[Off-Topic] Roku Streaming Stick brings streaming content in ultra portable Fashion

Roku is not a name some of you may have ever heard of before. Essentially it is a multimedia set-top box company that has a few products on the market at great prices. They get good reviews and work as well as any other box in the market, in my opinion. The die-hard Roku users will go to town on how wonderful it is and the great things it can do, the same could be said for die-hard Logitech Revue owners. This article isn’t aimed at anyone and their personal preference, it is aimed at some really cool technology that could change how we access streaming services such as Netflix, Pandora and Hulu.

Enter the Roku Streaming Stick. A compact Wi-Fi enabled dongle that plugs directly into your HDMI port on your TV. It is small, compact and portable. Requiring no batteries or external power supply, the device is powered right off the HDMI port as long as it is MHL-compliant. The stick contains all necessary attributes to operate, with a processor, memory, software and of course Wi-Fi. There wont be any extra remote to carry around with you either. The device is set up to use your TVs remote control for navigation and selection.

Of course there aren’t any TV’s out there that have MHL-compliant HDMI ports just yet, that I know of anyways. Best Buy’s Insignia line, which is made by LG, will be offering the stick as a bundle with their new line of TV’s later this year. I fully expect to see a cost-effective solution to this to make it more compatible with today’s tech though. With so many accessory companies out there trying to get your business, some one will do it and make it worth the money.

The new thumb drive sized Roku should be running around CES. No price point has been announced, but with the Roku LT coming in at a mere $50, we expect this little gadget to undercut it.

Source: slashgear