Disclaimer - Ok, I am certainly not a product reviewer and believe there are many out there that can/are doing far better job than what I would do. I focus on Marketing and Strategy, and that’s what I would like to focus on.
Just for this time and this post, adding an element of a Product - Roku TV Player here (http://www.roku.com/). I have been a user of Apple TV for some time but then while attending few developer meetup stumbled upon the fact that how a small but an effective ecosystem is brewing here. Now that's what I was interested in.
A bit of story or flashback...Had bought an apple TV sometime back while didn't find cable TV providing me the stuff I was looking for and more importantly at the time I was looking for. Apple had to be a safe bet and being honest I was pretty much satisfied with what I got. It was all out there in an easy format that I am use to. Then came the hunger of having a ability to view certain programs that I was missing in there....So took the Hulu +....but then it was not a same experience watching on iPad or PC as I would have preferred on HD TV...While I was contemplating buying Roku for the same (and not the other way round, like buying Roku first and then going to Hulu), happened to attend a small gathering of developers.
I did wrote a note a year ago about how integrated devices would evolve but was glad to see it happening in front of my very own eyes, and at a much faster pace than I imagined. While discussing and debating over ever changing technology(s), I brought a topic of how organization needs to focus now on integrated bedroom devices. I certainly had a “defined perception” of how an Internet TV or console should work by the virtue of using them for last couple of years. Suddenly, my perception about it was being tarnished from all sides...with a loud noise of how an Internet TV console can help in bring a paradigm shift and a new experience for the developers. Angry Bird being the famous example from the same.
It gave me a sense that I had missed an element of a small but certainly growing (at a much greater pace) ecosystem for Internet –TV/console market, with Roku being a true leader here. I didn't even hear a mention of Apple TV, purely because of its closed environment that does not encourage any experimentation with it.
Then, it forced me to do some more research on the net and man…..this was one such rare moment when I felt so naïve in my knowledge / perceptions….. and was pretty excited to be proven wrong with every page of Google pages that I was turning.
The thing that struck me the most, was the share number of idea(s), topic(s) and content brewing to support an ecosystem which a day go I wasn’t even aware about. Of course not to mention how much Roku is enabling it. You can See it by Googling it!!!
I am not a product reviewer and by no means want to become one but what got me excited was the innovation happening in the Internet TV/Console Space due a single product – Roku. It may not be the best thing ever happened in the Internet TV/Console market……but I would say that its certainly a best thing ever happened to open up a new channel/avenue for developers and content owner, while moving towards the integrated bedroom device experience.
The ability to create and add channel, weather feeds, twitter, Facebook Picture, Radio, etc. etc….are just a tipping point that would eventually open up an entire new stream of thought process, innovation and avenue for many - likes of developer, content owner, channels, etc.
The ability to “Customize” your viewing to an extend what this product (Roku) was offering amazed me.
This post is not about which product is better – Apple or Roku….You have tons of stuff out there (Google it !!!!, again :). This post is more about how Roku enabling new innovation through building an element of ecosystem that to me never existed in this space.
Now a small review (how can I stop here ;) of the product (please excuse me for this...I am certainly not in habit of doing it) – Straight to the point I booted it up. No surprise there as it was easy to understand and scan through options. Loved having Radio on my TV and then the discovery happened that took me into a journey of exploration.
The Discovery was – “The Store”. I couldn’t have imagined with my defined perception of Internet TV and similar consoles to find that (having a store) option there. So there I went it and my first reaction (as debated over twitter today) was a journey of exploration of adding, deleting channels and then was the magic bit - the “Private Channel”. Downloaded an entire list of private channel codes that was out there and felt like a kid attempting his/her first Lego Build. I was intrigued by how much “true customization” I can attempt with my TV viewing.
Though, it had few shortfall with UI (being coming from Apple TV to it).
Overall, would stress again – For me it’s not the innovation happening on the product (though as a consumer I am all for it and truly excited), however it’s about how a company with single product (with variance) enabling the development of an entire ecosystem that entail from big corporates (Netflix, Hulu, etc), to small developers.
P.S. – Just for the record I bought my Roku and not part of their reviewer panel :)
Please email me with any suggestion, feedback or guidance….I am excited for this space.
Have a Happy Week!
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