Roku Seeks To Dominate Your Living Room

Home entertainment setups have come a long, long way since I was a kid. I don’t know about you, but I still remember the days when having a Betamax was such a novel thing. If you don’t know what the heck I’m talking about, then you’re wonderfully young. Revel in all the technological wonders that you probably take for granted today! Anyhow, those days are gone, and today, all sorts of TV-digital TV service-streaming boxes-sound system combinations can be found at home, making home entertainment a truly enjoyable experience.

While this niche is not exactly overcrowded, there are enough significant (streaming boxes) players vying for your attention – and your money. One of them is Roku, a California-based company that manufactures streaming boxes. Roku started with its first box way back in 2008, with the Roku DVP, the first Netflix Internet video streaming receiver.

Today, Roku has several products, with the Roku 3 being the latest.

What gives Roku the edge?

For one, it does look good. And more and more, design is becoming a prime consideration for the average consumer. Two, the newest Roku box does have a lot of features, mainly making streaming such an easy thing – another critical point for users. Three, Roku boxes are considerably affordable.

Furthermore, new developments point to Roku looking at a more aggressive approach – with the ultimate aim of being the dominant name in home entertainment. The news is that the company has just received a huge investment, a whopping $60 million! Thanks to Fidelity and other investors, Roku’s war chest has just been replenished, giving it the resources to expand its reach.

Do not be surprised, therefore, if the next generation of smart TVs feature the Roku software  as the default. That alone is enough to propel the company to new heights, but we still cannot discount the hardware. While the sales figures (about 5 million to date) are rather pitiful compared to, say, Apple TV (at 13 million plus), the new round of investment just might help Roku get to more living rooms.

What’s your home entertainment setup like? Would you consider Roku as an alternative?

[Image via Roku]