Roku is rolling out a new, inexpensive set-top box to join the current series of Roku 2 products. The Roku LT is a budget model that sports lower resolution but the same features and content as the Roku 2 boxes.
The Roku LT is a scaled-down version of the Roku 2 HD, though on paper it appears to be nearly identical to the other model. Both are streaming media devices that output video at 720p resolution and can use Wi-Fi to access 300 different content channels, including Netflix, Hulu Plus, Amazon, and Pandora. The only difference seems to be that the Roku LT lacks the Bluetooth and microSD card slot of the Roku 2 HD. Also, it's purple and will retail for $49, while the Roku 2 HD is black and retails for $59.99.
Besides the new model of Roku, a new service has been announced for the Roku series of streaming media boxes—HBO will start offering content through the HBO GO channel on the products. HBO GO will show the same video available on the HBO GO mobile app, streaming the latest episodes of current-running HBO series like Game of Thrones and True Blood, complete series of now-completed shows like Deadwood and The Sopranos, as well as movies.
The channel will be accessible for free to current HBO subscribers. Availability and pricing for non-subscribers has not yet been announced. HBO GO will be appear on all Roku players in late October, and will be available on the Roku LT when the box ships early November.
In August, Roku released the Roku 2 XS, a $99.99 box that offered plenty of content, a super-small profile, and the wildly popular Angry Birds game on your HDTV. But it didn't seem as useful as it did years ago, before many Blu-ray players and HDTVs offered the same services. For more, see PCMag's full review and the slideshow below.