What kind of Roku are you? New themes will let you customize the experience

By Ryan Waniata February 7, 2014

roku will debut the divide season premiere a week in advance 3 youtube application — Image used with permission by copyright holder

If you’re one of those people who loves to customize – from your Star Wars-themed screen saver to your “Whirled Peas” bumper sticker – then you’re sure to love the latest development coming from Roku. Announced at the Appsworld conference in San Francisco yesterday, Roku will offer customizable home screens to its interface next month, adding one more way to lend a personal touch to your video streaming universe.

Detailed in a report by Gigaom, the new themes will be available for purchase from third-party developers through Roku’s app store. Adding a new motif won’t change the basic structure of your Roku home screen, but will bring a personalized flair to the experience with what is sure to be a plethora of choices, conjuring images of the golden days of Winzip skins, or decked out Myspace pages – remember Myspace?

While Roku does have a full selection of hardware accessories to choose from, new software add-ons such as the home screen themes are yet one more way for Roku to monetize beyond the sale of the box itself.

The themes will be easily integrated into Roku’s streamlined billing service, which the company already utilizes to sell reams of apps, or channels, from third-party developers. And with Roku getting a 30 percent cut of every app or service sold to its customer base – which at last count tallied over 5 million devices sold in the U.S. alone – simple add-ons like customizable home screens are easy money.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics

Former Digital Trends Contributor

Ryan Waniata is a multi-year veteran of the digital media industry, a lover of all things tech, audio, and TV, and a…

Audio / Video

Roku overheating? Here’s what you can do

Box contents of the Roku Streaming Stick+.

A Roku streaming device is an excellent way to connect with your favorite entertainment content, with support for services like Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Video, and more. Launching all the way back in 2008, Roku streamers have been granting households with non-smart TVs an experience on-par (if not better) with today's leading web-connected Samsung, Sony, and Vizio sets. With a decent lineup of models to choose from, there's a Roku for every type of user, from the budget-minded to those who can't do without the most advanced features a streamer can handle.

While a Roku is a phenomenal way to experience a myriad of content with just an Internet connection and a video cable to your TV, they're not exactly glitch-free. In fact, when it comes to overall performance, one trouble we've seen on Roku devices, again and again, is overheating. While it's a bit of a nuisance when this problem arises, there are a few simple things you can do to reprimand the issue, along with some preventative measures you can take to ensure overheating occurs less frequently.
Symptoms and alerts
When a Roku begins overheating, you may notice the symptoms before the hardware alerts you to the malfunction. Sluggish navigation, rampant buffering of videos, and audio lip-sync mismatching are a few telltale signs that your Roku may be on the verge, or in the throes, of an overheating episode.

Deals

Best Prime Day Roku deals 2021: What to expect

Roku Express 2019 with remote.

There's just one day left until Prime Day arrives, but if you're an early bird and looking out for deals now, you can find some great Prime Day deals that are already available, including deals on Roku devices for every home and budget. Roku streaming devices are valuable additions to any home, as they provide a simple way to access streaming content, such as Amazon Prime Video and Netflix, on any TV. If you don't have a smart TV and you want an easy way to upgrade, or if you want to enjoy the convenience of the Roku interface, you can look forward to the Prime Day Roku deals that will be rolling out Monday and Tuesday, June 21 and June 22. Or you can check out the Prime Day Roku deals already available.
Today's best Prime Day Roku deals

What Prime Day Roku deals to expect
The range of Roku streaming devices starts from the basic Roku Express, then goes up to the top-of-the-line Roku Ultra, and Amazon will likely be offering savings on the entire lineup. The latest version of the Roku Ultra 2020 and the Roku Streambar, a 2-in-1 streamer and speaker, were released alongside last year's Prime Day so they weren't part of the Prime Day Roku sales, but there's a good chance that there will also be discounts for Roku's latest products this year. There will also be great offers for TVs with built-in Roku software.
What Prime Day Roku deals we saw last year
Shoppers were able to enjoy discounts on all models of Roku's streaming devices in last year's Prime Day, offering a multitude of options depending on their budget and needs. They're very easy to install, and all they need is an internet connection, so it wasn't a complicated decision to take advantage of Prime Day Roku deals for those who wanted to access streaming content on their older TVs.
Should you buy a new Roku on Prime Day?
Roku streaming devices will breathe new life into older TVs and will let you enjoy a simpler interface if the one in your smart TV is a bit too complicated for your taste. There's also the option of buying a TV with built-in Roku software if you're in the market for an upgrade. Whatever you decide, you'll enjoy significant savings from this year's Prime Day Roku sales.

Audio / Video

Roku TV Ready lets you control your entire soundbar from a Roku TV remote

Roku Ultra 2019 remote.

One of the best features of HDMI ARC connection is being able to control basic functions of your soundbar like volume and power with your TV remote. Now, Roku's new Roku TV Ready initiative is taking things a step further, allowing soundbar makers to work with Roku software so you can control everything on your soundbar -- from EQ to sound modes -- all from your Roku TV remote.

The first manufacturer on the list is long-time partner TCL, which has committed to releasing at least one Roku soundbar in 2020. Sound United brand and storied audio company Denon has promised to launch some Roku TV Ready audio products as well, allowing you to control their high-quality sound machines from the Roku TV Remote.