Roku is making it easier for users to find video and keep track of unreleased content they might eventually want to watch.
The company, which makes streaming video set-top boxes, said Monday all of its players will offer Roku Search.
Users can now pull up content as they search for the name of a movie, TV show, series, actor or director. They’ll also be able to compare video availability and pricing from the search results page.
This new feature works just like Google’s predictive search, so you don’t need to enter an actor’s complete name before search results begin to populate. This his handy when entering search terms letter by letter using an arrow pad on the remote.
Unlike search recommendations from services such as Netflix, the Roku search results don’t take into account your viewing history.
Some users may like receiving these “pure” search results, while others may desire more tailored suggestions.
Meanwhile, the new Roku Feed function will let users flag content, such as a movie in theatres but not yet available for rental, for later viewing.
Both software features will be rolled out to users on April 13.
Hardware changes
The range-topping Roku 3 now comes with voice search, which is activated by speaking into the wireless remote control. The remote also features a headphone jack so viewers can watch content on the big screen without disturbing others in the same room.
The performance and responsiveness of the Roku 2 was beefed up, so it’s just as fast as the 3, but without voice search or headphone support. It’ll retail for $79.99, about $30 less than the Roku 3.
