Roku Streaming Media Box Becomes a Stick
Looks like CES is getting started early. This morning Roku, known for their media streamers, announced that they were developing the Roku Streaming Stick.
Looking like a thumb drive, this stick can bring all the functionality of its larger (though still tiny) box-based brethren, but wouldn’t need an HDMI cord or power. Instead, everything is provided through the integrated HDMI port, though only TVs with MHL are supported. MHL is a protocol that lets a remote talk to both the TV and a peripheral.
This is a big step forward for Roku, taking the platform from yet another box beneath your TV to something truly invisible. Based on the MHL requirement, you can expect the Roku remote to be able to control your TV, too, making your Roku remote universal.
These sticks will make TVs without apps (or just with a horrendous selection of apps) into full-fledged smart TVs, bringing Roku’s unparallelled selection of channels to any supported device.
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