Roku’s new family of streaming media players hit the market today. Packed with entertainment and new features, the players sport a slim, new design. Roku gave me a sneak peek at the players a few days ago and the tiny devices looks nothing like the previous iterations.
See the images below:
The Roku 2 is available in three models – the Roku 2 HD, Roku 2XD and Roku 2XS. And if movies and TV shows aren’t enough for you, get ready for Angry Birds in HD!
Casual gaming is coming to Roku, and Rovio’s Angry Birds is the first to fly to the HDTV screen. There’s also a new motion-controlled game remote bundled with the XS model.
New channels launching with Roku 2 include Facebook, EPIX, Major League Soccer, and AOL HD.
All three Roku 2 models feature built-in wireless, Bluetooth for connecting a game remote and a MicroSD slot to support additional game storage. The Roku 2 HD player supports up to 720p HD video while the Roku 2 XD player supports up to 1080p HD video. Roku 2 also adds several upgrades to the Netflix experience, including support for English subtitles, Dolby Digital Plus and up to 1080p HD video quality (on the XD and XS models).
See the full release below for pricing and avail:
New Roku 2 Players Sling Angry Birds to the TV
Best-Selling Streaming Players Now More Powerful for Casual Games
Saratoga, Calif. – July 20, 2011 – Setting a new standard in streaming entertainment, Roku today introduced Roku 2, a new family of streaming players. Available in three models – the Roku 2 HD, Roku 2 XD and Roku 2 XS – this new line brings popular casual games including Angry Birds to the TV alongside Roku’s large and growing selection of entertainment. Roku 2 players also feature a sleek new design that’s more energy-efficient than before, using less than two watts of power.
“Roku is the best-selling streaming player on the market because of its simplicity, breadth of content and value. Now we’re setting the bar even higher with Roku 2 – a more powerful platform with new features including casual gaming,” said Roku Founder and CEO Anthony Wood. “We’ve worked closely with Rovio to bring the first full version of Angry Birds to the TV – and best of all, we’re including it for free with the top-of-the-line XS model.”
New channels launching with Roku 2 include Angry Birds (full version), Facebook, EPIX, Major League Soccer, AOL HD, and FOXNews.com. Additional games will be available shortly after launch including Angry Birds Rio and Angry Birds Seasons. The Roku 2 platform offers nearly 300 channels of streaming entertainment including movies and TV shows from Netflix, Hulu Plus, Amazon Instant Video and Crackle; live and on-demand sports from NBA Game Time, NHL GameCenter Live and Ultimate Fighting Championship; music from Pandora, MOG, Rdio and TuneIn Radio; photos and videos from Flickr and Vimeo; plus news and entertainment from around the world.
A Streaming Player for Everyone
All three Roku 2 models feature built-in wireless, Bluetooth for connecting a game remote and a MicroSD slot to support additional game storage. The Roku 2 HD player supports up to 720p HD video while the Roku 2 XD player supports up to 1080p HD video. Roku 2 also adds several significant enhancements to its acclaimed Netflix experience, including support for English subtitles, Dolby Digital Plus and up to 1080p HD video quality (on the XD and XS models). The Roku 2 XS player provides the ultimate casual gaming experience on the TV. Now, Angry Birds fans who love to launch birds at jeering green pigs can enjoy the full version of the game for the first time on the TV, free of charge. The Roku 2 XS includes the new Roku Game Remote with motion control which has been optimized for bird-slinging action on the big screen. The Roku 2 XS also features an Ethernet port for a wired Internet connection and a USB port for playing music, videos, and photos off of any USB
Pricing and Availability
The Roku 2 HD, the Roku 2 XD and the Roku 2 XS are expected to be available by the end of July for suggested retail prices of $59.99, $79.99 and $99.99 respectively. Retailers include Roku.com, Amazon.com, Best Buy, Fry’s Electronics and RadioShack.
Since all Roku 2 players support casual games, customers will be able to purchase the game remote with motion control for use with the Roku 2 HD and Roku 2 XD players. The Roku Game Remote will be available in the coming weeks as part of a bundle that includes a 2GB MicroSD card for a suggested retail price of $29.99 at Roku.com.
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