Good news for those of you with the well-liked Roku player. As we heard was going to happen, and then we heard was in testing, the little thing can now access the many videos on Amazon’s VOD service.
Not too much else to say — I don’t have one, so I can’t test it out. Anybody care to let us know how it works? It should be live as of this posting.
Here’s the full press release, for the curious:
ROKU NOW OFFERS ACCESS TO AMAZON VIDEO ON DEMAND
Digital Video Player Instantly Connects Consumers To Over 40,000 New Titles
SARATOGA, CA, March 3, 2009 – Roku, Inc., maker of the popular Roku digital video player, today announced that customers can now watch movies and TV shows from Amazon Video On Demand. With Amazon Video On Demand, Roku customers can for the first time purchase or rent new release movies the same day they are released on DVD and watch commercial-free TV shows the day after they air– all from Amazon’s extensive selection of more than 40,000 movie and TV titles.
”We are excited to give our customers access to Amazon’s massive catalogue of top movies and TV shows – including many new releases”, said Anthony Wood, Roku CEO and Founder. “The launch of Amazon Video On Demand on Roku demonstrates our commitment to creating an open platform that instantly delivers the entertainment consumers want directly to their TVs.”
The compact Roku player connects directly to any TV and uses a broadband Internet connection to deliver DVD-quality video instantly. Roku customers can now choose from Amazon’s enormous selection without paying subscription fees, waiting for downloads, or running out to the video store.
“The $99 Roku player provides our customers with tremendous value and a compelling entertainment experience,” said Roy Price, director of Amazon Video On Demand. “Consumers are looking for inexpensive and hassle-free ways to watch their favorite movies and TV shows, and the Roku player meets that need head-on.”
How It Works:
– Connect the Roku player to your TV and your broadband Internet connection (Wi-Fi is built in for ease of set-up)
– Browse Amazon Video On Demand’s extensive selection right on your TV
– Rent or purchase and instantly watch any of more than 40,000 choices, including top new releases and the latest TV showsOver the course of the next week, current Roku customers will receive a free and automatic software update giving them access to the Amazon Video on Demand service. All Roku player customers will continue to have access to Netflix Instant Watching with unlimited access to more than 12,000 movies and TV episodes for a low monthly fee.
The Roku digital video player is available for purchase exclusively at Roku.com and Amazon.com.
About Roku
Roku is a market leader in innovative applications for digital media. Through its work in both software and hardware, the company develops and sells consumer products and business solutions to bring rich media to the end user. Its products include: The Roku Digital Video Player and the SoundBridge Internet radio line. Roku is privately held and based in Saratoga, Calif. For more information on the company and its products, visit: http://www.roku.com.