Roku is an incredible company in many ways. They’re not Amazon, Apple, or Google, yet they’re the heavyweight in the streaming world because they’re a neutral party. They don’t care what you watch, but they do care deeply that your experience finding and enjoying what you watch is the best one possible. And they want to keep that exacting standard with new OS updates and hardware for your fall viewing enjoyment!
If you’re already a Roku user, you’re going to be thrilled with their new OS 10.5. They’re making it even easier to navigate, find, and enjoy your content. Roku Live TV Channel offers 200+ free channels, so you’ll never be stuck muttering there’s nothing to watch. Roku Voice now supports even more channels, including Netflix and Spotify.
Roku is also using Spotify as a launch partner to bring even more music and podcasts to your Roku, cementing it as the nerve center of your entertainment. And since we’re all a little (a lot) nervous about going back to movie theaters, there are more surround sound options to really enjoy Paw Patrol: The Movie the way the creators intended.
Roku has also refined their mobile app to make it easier to enjoy content on the go, manage volume settings, and the absolute coolest feature, wireless mobile private listening. The idea here is that the mobile app will work with your headphones and your Roku to keep audio and video in sync. If you’ve ever watched a show with headphones and been frustrated by the slight delay/difference between when lips move, and the sound hits your ears, this is the feature you’ll love more than anything!
Roku’s private listening option has always been one of those little things that makes the platform shine, and this just makes that same feature even better. And don’t forget that Roku’s app also doubles as a remote, which is especially handy if you don’t want to dig around the couch cushions and you really need to catch up on “Only Murders in the Building” before your coworker spoils it for you.
If you’re super psyched about all these new features from Roku OS, but you need to update some hardware, Roku has you covered there too. They’ve rolled out two versions of their Roku Streaming Stick in 4K and 4K+. Streaming Stick 4K is a compact Roku that now offers 4K streaming, and Streaming Stick 4K+ adds in the Roku Voice Remote Pro as well. Neither will be a burden on your television or your wallet, coming in at $49.99 and $69.99, respectively.
No matter which streaming stick you opt for, you’re getting Dolby Vision and HDR10+, a quad-core processor for smooth streaming, and Airplay, Alexa, Google Assistant, and HomeKit support. It’s everything you could ever need in streaming hardware but in a compact form! In addition, the Walmart-exclusive Roku Ultra LT has been charged up with 50% faster Wi-Fi, Dolby Vision, and Bluetooth streaming. It will hit your local Walmart for $79.99.
Finally, suppose Roku OS 10.5 and new streaming sticks don’t have you opening up your wallet. In that case, there’s one more bit to sweeten the pot: if you buy a qualifying Roku device between October 1st, 2021 and January 14, 2022, Roku will toss you a free 30-day trial of HBO Max to help you break in your new device!
the update is trash. I’ve had nothing but problems with YouTube on Roku since they updated my system today. it’s garbage.