The flood of new competitors in the streaming-media device race -- joining stalwarts Roku and Apple TV have been the $35 Chromecast from Google and the high-end Fire TV box from Amazon -- underscores the opportunity companies see in tapping the rise in demand to watch streaming video. Though Roku as a company is smaller than those rivals, its devices stand out because of elements like its massive catalog of channels.
Roku's system is approaching 2,000 channels and adds about seven to 10 more a week. That breadth of content on a system praised for its responsiveness and ease of use is a factor in Rokus continuing to show the greatest usage among people who stream media to their TVs, according to researcher Parks Associates.
From the article "Will Roku bring smart TVs into the cool crowd?" by Joan E. Solsman.
For Google, though, the large market for smart TVs and streaming media boxes makes it worth another try. While TV sales have been sluggish, sales of devices that plug into televisions and play vide...
In US households last year, nearly half of all purchases of set-top boxes -- small electronic devices that stream online video and music on your TV -- were Rokus, and Roku devices continue to show...
Apple TV has been adding more content lately as the company has had to fight a handful of competitors -- including Roku, Amazon, and Google -- in the streaming-media device market. Spurring interes...
The Chromecast wasn't the first wireless streaming-media dongle to come along -- Roku had one long before -- but the $35 price and the initial offer of three months of free Netflix sparked a flurry...
