest STB for an unheard-of 50 percent off, but it's only for the first 500 customers who pony up and purchase it through the outfit's website. For this very moment in time (starting at 11AM ET and continuing until 500 HD-XR units are claimed), the box will be priced at just $64.99, and as if that weren't good enough, Roku is also covering the shipping. Need the specifics? Click on past the break. Update: Well, that was fun while it lasted. All 500 have been claimed, and if you don't believe us, have a gander at the proof after the break.
Roku HD-XR Player and Roku SD Player announced (with hands-on!)
We had big hopes the Roku HD-XR streaming player would add local streaming when those leaked pics showed a USB port, but we just got the official launch materials and a review unit, and as of right now the only difference between the new $129 HD-XR Player and the existing model is an upgrade to 802.11n WiFi -- the USB port is for "future use." Now, we're big proponents of 802.11n, so we're not complaining, but we've never had a problem streaming HD Netflix or Amazon with our regular Roku HD Player on 802.11g, so we're not too sure the HD-XR is worth the $30 premium right now. Roku is gearing up to launch a new Channel Store with additional content in the coming weeks, however, so there's a chance this little box will need the extra bandwidth sometime soon -- we'll have to wait and see. Roku's also launching the SD-only Roku SD Player for $79, which might actually be the more interesting product here, as we know tons of people with old TVs in bedrooms and basements who would love some cheap movie streaming. It'll be in the same enclosure as the HD Player and the HD-XR Player, but only have 802.11g WiFi and RCA audio / video outputs. %Gallery-76546% %Gallery-76561%
