Roku has announced that its latest streaming devices – the Roku Streaming Stick and Roku Streaming Stick Plus – are now in Asda stores and online on Amazon.com, having first launched them in the U.S. in April.
The new Roku streamers are notable for their compact design, in response to demands from customers for more slimline devices that can snugly fit into their TVs’ HDMI ports without blocking any of the connections next to them.
With the new devices, users can transform any television into a Roku-powered smart TV, with instant access to various streaming applications and live TV channels. The Roku OS platform also has features such as What to Watch, which delivers personalised recommendations across multiple services, as well as the Continue Watching menu, allowing users to immediately pick up any unfinished TV shows.
What’s really great about the Streaming Stick and Streaming Stick Plus devices is their price tags. The Streaming Stick is being pitched as the “perfect entry-level option” for anyone looking to bring seamless streaming capabilities to any Full HD television. It costs just £29.99, and includes a remote that allows voice controls for things like searching through content, adjusting the volume and hitting pause.
For those who want a bit more and are willing to spend a bit more to get it, the Roku Streaming Stick Plus ups the ante with 4K quality pictures and support for HDR. It’s priced at £39.99, so you’ll only need to throw away an extra tenner to get it.
Roku said the devices are an improvement over earlier generations of its streaming sticks, as they can be powered directly by the TV, so there’s no need for a cable that plugs into a power outlet. Importantly, because they’re slimmer, users will no longer experience that frustrating situation on some TVs where they find it blocks neighboring HDMI ports, preventing them from plugging in something else, such as a console.
One thing that wasn’t made clear is whether or not the devices will be able to access Freely, the new video streaming version of Freeview Play. Roku announced a new partnership with Freely earlier this month, saying that the app will come pre-installed on Roku televisions sold by brands such as Sharp, Metz, JVC and Polaroid.
Freely is an independent streaming service created by the U.K.’s major free broadcasters – BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and Channel 5 – that enables viewers to stream live content over broadband. Previously, users could only do this by investing in a Freeview Play set-top box, which uses a traditional aerial rather than broadband.
However, there is some ambiguity, because when Roku announced its partnership with Freely, it mentioned that not all Roku TVs will be getting the app. So the fact that today’s announcement about the new streaming sticks neglects to mention Freely at all makes us wonder if those devices won’t be getting it either.
Roku said the Streaming Stick and Streaming Stick Plus are on sale in Asda and on Amazon from today, and will come to Argos in late July, followed by other retailers.
If you’re interested in getting the Roku experience, bear in mind that the company does also sell more powerful devices like the Roku Streaming Stick 4K, which comes with Dolby Vision HDR (as opposed to just HDR10 and HLG), priced at £49.99. There’s also the Roku Ultra Box, priced at £69.99, which is said to be 40% faster than its streaming sticks and comes with a backlit remote that’s easier to see in the dark and a few other features not found on the other devices.
