Not much has changed with the Roku on the outside, but it does have a faster processor and more memory on the inside, so users will notice snappier performance when switching between apps and games. It still looks very similar to the Apple TV, a squarish black box that's small enough to fit in the palm of your hand.
Roku
The new Roku 3 hardware.
Roku also updated its remote control to include motion gestures for gaming and other tasks, sort of like the motion control on the Nintendo Wii controller. There's also a headphone jack on the remote so you can listen to a show without disturbing others in the room. That feature automatically switches on when you plug in a pair of standard headphones.
But most importantly, Roku completely redesigned its interface to make it easier to find the content you want to watch.
Roku
We got to test out the new Roku interface at a demo with a few members of the development team last week, and it's a huge improvement over the last version. Everything flows naturally to the right using the directional buttons on the remote, so it's easy to jump in and out of apps or games.
The search feature is also very impressive, letting you search by show or movie title, actor, director, etc. for the stuff you want to watch. Roku's search pulls in data from all sources -- Netflix, HBO, Vudu, Hulu Plus, etc. -- and lets you choose what service you want to use to watch a show or movie.
Roku
Search on the Roku 3 interface.
Roku has been around for several years, and it makes a strong alternative to the Apple TV.
Unlike the Apple TV, Roku lets developers write apps for the set-top box, so you'll find several hundred streaming services and games. That includes the most popular services like Pandora, Netflix, Hulu Plus, and HBO GO. There are more than 750 apps to choose from, much more than the handful you'll find on Apple TV.
On the flipside, Roku doesn't work as well with mobile devices as the Apple TV does. You can't wirelessly beam content from your smartphone or tablet to your Roku like you can with Apple TV.
The new Roku 3 will cost $99.99 and begins shipping in April. If you own a second-generation Roku, you'll get the new interface in a software update in the coming weeks.
We'll have a review of the Roku 3 in a few days, so stay tuned.