Roku Developer Program

[nlyt]

Is anyone working on a web browser for the Roku? GoogleTV will leap frog the Roku for this fact alone.

Here is a list of features that would make for an impressive web browser.
Bookmarking pages as a channel
Flash, JavaScript, HTML5 support

Anyone else have feature ideas?

[kc8pql]

"nlyt" wrote:
GoogleTV will leap frog the Roku for this fact alone.

Wouldn't bet on it. $200 vs. $59. for a start.

[TheEndless]

And no keyboard for another... the thought of entering URLs via the onscreen keyboard scares the crap out of me 😛

[kbenson]

Eh, give Roku another 3 months. We'll have yet another hardware refresh, a remote with a keyboard, and new high end model with a faster chipset for $99 and the low end model for $50. These people are nuts for new features and cheaper models. 😉

See what happens when you set the bar so high? 🙂

[nlyt]

With current hardware it would be difficult to escape an on screen keyboard. But if bookmarking was possible, and you had sites like youtube and ustream already saved, keyboard entry would be minimal.

If sometime a keyboard is released or a mobile device emulated a keyboard, the browser would move to support it immediately.

The Roku XD|S supports usb. Would that support a keyboard??

Would anyone like a web browser on their roku?

[scrager]

This has been discussed to death. If you want a browser on your tv, buy a laptop and hook it up. The roku is a digital media player. It has an interface designed to access supplied media and play that media when selected.

If you want a browser, then get out there and code it yourself. I don't think you are going to find any current Roku developer that is working on or planning a web browser.

[jeffrok]

+1 with Scrager.. People really don't want to browse the web any more than casually on TV.. it's been proven by several failed devices that have come and gone.

[GandK-Geoff]

"scrager" wrote:
If you want a browser, then get out there and code it yourself. I don't think you are going to find any current Roku developer that is working on or planning a web browser.

Must ... resist ... reply ... of Death .... 😉

[kbenson]

"jeffrok" wrote:
+1 with Scrager.. People really don't want to browse the web any more than casually on TV.. it's been proven by several failed devices that have come and gone.

One could make an argument that this may not hold true in the current climate for any number of reasons: The web is more ubiquitous, more essential services are handles through the web, more media is consolidated on the web, TV's are more capable of displaying content in an appealing manner (HD resolution), etc.

I'm not saying I want to make any such arguments, or really get into this, but let's not kid ourselves that it's cut and dry and already decided. I think is WILL be decided shortly, when Google TV comes out, but until then we'll see.

I was interested in doing a (very) rudimentary browser for the Roku for a while, until Geoff pointed out that if Roku IS planning on porting webkit or something, it would be a whole lot of work for nothing. I've even got some of the groundwork done...

[nlyt]

The Boxee Box is integrating a webkit based browser as well.

As far as I know, Apple TV does not have a web browser. But the new Apple TV is running iOS, allowing a browser to be added quickly if Apple dictates.

Source: http://www.slashgear.com/boxee-box-to-f ... -09101577/