This is Roku's brand new streaming stick. It's only $50 (half the price of the last version), and it's ready to pop into your TV right out of the box.
Available in April, the stick plugs right into your TV's HDMI port and comes with a remote and access to more than 1,000 different channels. It's seemingly Roku's answer to Google Chromecast, and when we saw it demoed last week, we asked Roku why you should buy it instead of Google's offering, which is $15 cheaper. Their answer? Simple—even though Roku's stick also works with an Android or iOS app, some people still just want a remote. You can also stream with this Roku from your phone or tablet, and you can send pictures to your TV screen too. Moreover, you have access to a lot more content on Roku—the PBS and Showtime app are just two examples. Whether that's worth $15 is up to you.
Yes, Chromecast will have a bigger stable of apps someday, but you might not want to wait that long. On top of that, this is a pretty good price when compared to other Rokus, which take up more space and act as video game controllers and have other frills you might not care about. If anything, its nice to have another option for an affordable streaming device. That's certainly worth holding out a month for.