February 19, 2025 The Best Source of News, Culture, Lifestyle for Culver City, Mar Vista, Del Rey, Palms and West Los Angeles

We Will, We Will Roku

Roku fits in the palm of your hand yet contains more than 600 channels of movies and showsWhen my son had a play date recently at the home of one of his BFFs, the boy’s Perfect Mom (svelte figure, always beautifully dressed, finds time for yoga, baking and a career) gave me a demo of her new Apple TV. In seconds, Perfect Mom cued up the latest kids’ movie, “The Pirates! Band of Misfits.†I was pretty impressed. But that was before I discovered Roku.

I plugged in my new Roku 2 XS, and followed the prompts to connect it wirelessly to my home wi-fi. It was simple. With my laptop on my rec room coffee table, I had my own customized suite of streaming services up and running within minutes. Unbelievably easy. I had Netflix, Hulu Plus, Amazon Instant Video and dozens of other channels at my fingertips.

While there is plenty of free coThe Roku remote serves as a game controller with Angry Birds, included free in the Roku 2 XSntent among the 600+ channels of movies and shows Roku offers, most premium services, like Netflix, cost about $7.99 per month for unlimited streaming. No cut to Roku, but the Netflix selection is not everything you can get from Netflix by mail; and I learned the hard way when I tried to resume a movie several days after starting it that movies come and go from the line-up without warning. Of course if you want the latest releases, you can get them on other services, such as Amazon Instant Video.

New release on-demand movies and shows are priced midway between the cost of renting from a video store – if you can find one – and buying the video to own. With most of the services you get the option for one-time viewing for a limited timeframe, such as 24 hours or three days for $3.99, or you can “buy†the video for unlimited viewing for around $12.99.

The hardware for Roku 2 XS is as amazing simple as the set up. The set-top box is palm size, even smaller than Apple TV. The Roku 2 XS remote is a cross between a simplified TV remote and a Wi game remote, with a wrist strap for those who get sweaty palms surfing through all the programming, dancing to music on Pandora or playing Angry Birds, which is free with the Roku 2 XS. Though I still can’t get into the idea of watching movies and shows on a tiny hand-held screen, there are also free aps available for streaming on your mobile device.

Roku is general is pretty cool. Not just the technology, but the company and its attitude. You get a sense that Roku is run by some fun-loving folks from the tone of first email you receive as a new user, “Welcome to Roku – your new best friend.†To their credit, Roku allows freedom of expression on their blog comments, even when the commenters are ranting disgruntled customers. I didn’t see a lot of interaction with the commenters, but I can only hope their customer service people are all over the reported problems and issues.

As for me, I have no complaints. In fact, when I ran into Perfect Mom the other day and began raving about my new best friend, my five-year-old chimed in, “Why do you always talk about Roku?â€

Guess my enthusiasm is showing. And this time I think Perfect Mom was impressed with me.

Roku 2 XS retails for $99.99 on Roku.com and major retailers nationwide including Amazon, Walmart, Best Buy and Target.

Related Posts

How Fast Crypto Payments Are Changing Gamers’ Habits

January 20, 2025

January 20, 2025

Whether it’s fast reflexes in an FPS match or the split-second decision-making needed in strategy games, gamers are all about...

PayIDGambler Team Works on Providing Aussie Players with Top-Notch PayID Casinos Guide

January 14, 2025

January 14, 2025

PayIDGambler is an Australian gambling review website that offers high-quality content to ensure a safe and exciting gaming experience for...

BetPokies — The Best Platform in Australia for Average Time on Site According to Similarweb

December 19, 2024

December 19, 2024

Founded in 2020 by an experienced gambler, John Gold, BetPokies became one of the most visited and trusted gambling review...

How Streaming Influencers Are Shaping the Online Gambling World

November 3, 2024

November 3, 2024

Anyone familiar with the online world can attest that online gambling has become a global phenomenon. Merely looking around, you...

What Are The Benefits of Joining a Prop Trading Firm?

November 1, 2024

November 1, 2024

Proprietary trading, also known as prop trading, involves a financial institution using its own money to buy and sell financial...

5 Strategies for Entrepreneurs to Succeed in the Gaming Industry

October 15, 2024

October 15, 2024

Gaming is one of the most competitive industries in the world. For entrepreneurs, this industry offers many opportunities but also...

Family-Friendly Living in the UAE: Best Cities and Neighborhoods for US Expats

October 2, 2024

October 2, 2024

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has become a popular destination for expats looking for a family-friendly setting, especially those from...

8 Places to Spend Crypto in LA

September 2, 2024

September 2, 2024

Los Angeles is a vibrant city known for its innovative spirit, and as cryptocurrencies gain traction, many local businesses are...

The Best Sites Where You Can Buy TikTok Followers

September 2, 2024

September 2, 2024

TikTok has been popular as a social media platform with its creativity and popularity. Since it’s the case, many of...

Bitcoin Mining in Los Angeles and Its Economic Impact

August 12, 2024

August 12, 2024

Once a quirky computer pastime for the geek squad, bitcoin mining has become a significant economic force in places like...

How to Stay Safe While Enjoying Digital Entertainment in West LA

August 5, 2024

August 5, 2024

Recent developments have shown that so much of people’s daily lives are centered on the internet. A 2021 survey conducted...

Why Choose Local Florists for Your Flower Delivery?

May 12, 2024

May 12, 2024

Finding local florists has become easier than ever with the advent of digital marketplaces. Opting for Nashville flower delivery near...

8 Essential Things to Do After a Car Accident in Las Vegas

April 16, 2024

April 16, 2024

A car crash can be extremely traumatic for the people involved in it. Even if there is no major injury...

8 Essential Things to Do After a CarAccident in Las Vegas

April 8, 2024

April 8, 2024

A car crash can be extremely traumatic for the people involved in it. Even if there is no major injury...

Foreign Currency in International Business Expansion

January 2, 2024

January 2, 2024

Business has transformed into a whole different dimension. The interconnectedness across countries is increasing the feasibility of business expansions. It...