Jul 132013
Identity Thief
List Price: $ 4.99
Price: $ 4.99
Roku 3 Streaming Player
- Faster and more powerful. With up to 1080p HD video* and extended-range, dual-band wireless performance for increased speed
- Amazing remote with headphone jack. Use the included in-ear headphones to crank up that late-night flick while the kids (or parents) sleep
- One-stop search. Find your favorite movies and TV shows all from one place?from top TV and Movie services like Netflix, Amazon Instant Video or Hulu Plus
- 750+ channels and growing. The best selection of streaming out there. Everything from Netflix to Hulu Plus to HBO GO to Major League Baseball
- Free iOS and Android device app. Use it like a remote. Browse and add new channels. Even stream your music and photos from your phone or tablet to your HDTV
Roku 3 Streaming Player 1080p HD plus enhanced remote with headphone jack
750+ entertainment channels. Choose from the best selection of streaming entertainment on the planet. All-new on-screen experience with one-stop search. Fly through channels or search for the perfect title effortlessly. Our fastest, most powerful Roku experience ever. Remote with headphone jack for private listening. Us
List Price: $ 99.99
Price: $ 89.99
Related Video Products
Funniest Movie I’ve Ever Seen,
I think the biggest problem with movie goers these days is they all expect this amazing life changing movie whenever they go to see a movie. But this is not what I look for when I go see a movie I just go to have fun and get away from real life for a little bit and that’s what this movie did for me. This movie is honestly the funniest movie I have ever seen I was laughing throughout the whole movie and it wasn’t like I was waiting bored for the next laugh because it kept me interested and satisfied in between the laughs. The movie even had a little heart in it with Melissa McCarthy’s character and she developed throughout the movie and became someone that was respectable even though she is stealing people’s identities left and right. I honestly loved this movie so much and people can say all they want about it I thought it was perfectly scripted, super funny, and a little touching. I would recommend this to honestly every person I know.
Was this review helpful to you?
|A funny, enjoyable movie thanks to leads,
If you enjoyed Jason Batemen as the put-upon, sane family member/lead in the short-lived TV series Arrested Development, you will probably enjoy him here. If you enjoyed Melissa McCarthy’s in Bridesmaids, you will find many more moments of genius lunacy.
My one fear was that the trailer had all the funny set pieces, but not by a long shot. The movie was funnier.
This is a movie in the Hollywood tradition of road trips from hell on a deadline. (Think Rat Race or Trains, Planes and Automobiles.) I also found the revelations about her background made the outcome more satisfying. I’m happily in the ‘it’s a darn funny movie’ camp.
I suspect other reviewers who hated it will mark this ‘unhelpful,’ but that just goes to show you. Take those negatives with grain of salt. I believe you will enjoy it, if you enjoyed the movie trailer of it.
Was this review helpful to you?
|Has its moments,
Identity Thief is a movie about a mild-mannered businessman Sandy Patterson (Bateman) who travels from Denver to Miami to confront the deceptively harmless-looking woman (McCarthy) who has been living it up after stealing Sandy’s identity.
This movie is definitely not the funniest I have ever seen but it does have its moments that will make you laugh although sometimes straying into the area of bad taste. At times the jokes miss more than make you laugh and sometimes makes you cringe but Identity Thief does soften up at the end and comes across as being a somewhat sweet comedy in the end despite some of the cringe worthy jokes.
I will give McCarthy credit as she does about anything to get a laugh even with physical comedy and she is not afraid to ham it up for the camera.
This movie is definitely not in the league of some of the funnier movies I have seen (like Hangover or 40 year old virgin) but isn’t bad and will keep you entertained. I did expect more laughs though but this movie ends up being more cute than a laugh out loud comedy.
Was this review helpful to you?
|Fast, enormous channels selection, major user interface upgrade (hands-on plus FAQ),
MY EXPERIENCE
For anyone new to the Roku world, I would recommend the Roku 3 over any other previous models mainly on it being so much faster to operate. If ‘cost’ is an issue and 720p only is not a bother then the LT should be a great pick for half the price.
True for all Roku models: there’s an enormous amount of channels to choose from, including most popular ones. And if there’s something that you can’t find in the official store you can always check the private channel listings (I included the URL of my favorite site) which is where I found things such as streaming CNN, CNN International and BBC World.
The streaming is exceptionally smooth. Quite impressive considering that I set this Roku on the second floor, some 60-70 ft. and two floors away from our Wi-Fi router located in the basement.
This model especially, due to the more powerful processor is easy to operate through Roku’s very basic remote control.
Roku 3 and all Rokus are stable. I didn’t have the Roku 3 for too long (will update) but my experience with a Roku LT was that it almost never crashes and I only had to manually reconnect to my Wi-Fi router once over a 6-months period.
The ‘universal search’ feature is quite amazing. You simply type in the name of a movie or show even an actor and you will see all you options on all channels and you will know in advance whether it’s going to be free or exactly how much it was going to cost. On the Roku 3 all information appears almost instantly.
_______________________________________________________________
THE FAQ
I will try to keep this section as objective (factual) as possible.
Q: Why would I want a Roku?
A: Roku has, by far, the largest number of ‘channels’ vs. any other competing product. If you like exploring content beyond the popular services (Netflix, Amazon, etc.) you should consider a Roku?
Q: Why would I want a Roku 3?
A: When compared to previous models, this one has a much faster processor, 5 times faster. The faster processor allows you to quickly navigate the new and much improved user interface but if ‘speed’ is not an issue, the new interface will appear on the older models by April, 2013. This model also adds a ‘private listening’ capability through a provided pair of headphones that plug directly into the remote control. In addition it supports Dual-band wireless for faster streaming when connected to a router that supports the feature and has a USB port.
Q: When I shouldn’t pick a Roku 3 over other Roku models?
A: Roku 3 does not support ‘standard’ (non HD) TVs but earlier models do. You should select a ‘lesser’ model such as the Roku LT when price is the issue and/or your HD TV is limited to 720p and ‘speed’ is not an issue.
Q: What can I play through the USB port?
A: Video: MP4 (H.264), MKV (H.264); Audio: AAC, MP3; Image: JPG, PNG.
Q: Is the Roku 3 expandable?
A: Yes. There a MicroSD slot for additional game and channel storage memory.
Q: Can I use a Roku 3 with any TV lacking an HDMI port?
A: No.
Q: What are the best screen resolution and audio supported by Roku 3?
A: 1080p, 7.1/5.1 surround sound.
Q: Is the Roku 3 energy efficient?
A: According to Roku, typical power consumption is 3.5W when streaming HD video.
Q: How do I connect a Roku 3 to the Internet?
A: You can do it wither via Wi-Fi or through the wired Ethernet port. Technically speaking: 802.11 dual-band (a/b/g/n compatible) with WEP, WPA, and WPA2 support (wireless) and 10/100 Base-T Ethernet for the wired connection.
Q: What is not included but I must have to make my Roku 3 work besides a TV and an Internet router?
A: An HDMI cable.
Q: Can I control the Roku 3 with a universal remote?
A: Yes.
Q: Do I need line of site to control the Roku 3?
A: No if you use Roku’s own remote, yes if you use a universal remote control.
Q: Can I play games on the Roku 3?
A: Yes, it comes with Angry Birds Space preloaded and you may add more games from the store.
Q: Are the Roku channels free?
A: Many of them are but Roku also streams ‘premium’ channels for which you will require a separate subscription.
Q: What are private channels.
A: These are channels that, for whatever reason, are not listed by the channel store. You can easily make them ‘appear’ on your TV by picking them from one of the sites that lists such channels. See the first comment to this review for the URL of one such site.
Q: How much it costs to use a Roku?
A: Once purchased, it could cost you nothing. Or you may subscribe to one or more premium services.
Q: Can I search for a specific movie or show across all of Roku’s channel?
A: Yes, you can. Even better, Roku will not only tell you which…
Read more
Was this review helpful to you?
|Are you searching for a way to bring your TV into the 21st century? Here it is..,
Let me first say that I have been a Roku user for a number of years now, and own a Roku 1 XD, XDS, and a Roku 2 XS. I have also owned and used in the past the Logitech Review using GoogleTV, the last two non-Google TV Sony boxes, and two generations of the WD TV Live streamers. After owning and using all those, the Roku is the only one that has a place in my livingroom, and here’s why…
Without boring everyone on the specs of the R’s, let me start by telling about my experience setting it up.
Once unpacked one simply plugs the power adapter into the wall and an HDMI cable into the TV and the Roku, that’s it. The unit begins booting up then asks you to select whether you want to use a wireless or wired network connection. I selected wireless and it then shows a list of the networks it detected. Once you choose your network you input the password for your network and in a few seconds it connects right away.
Finally it displays an activation code which you are to use to activate and attach the Roku to your online Roku account. For some seeking out a computer that may or may not be near the TV might be a pain, but I simply opened Safari on my iPhone and added the code to my account while sitting in front of the TV.
Once the code is entered, as part of the attaching process you are prompted to add payment info just in case you want to buy a channel or game in the future. You can not bypass this but IT’S OK. Enter it in and finish the account set up. Once you do you can simply choose to delete the payment info and it’s erased from the Roku servers.
Once the account is made and successfully linked, the Roku automatically downloads the channels from your account (if you are attaching it to an existing account) or just quickly downloads the few selected during the account creation process, including “Angry Birds Space”.
That’s it, its that easy to get it set and ready to stream. Of course with some premium channels you will either need to log in to your account from the Roku (Netflix) or similarly link the box to your online account using a computer, smartphone, or tablet browser (Amazon Instant Video).
I have found that the set up is incredibly easy over the numerous boxes I’ve used over the last few years and always recommend a Roku to especially those less adept at setting up electronics/computers/networking items.
The interface–
The interface of the Roku units has always been a sore point.. When it started out with just Netflix and then just a few channels, the horizontal row of channel icons was fine, but now with HUNDREDS of channels it was sorely needing a refresh. The interface alone was one of the biggest reasons I was always trying different streaming boxes..
I’m so pleased to see the new grid-style interface on the R3. Not only is it beautifully rendered, but it is very, very fast to navigate and to find whatever it is you want in your channel list. Very modern-looking and functional.
One huge thing I notice over the older units in the interface is that besides it being “pretty”, even the channels load much faster than previous units thanks to a new processor.
The universal search function is great too, allowing you to search for movies, shows, and even actors across the major providers.
The USB port–
USB functionality is a great add-on for the top tier Roku. The Roku units are first and foremost internet streamers, but the convenience of plugging in a thumb drive and being able to play some of my personal movie collection is great. Video format is rather limited, but again this is an add-on feature not a main selling point. Because I’m an iTunes user, I rip all my movies/shows as H.264 MP4 files because thy are iPhone/iPad compatible, and just so happen they are compatible with Roku as well. Very nice.
Programming—-
This is where Roku is just second to none, and why I choose to use it over all the others. Besides the big players like Netflix, Vudu, etc. Roku has such a wealth of programming that I actually hate it. I hate the fact I’m not independently wealthy and have to work for a living, and consequently don’t have enough time in the day to watch everything on there I want to. You may very well feel the same way, but not to worry.. Unlike broadcast TV, everything on Roku is on-demand, meaning its there when you want it, not when its being broadcast.
Now sure, there’s no YouTube. That might or might not be coming so if you get one, just assume you won’t have it. Cute little kitty videos are fun to watch on the TV, but there’s tons more you can watch on other channels. I love the fact I can get live streaming news from the BBC or CNN International, or watch cheesy, badly dubbed Kung fu movies, or B-movie horror and sci-fi all night long for free from my Roku if I want lol. The Roku’s available programming really…
Read more
Was this review helpful to you?
|AWESOME Product! GREAT new Features!,
The Roku 3 is an awesome upgrade from my previous Roku 2. (and from my previous Apple TV)
First of all, it is very easy and quick to set up.
The Roku 3′s user interface is just awesome, and much snappier than the pervious one.
It’s much easier to navigate the channels with the new user interface. They also added a centralized search where you can search for titles or actors across all channels and they then show which channels offer that content.
This is really an AWESOME and very useful feature!
Besides the improved UI, I really love the new remote control, which contains a head-set jack and volume controls.
When you plug-in a head-set, the audio on the Roku’s HDMI interface is automatically muted, and re-routed to the head-sets. This is awesome when watching movies at night when your loved-ones are asleep, and might be equally useful when you ask your kids to use the head-set, so you don’t have to listen to Dora the Explorer all day long..
I should add that the audio-quality on the headsets is truly HiFi – it blew me away!
Roku offers TONS of channels on the Roku! No comparison to the very limited number of channels on the Apple TV.
I think Roku says they have +700 channels now.
Some of my favourite channels are:
– Amazon (some movies included with Amazon Prime!!)
– Vudu (amazing video quality!)
– Netflix (their selection really gets worse every day)
– Hulu
– TimeWarner channel
– HBO Go
– Disney
– Smithsonian Channel
– great music channels, like: Pandora Radio, Amazon Cloud Player, SomaFM, …
– tons of science & tech channels, like: TED Talks, CNet, NASA, …
– tons of food channels
– tons of domestic and international news channel, like CNN, BBC, Al Jazeera, Euronews, Tagesschau, Deutsche Welle, and many more!
– lots of international channels
– many more..
Do a web-search to find the complete list of all available Roku private channels, and check out the VideoBuzz channel!
One almost hidden feature of the Roku3 is that it has a USB3 port on the side — that means that you can plug in a USB-flash drive or a USB disk, and play content you own from there! USB Media Formats: Video: MP4 (H.264), MKV (H.264) Audio: AAC, MP3, Image: JPG, PNG.
One small thing to look out: make sure to switch your video to 1080p in the settings menu, it starts with 720p resolution.
My home-theater setup consists of an Optoma 1080p projector, with the Roku3 connected to it, and a 133″ screen.
The video quality is just amazing!! I lOVE my new Roku 3!
Compared to the Roku2, there is no audio-out jack on the back of the Roku3 – this was not a big issue for me, because I have an inexpensive HDMI Switcher which provides audio-out: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003L14WB8/
Last not least: how does the Roku3′s price of $99 stack up against the competition? With the Roku3 you get more channel choices than what you get with the Apple TV.
If you compare it to “smart” TVs, like Samsung and others, these manufacturers charge exorbitant amounts for their “smart” TV features, compared to their regular TV models — you’d pay several hundred dollars more, and you would end up with less — and you’d be waving your hands at your TV.
So if you compare the Roku3 to “smart” TVs, the Roku3 is an obvious choice because of it’s low cost, more channels, and the much sleeker user interface.
All in all, I think this product is a BIG step up from the previous Roku 2 and far ahead of the Apple TV, which I have not used since I switched to Roku.
If you own an Apple TV, or already own a pervious Roku model, I’d definitely recommend to upgrade to the Roku 3!
If you are in the market for a new TV, then go for the non-smart version, and add a Roku3!
You won’t regret it! It’s awesome!
P.S.:
It puzzles me that some people have left bad reviews for the Roku3. Some comments where related to streaming quality, which sounds more like they have only a very basic internet connection. If you want to stream HDTV video over the internet, make sure that you have an adequate / high-end internet connection (don’t try to save money on that). Another comment was the 90-day warranty. Sure, that’s true, but I don’t think it’s an issue given that the Roku3 does not contain any moving parts — chances of it breaking are very very very slim. I had my previous Roku for years and it still works like a charm.
last not least, one comment was that you have to provide a credit card to connect to the Roku channel store. That’s just the same with a lot of other services, and devices, e.g. the Apple TV. It’s really no surprise, as there are some Roku channels which can be purchased. Does any of that make the Roku3 a bad device? Absolutely no! It is the best device in…
Read more
Was this review helpful to you?
|