Roku right this moment introduced new {hardware} with the budget-conscious in thoughts, together with the $130 Roku Wi-fi Bass subwoofer and an up to date Roku Specific streaming gadget. The corporate additionally detailed Roku OS 11.5, which incorporates options that ought to imply much less time spent helplessly clicking round for one thing to observe.
Roku’s $130 Wi-fi Bass
The Roku Wi-fi Bass subwoofer is supposed to spice up the bass heard with Roku’s Streambar, Wi-fi Audio system, or TV Wi-fi Soundbar. Roku’s upcoming 5.25-inch subwoofer is a less expensive model of the already launched, 10-inch Roku Wi-fi Bass Professional.
The lower-priced subwoofer sports activities a frequency response of 50-200 Hz, whereas the costlier Wi-fi Bass Professional packs extra on the low-end with a spread of 40-200 Hz. Roku describes the brand new subwoofer as having a front-firing ported design in comparison with the Wi-fi Bass Professional’s downward-facing design and sealed cupboard.
Bottom of the Wi-fi Bass.
Finally, the Wi-fi Bass is meant to be a bit quieter at 90 dB versus 102 db for the Professional mannequin.
For these with restricted area, the excellent news is the Wi-fi Bass will take up much less room (13.7 inches tall×6.7 inches extensive×12.4 inches deep) than the extra highly effective choice (11.8×11.8×11.8 inches), with a lot of the area financial savings coming from the audio system’ various widths.
Like Roku’s different subwoofer, the Wi-fi Bass has to stay inside 30 ft (9.1 m) of the tv with the intention to work.
Beginning November 7, Roku will promote the Wi-fi Bass alone for $130, which is $50 lower than the Wi-fi Bass Professional’s MSRP. Roku can even bundle it with its Streambar (which has a $130 MSRP by itself) for $250.
Up to date Roku Specific
The San Jose, California-based firm additionally introduced the 2022 model of its lowest-end Roku Specific streaming gadget right this moment. The gadget now helps dual-band Wi-Fi (2.4 and 5 GHz), a characteristic that Roku’s pricier streaming units, together with the Roku Specific 4K+ ($40) and Roku Extremely ($100), already embody.
Roku’s announcement claimed that the gadget has “elevated” storage however did not disclose specifics. As typical, it should help as much as 1920×1080 decision with upscaling obtainable from 1280×720.
The 2022 Roku Specific stays at $30 with presales beginning right this moment.
Roku OS 11.5
On the software program facet, Roku OS 11.5 and its new options will begin coming to Roku units “within the coming months,” Roku stated in right this moment’s announcement.
One long-missed upcoming characteristic is “Proceed Watching,” which can make it straightforward to proceed a present or film the place you left off. The choice will stay within the house display screen menu, below “What to Watch.” Nonetheless, the characteristic will not instantly work with all platforms. It ought to work with HBO Max, Netflix, Paramount+, and The Roku Channel, to start out.
For all these occasions you’ll be able to’t consider that film or present you’ve got been that means to take a look at, OS 11.5 will convey the “Save Listing” characteristic past The Roku Channel and the Roku cell app. Customers’ Save lists will change into obtainable within the What to Watch part.
Different upcoming OS options appeared extra geared towards getting viewers hooked on extra content material, be it lengthy, brief, free, or paid.
Customers ought to get able to see a “assortment of posts that includes entertainment-centric, short-form content material” below the house display screen menu. Roku is asking it The Buzz and stated it should embody content material like trailers, interviews, and pictures from a rising checklist of manufacturers, together with AMC+, Apple TV+, BET+, IGN, Showtime, Starz, The CW, Vevo, and extra.
Additionally becoming a member of the house display screen menu is the Roku Retailer. It should try and coax individuals into including extra channels, together with each free and paid ones.
Different notable updates with OS 11.5 embody the addition of Bluetooth Non-public Listening to the Roku Extremely, Streambar, and Streambar Professional and a Reside TV channel information for Roku’s cell app distant.
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