Roku's new Streaming Stick gives Chromecast a run for its money

Roku's new Streaming Stick gives Chromecast a run for its money
Small but perfectly formed?

Roku's Streaming Stick will hit the UK in April and brings HD Netflix, YouTube and Now TV to your television without needing a set-top box to house it.

The Streaming Stick plugs directly into the HDMI port of your TV and is teeny tiny enough to be used on wall-mounted TVs as well.

It means you can watch on-demand films, TV shows and music videos on your television using a Wi-Fi connection, as well as being able to play videos and music from a smartphone or tablet.

Smart TV

You can use your phone or slate to control the stick as well, thanks to the Roku Android and iOS app - but it does come with a remote control too so you can use that if you prefer.

As well as Netflix, YouTube, Now TV and Vevo, Roku offers a channel store of over 700 apps ranging from games to news to social networking.

If you're thinking this all sounds very similar to the Chromecast UK, then you'd be right - but you can pre-order the Roku Streaming Stick in the UK from today, with release scheduled for April 2014. We're still waiting on a release date for the Chromecast.

It'll set you back around £49.99 - that's the same price as the Roku 1 box.

  • Want something more fully-featured? The Roku 3 could be right up your street
News Editor (UK)

Former UK News Editor for TechRadar, it was a perpetual challenge among the TechRadar staff to send Kate (Twitter, Google+) a link to something interesting on the internet that she hasn't already seen. As TechRadar's News Editor (UK), she was constantly on the hunt for top news and intriguing stories to feed your gadget lust. Kate now enjoys life as a renowned music critic – her words can be found in the i Paper, Guardian, GQ, Metro, Evening Standard and Time Out, and she's also the author of 'Amy Winehouse', a biography of the soul star.