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| [September 23, 2010] |
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Roku Introduces New Line of HD Streaming Players Starting at $59.99
SARATOGA, Calif. --(Business Wire)--
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 (News - Alert); 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 wo 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.
For more information on the company and its products, visit: http://www.roku.com.

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