Roku Announces Wireless Speakers for Roku-Powered Smart TVs
Roku has stuck firmly to making streaming boxes and the software that powers them, but the company has just announced an unexpected expansion into home audio. The Roku TV Wireless Speakers will ship later this year for $200, but Roku says they compare favorably to speakers that cost twice as much. However, you’ll need some very specific home theater equipment to test that out.
The Roku TV Wireless Speakers are a standard 2.0 system. So you just need to place the left and right channel speakers in a location of your choosing near the TV. You’ve got more freedom in placement because they don’t have to tie directly into the TV. Roku says the wireless aspect is to address consumer “frustrations” with wired speakers. I don’t usually think that plugging in two cables counts as frustrating, but I’m not most people. The speakers will, of course, still need to be plugged into power.
Roku’s TV operating system will guide users through the process of pairing their wireless speakers. Unlike other wireless speakers, Roku’s solution will integrate fully with the TV to synchronize the audio and video so there’s no lag. They will also be able to boost dialog volume and level out loud noises like commercials.
The Roku TV Wireless Speakers come with their own remotes that tie into the TV software, which may be an upgrade if you bought one of the less-expensive models. The standard remote works no matter which way it’s pointed, and includes a microphone for voice commands. There’s also a puck-shaped remote called Roku Touch. This is meant to sit on a table, offering quick access to playback controls and voice interaction. Both remotes are powered by AAA batteries.
Roku says the Roku TV Wireless Speakers will begin shipping in October this year. Pre-orders are available right now at $150 instead of the $200 retail price. The pre-order price goes up to $180 on July 24th.
Continue reading
AMD Smashes Revenue Records as Zen 3, Xbox Series X, PS5 Ramp Up
AMD's Q3 2020 results are in, and the results are excellent for the company, in every particular.
The Best Smart Home Security Systems
Once a niche business with a few traditional players and some startups, home security systems are now a major battleground for not just security companies, but several internet giants. We round up highlights of the most popular options for 2020.
Nvidia Will Mimic AMD’s Smart Access Memory on Ampere: Report
AMD's Smart Access Memory hasn't even shipped yet, but Nvidia claims it can duplicate the feature.
AMD Will Bring Smart Access Memory Support to Intel, Nvidia Hardware
AMD is reportedly working with Nvidia and Intel to bring hardware support for Smart Access Memory to other GPU and CPU platforms.