Roku: Great Gift Idea for Everyone! {Review & Giveaway}

Watching movies on the weekends is something that my husband and I enjoy doing, it’s kind of like a mini-date night and a chance for us to relax and unwind after a long and chaotic week.  We stopped going to the video store a while back (they are still out there I suppose) and started renting OnDemand movies every week…but once our cable bill came and we realized that we watch a lot of movies  and that it was NOT at all cheap we put an end to that.  Our weekends were reduced to whatever was on TV (and even with 1000 channels there is NEVER anything on) until we got our Roku player.

Haven’t heard of Roku?  Well let me properly introduce you!  “Roku is a little box that allows you to instantly stream tons of entertainment on your TV. Watch movies and TV shows from Netflix, Hulu Plus or Amazon VOD, listen to music on Pandora, catch the latest ballgame, and more — it's all available whenever you want it. (from the Roku website)”  It’s pretty much date night in a small, very easy to use box!  Roku delivers instant entertainment in just a few quick and easy steps. 

Why Roku?  (from the website)

It's really easy.
Be up and running in 5 minutes. Roku is so tiny you can fit it anywhere.



No extra monthly bills.
Use your existing subscriptions (like Netflix or Major League Baseball), or enjoy free and on-demand content (like Pandora, Flickr, and Amazon VOD).

It's always getting better.
Roku is constantly expanding its library of streaming entertainment, so there will always be something new to watch.



There’s also the fact that Roku connects (in no time) to your high-speed internet…wirelessly!  And if all of that isn’t enough to sway you, maybe the price tag for an XD|S (which is the model I reviewed and you will have a chance to win) at only $99 with a 30- day Money Back Guarantee will have you at Hello…it will pay for itself in no time!  The Roku player also comes with a 1 Year Warranty and for a limited time if you buy a Roku you can get a FREE month of Hulu Plus!

I love that with the Roku you can get get access to a ton of channels instantly!  Maybe you’re strictly a movies and TV kinda gal (or guy) Roku has you covered with access to Hulu Plus, Amazon VOD, Netflix and more.  Perhaps your more of a sports buff, well Roku has UFC, MLB.TV, MCC, AFL and more to help you get your sports fix.  Or maybe you’re the serious type, Roku has so many news stations and reporters like Katie Couric, Suze Orman, and Anderson Cooper, need I say more…seriously Anderson Cooper is reason enough to buy a Roku!

As you have probably guessed by now I was sent a Roku XD|S for my review.  Since we have a million channels and OnDemand my husband was a little confused as to why I wanted to use the Roku player, but after a little coaxing I got him on board.  Setting up the Roku player literally takes seconds…and within no time we were ready to watch.  The Roku is great for us because we only have a cable box for one of the 4 TV’s in our house (long story) so now the kids can watch movies, music, and just about anything they want in their own room on their own terms!

I think the Roku player would make an excellent gift for anyone who loves to watch TV and movies but doesn’t have a wide selection with their current cable plan.  My mother has basic cable so the Roku is perfect for her.  It also makes a great addition to your guest room so that holiday guests can feel right at home!  You can check out Roku and many other great gift ideas in MIBR 2010 Holiday Gift Guide!

Buy it!

You can purchase the Roku player online at shop.roku.com!

I have some great news…one very lucky Misadventures reader is going to win a Roku!  Details Below!

Win it:  Mandatory Entry!

To enter this giveaway please visit the Roku website and look around, come back and leave a comment which Roku version you would like to have (there are 3 and you can view them here).  This is mandatory and must be completed before any extra entries are counted!

Extra Entries!

Please leave separate comments for each extra entry.  Please include your email or make sure it is visible in your profile!

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5 Extra Entries
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**If you’ve entered All of the current giveaways on MIBR (listed on the sidebar under Current Giveaways) then you may  have 5 extra entries into this giveaway (as well as this giveaway) just leave 5 separate comments saying, “I’ve entered all of MBIR giveaways!”**

This giveaway ends on December 6, 2010 at 11:59 PM EST.  One winner will be chosen via Random.org and announced in a separate winner’s post.  Winner will have 48 hours to claim his prize, failure to do so within 48 hour time-frame will result in winner forfeiting his prize and mew choosing a new winner.