Posted January 2, 2009
One of the most praised tech toys of 2008 just got a little more awesome. When the Netflix Player by Roku was released last summer, it generally got rave reviews, because for just $99, the easy-to-use box (with a simple remote control) allows Netflix subscribers to stream any of more than 12,000 “Watch Instantly” titles on their TVs for free. (Before Roku, you had to be sitting at a computer to watch those movies.) Netflix, of course, is hugely popular already, but “Watch Instantly” means you don’t ever have to wait for a DVD to arrive in the mail, and you never have to mail anything back either. Now Roku has upgraded the software to allow more users (even those of us whose broadband Internet isn’t necessarily screamingly fast) to watch the high-def movies in the growing “Watch Instantly” HD Netflix library. There’s no additional charge over a Netflix membership—making the new and improved Roku one of the most recession-friendly entertainment options around.
$99 at Roku.com.