Ian White has posted a review of the Roku XDS 1080p streaming video set-top box ($99.95) at Big Picture Big Sound. His conclusions:
Building a better box does not necessarily mean than people are going to buy it. You actually have to offer them something to watch through it. From my perspective as a film fanatic and occasional viewer of select television programs, this is where the Roku XDS trounces the Apple TV. Pounds it like a 300-pound linebacker dropping a cocky rookie running back and then running into the crowd to hit his high school guidance counsellor and the guy in the play-by-play booth. John Madden would approve.
While it doesn't yet offer VUDU (rumored to be coming in 2011), the XDS offers Netflix, Amazon VOD, and Hulu Plus (it's about time), along with another 10 movie apps which focus on specific genres of film. Some of these apps are free, but most require a subscription. The price of Hulu Plus just fell to $7.99 a month, which makes it attractive to folks who don't watch a lot of television, but only select shows.
You can read the full review here.
