Roku has broken through into the brick and mortar space with the news today that one of its set-top boxes is now available at Best Buy stores across the nation.
The Roku XD, which is also available at BestBuy.com, retails for $79.99. It features up to 1080p HD streaming support, integrated 802.11n Wi-Fi and instant replay.
“Having sold over 1 million Roku players through online sales only up until now, we are incredibly excited to announce our entrance into brick and mortar retail with nationwide availability from the preeminent consumer electronics retailer,” said Anthony Wood, founder and CEO of Roku. “Customers can now grab a Roku off the shelf at Best Buy, take it home, and be up and running, enjoying their favorite TV show, movie, music or sports team in just a matter of minutes.”
The Roku HD can stream movies and TV shows from the likes of Netflix, Hulu Plus and Amazon Instant Plus, as well as access music services from Pandora and MOG, among others.
It also supports on-demand sports from NBA Game Time and NHL GameCenter Live, as well as photo and video sharing from Flickr and Facebook.
Having a large retail presence will help Roku stand out among competitors that include Boxee, Logitech and Apple.
Roku first introduced its player in 2008 and has sold more than 1 million of them to date. With the Roku Channel Store, Roku said its customers have access to more than 150 channels from 85 unique content services.