Hi, everyone !!
This time last week, the 2018 FIFA World Cup Finals were still playing-out the "Round of 16" in the tournament... but, as of yesterday, we are now in the "Quarter Finals" of the FIFA World Cup 2018 for which live coverage is still available for streaming on Roku players and NOW TV devices in the UK. If you missed my dedicated 'World Cup 2018' article, that I published mid-week as an extra post between my 'Weekly RoundUp' of four weeks ago and the 'Weekly RoundUp' after that, you can see "How To WATCH THE FIFA WORLD CUP 2018 LIVE On Roku Players and NowTV Devices" by reading that article, which includes details on how to live stream the 2018 FIFA World Cup Finals, both in the UK and other countries around the world, with an emphasis on live streaming World Cup matches using genuine Roku-branded products and/or Roku-Powered™ devices, such as those sold by NOW TV here in the UK (e.g. NOW TV Box, NOW TV Smart Box, or NOW TV Smart Stick).
Unlike the "bare bones" approach of the official "how-to" post from the Roku Stream Blog, that does little more than to name-drop a couple of Roku channels (apps) through which UK Roku users can get live coverage of World Cup 2018 matches, my own "in-depth" article provides kick-off times for every game of the 2018 FIFA World Cup tournament, as well as a complete list of all the fixtures that make-up both the "Group Stage" and "Knockout Stage" of the 2018 World Cup finals, plus specific details as to which broadcast channels (BBC One, ITV, ITV4, etc.) within the main Roku channels (i.e. BBC iPlayer, BBC Sports, ITV Hub, etc.) of more than one half-dozen Roku apps that are at the disposal of Roku UK users... never mind the additional Roku channels (apps) which I've included in the extra country-specific information for those in other Roku "regions" worldwide. So, if you really want to know "HOW TO" watch live coverage of the FIFA World Cup Finals on the Roku platform, be sure to bookmark my dedicated blog post (see link above) and check it on a daily basis between now and the World Cup Final on Sunday 15th July 2018 to discover where & when to watch every game of football (or, "soccer", as some refer to it) from the current World Cup tournament in Russia.
Before I get on with the usual Roku-related matters, I wanted to share the following information for some LIMITED-TIME SPECIAL OFFERS FOR AMAZON PRIME VIDEO SUBSCRIBERS that I came across recently. There are a total of FOUR INDIVIDUAL OFFERS which can either be taken on their own, or as a combination of any / all of them, with the only caveat being that you need to either (already) be an Amazon Prime customer... or prepared to subscribe to Amazon Prime, either with a free trial (if eligible), or without one (if you have previously subscribed and/or taken a trial). Assuming you meet these criteria, you can choose from any of the 90-DAY FREE TRIALS below, but do be advised: all of the OFFERS END ON TUESDAY 17th JULY 2018 - SO, DON'T DELAY!
HINT:- Please CLICK on the above images TO ENLARGE THEM for easier viewing !!
Once you have followed the relevant link(s) to "Start your free trials" of whichever subscription(s) you are interested in (see individual bullet points above, to be redirected to the relevant offer page), you need only click on the yellow "Start your free trials" button to begin the process of setting-up your free trial(s) to whichever subscription service(s) you would like to try-out. When you click that yellow button (on the individual offer pages of the Amazon UK website) you will then be redirected to another webpage, on which you must either "Sign in" (if you are an existing Amazon Prime user) or click the button marked "Create your Amazon account" (if you're a new Amazon Prime customer), to continue with the process - a screenshot of the 'Sign in' page is shown below for ease of reference:-
If you are a new Amazon customer, and didn't have an existing account with which to sign-in, there will be a few additional steps required... however, once you have your Amazon account set-up, you will then be presented with a confirmation screen with full details of the individual 'Amazon Channel' (known as a 'Featured Channel' within the "Amazon Prime Video" channel menu on Roku devices) to which you are about to begin a free trial, as well as asking you to confirm your details (i.e. the email address, payment method and billing address) that will be used with your subscription... but you also have the option to "change" the payment method and/or billing address if you don't wish to use any existing details that may (already) be applied to your account. After that, you need only click on the yellow 'Try Free - pay later' button to start your free 90-day trial! :-)
REMEMBER: That, once the 90-day free trial period has ended, if you have not taken the necessary steps to cancel the particular 'Amazon Channel(s)' for which you have been enjoying an extended free promotional period A MONTHLY SUBSCRIPTION WILL APPLY WHEN THE TRIAL ENDS and that can vary based on the individual channels but is typically around four or five pounds per month. To avoid being charged, in the event you do not wish to continue with your subscription to any given 'Amazon Channel', simply login to your Amazon account and go to 'Your Amazon Channels', which you will find under 'Your Account' on the Amazon UK website, and then follow the necessary steps in order to CANCEL YOUR SUBSCRIPTION AS SOON AS POSSIBLE and, in any event, be sure to do so no later than five days before your trial finishes TO AVOID ANY UNWANTED CHARGES on your Amazon UK account. You can find the full terms and conditions (T&C's) of Amazon Prime on their official website but, if you do sign-up for a free trial, while they won’t charge your card until the end of your trial period, you can still cancel at any time (even on day one) and continue watching for the remainder of your 90-day promotional period. In my experience, it is best to cancel right away (if you don't intend to continue subscribing beyond the free trial) to be certain you don't forget. It's also worth noting that, if you choose not to continue with (or cancel) your Prime membership, then the 'Amazon Channel' will not renew at the end of the relevant billing period, either. For those who don't like their payment information being held... be aware that, by signing-up for a featured channel (or starting a free trial) you acknowledge you have read and agree to the T&C's (see link above) and authorise Amazon UK to charge your designated card (or another card on file) whatever the amount that is associated with a regular monthly subscription to that channel. So, if that's something that's likely to be a problem for you, these offers are probably best avoided. For everyone else, however, it's a great opportunity to get FREE ACCESS FOR THREE MONTHS to four of the best subscription channels that Amazon UK has to offer and I, for one, intend to take full advantage of them! ;-) :-)
While Amazon are dishing out freebies to their customers, it seems that Netflix are currently trying to find new ways to charge their customers even more money. According to this 'Tutto Android' report a new "Premium" membership, known as the "Ultra" tier, has been spotted across mobile devices in a few countries around mainland Europe. It's not yet known if/when this new higher-priced plan will be made available in the UK but, from what's been mentioned so far, Netflix are experimenting with a few different prices (ranging from €16.99 to €19.99 euros) to see what customers are prepared to pay for 4K UHD content, with the ability to stream it across a greater number of devices, "...to better understand how consumers value Netflix", according to a spokesperson for the company. There have been similar reports from a variety of sources, including 'CNET' - who were informed by Netflix that "...we are testing slightly different price points and features" - and 'CordCutting.com', who went on to speculate as to whether the United States might be next for this new "Ultra" pricing tier. Apparently, there are no plans to (further) increase the prices of their existing tiers... which is good news for those of us who have already seen the cost of our 'Netflix' subscriptions increase in recent times but, even if this new "Ultra" tier does make it to the United Kingdom at some point in the (near?) future, I doubt it will be something that I will consider because (as I see it) their current catalogue does not warrant paying any more than I do already. With newer (i.e. more recent) theatrical releases being available with an 'Sky Cinema' movies month pass from 'NowTV' and 'Prime Video' being (basically) a perk of our 'Amazon Prime' subscription (that also includes free 1-day deliveries, music, and so much more) if 'Netflix' continue to raise prices, it will (most likely) mean that they are the first to get dropped if the bills get too high. Having such competition ought to keep their prices down, so let's hope they do not take things too far... or they may find UK customers don't "value Netflix" enough to keep it! :-O
In other Netflix-related news, 'CNET' reports that (in addition to finding new ways to charge more) the online streaming giant intends to completely remove online reviews from it's service by the end of August this year. Not that this will have much impact on Roku users (directly) because this aspect of the 'Netflix' service is a desktop-only feature but, if you do use a computer or laptop for the purpose of leaving reviews, you will no longer be able to write feedback for a show or movie as of 30th July. Since the shutdown is coming in stages, people will still be able to read existing user reviews up until mid-August but (after that) only the basic "thumbs up" or "thumbs down" system will remain! :-/ :-(
Again this is not Roku-specific... but, for those of you who use Facebook (which I still don't, btw), it might interest the boxing fans among you to learn that the social media platform have just reached an agreement to live-stream five "fight night" boxing events which (collectively) will feature a series of bouts from Oscar De La Hoya’s "Golden Boy" promotions. Better still, all of these boxing events will be FREE-TO-STREAM by Facebook users globally, as well as on 'Facebook Watch' in the USA. You will find more information in this news article from the official 'Golden Boy Promotions' website and, if you've not joined yet, the 'Golden Boy Promotions' Facebook Group will post any further news. For the record, the first of Golden Boy’s live fight nights will be on 11th August 2018, with Jesus Rojas (26-1-2, 19 KOs) looking to defend his WBA World Featherweight title against Joseph 'JoJo' Diaz Jr. (26-1, 14 KOs) at the Avalon Theater in Hollywood. The second will follow one week later, when the light heavyweight contender Sullivan Barrera (21-2, 14 KOs) squares-off against an as-yet unknown opponent at the Sands Casino Resort in Bethlehem on 18th August 2018. If you keep an eye on their Facebook page, you'll find all the dates & times for the three remaining bouts posted there and, if I do hear of any coverage specific to Roku, I'll try to keep you posted via this blog. Lastly, by way of an added bonus, all bouts will be streamed ad-free... so there'll be no annoying commercials, either! :-D
Meanwhile, with no other Roku-related news to share with you this week, I'm now going to get to the more important matter of bringing you details for all the latest new Roku channels (apps) which have been released during the seven days since my last 'Weekly RoundUp' post was published and, with a bumper crop of new Roku channels to browse through, that should (hopefully) be more than enough to keep you all occupied while I finish-off my 'World Cup' quarter-final match reports for you! ;-) :-)
Firstly, though, I'd just like to mention (on a not entirely un-related note) that I have now added links to some (though, still not all) of the 'Roku Guide' reviews that were previously "missing" for many of the new Roku channels released in the last few weeks... so, if you'd like to see an independent appraisal of those, be sure to check-out my post from last week (see link above), which (itself) contains a link to the previous week's post (and so-on, and so-forth), for details of where to find them. Unfortunately, there are more "missing" links to 'Roku Guide' reviews for eighty per cent of the new Roku apps which have been published during the last seven days... which means, much like many other posts from recent months, I am going to have to leave it for each of you to access those details on your own. As of five months ago, you can choose to do that either via the built-in channel store on your Roku device(s)... or else, by following the links provided in each post to the relevant channel description(s) from the Roku Web Channel Store. Meanwhile, once the "missing" reviews have been published by 'Roku Guide', I will (as I have done previously) ensure that I add the relevant links to each post. Apologies (as always) for any inconvenience that may be caused by the absence of active links to an independent review for so many of these new apps but, like I say, it's entirely out of my hands. Hopefully they will get a chance to catch-up on them sometime in the coming week!?! ;-) :-)
Still, back to the list... which, as always, will help you to identify the very latest apps that have been added to Roku devices in the UK. Other websites offering Roku channel listings will base their contents on the Roku USA Channel Store, which means they also include apps that are unavailable to UK Roku users. So, like I've said before... if you really want to know what's available channel-wise, for owners of Roku devices in the UK, you need to be reading this blog each and every week! ;-) :-)
With twice the number of active links to check out, not just for this week... but each and every post that has been previously published as part of my 'Weekly RoundUp' series over the last five years, there's a *lot* of reading to catch-up on. So, without further ado, here's my 'Weekly RoundUp' of all new Roku channels released between 1st July 2018 and 7th July 2018:-
EARTH SPACE THEME..................COST: £1.99 (ONE-OFF PAYMENT) [Roku Guide Review]
***FILED UNDER: "THEMES" in the Roku UK Channel Store WHEN FIRST RELEASED***
PLEASE NOTE:- That, because this 'Earth Space Theme' channel was previously made available via the "Official" Roku USA Channel Store on 27th June 2018, you will not see it listed among the more recent additions to the "New" category (i.e. genre) of the "Official" Roku UK Channel Store. Instead, you will need to scroll down a bit further - past the current crop of new channels which make up the bulk of this post - until you spot the above channel icon (aka 'HD Poster' image) for the app. That's if you wish to install it via the built-in channel store on your Roku device(s) as opposed to the online method (via the web channel store) using the link above (below, and to the left of, the channel icon). Of course, you could also choose to find and then add this app by way of the built-in 'Search' feature on your Roku device(s) by typing-in the channel name as your search term. Chances are, you won't have to finish entering the whole thing before you see the name of the channel listed among the results on the right-hand side of your screen - in fact, you may not even need to complete the first word... but, the main thing is, it's now available to install on your device(s) if you so wish! ;-) :-)
DULUTH BIBILE SERIES.....................................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]
***FILED UNDER: "RELIGIOUS" in Roku UK Channel Store WHEN FIRST RELEASED***
SR-71 BLACKBIRD VIDEOS................................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]
***FILED UNDER: "EDUCATIONAL" in the Roku UK Channel Store WHEN RELEASED***
ASK THE LEYLAND BROTHERS........................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]
***FILED UNDER: "EDUCATIONAL" in the Roku UK Channel Store WHEN RELEASED***
ROY ROGERS MOVIES......................................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]
***FILED UNDER: "FILM & TV" in Roku UK Channel Store WHEN FIRST RELEASED***
RAILROAD VIDEOS..............................................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]
***FILED UNDER: "EDUCATIONAL" in the Roku UK Channel Store WHEN RELEASED***
MAN WITH A CAMERA CHANNEL.................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]
***FILED UNDER: "FILM & TV" in Roku UK Channel Store WHEN FIRST RELEASED***
THE JACK BENNY SHOW..................................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]
***FILED UNDER: "FILM & TV" in Roku UK Channel Store WHEN FIRST RELEASED***
MEDIC...............................................................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]
***FILED UNDER: "FILM & TV" in Roku UK Channel Store WHEN FIRST RELEASED***
THE TROUBLE WITH FATHER.........................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]
***FILED UNDER: "FILM & TV" in Roku UK Channel Store WHEN FIRST RELEASED***
THE ANDY GRIFFITH SHOW............................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]
***FILED UNDER: "FILM & TV" in Roku UK Channel Store WHEN FIRST RELEASED***
THE MICKEY ROONEY SHOW..........................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]
***FILED UNDER: "FILM & TV" in Roku UK Channel Store WHEN FIRST RELEASED***
POPEYE THE SAILOR MAN...............................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]
***FILED UNDER: "FILM & TV" in Roku UK Channel Store WHEN FIRST RELEASED***
ZORRO SERIALS.................................................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]
***FILED UNDER: "FILM & TV" in Roku UK Channel Store WHEN FIRST RELEASED***
HOLLYWOOD ROMANCE CHANNEL..............................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]
***FILED UNDER: "FILM & TV" in Roku UK Channel Store WHEN FIRST RELEASED***
DRAGNET TV.......................................................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]
***FILED UNDER: "FILM & TV" in Roku UK Channel Store WHEN FIRST RELEASED***
JUPITER........................................COST: £1.49 (ONE-OFF PAYMENT) [Roku Guide Review]
***FILED UNDER: "SCREENSAVERS" in Roku UK Channel Store WHEN RELEASED***
NEW SEASONS TV (NSC)....................................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]
***FILED UNDER: "RELIGIOUS" in Roku UK Channel Store WHEN FIRST RELEASED***
GET CURRIED..................................................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]
***FILED UNDER: "FOOD" in the Roku UK Channel Store WHEN FIRST RELEASED***
MARIONETA FUZZY..............................................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]
***FILED UNDER: "KIDS & FAMILY" in the Roku UK Channel Store WHEN RELEASED***
ACS NETWORK...................................................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]
***FILED UNDER: "FILM & TV" in Roku UK Channel Store WHEN FIRST RELEASED***
POPULAR PHOTOGRAPHY....................................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]
***FILED UNDER: "SPECIAL INTEREST" in Roku UK Channel Store WHEN RELEASED***
MARLIN....................................................................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]
***FILED UNDER: "SPECIAL INTEREST" in Roku UK Channel Store WHEN RELEASED***
SPOT NETWORK....................................................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]
***FILED UNDER: "WEB VIDEO" in Roku UK Channel Store WHEN FIRST RELEASED***
WHTN................................................................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]
***FILED UNDER: "RELIGIOUS" in Roku UK Channel Store WHEN FIRST RELEASED***
THE MESSIANIC NETWORK (TMN).................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]
***FILED UNDER: "RELIGIOUS" in Roku UK Channel Store WHEN FIRST RELEASED***
DIVAN.TV INTERNATIONAL....COST: FREE (n.b. may require extra fees) [Roku Guide Review]
***FILED UNDER: "FILM & TV" in Roku UK Channel Store WHEN FIRST RELEASED***
PLEASE NOTE:- That, although this 'Divan.TV International' channel is FREE-TO-ADD to your Roku device(s), the official description from the channel store does include a statement which advises Roku users to be aware that it "May require additional fees" in order to access the content therein. For those fluent in the Russian and/or Ukrainian language(s), who may be interested in what this channel has to offer, what this means is that A MONTHLY SUBSCRIPTION WILL BE REQUIRED in order to watch any of the videos provided by this channel. There are various subscription levels to choose from, starting at USD $2.99 PER MONTH for the most basic package, going up to the top "premium" tier which is priced at USD $12.99 PER MONTH for full access. You will find a complete listing of all the different streaming subscription tariffs available on the 'Divan TV' website but, as mentioned in the 'Roku Guide' review of this channel, you will need to speak the language in order to navigate the subscription process. The same applies for the rest of their official website but, if you are fluent in Russian and/or Ukrainian, you will find lots more detail about the thousands of (on-demand) videos, plus more than one hundred live streaming TV channels, that are available through this service. After you have subscribed (via the website) you will then be able to log-in to your 'Divan.TV' account with the same credentials (i.e. username / email and password) to access your subscription package on any compatible devices (incl. smart phones and tablets, plus desktop and laptop computers) as well as via their free companion app (i.e. channel) for Roku devices, or other set-top boxes and Smart TV sets. If you still have further questions, you may find the answers in their online FAQ section but, if not, you could always take advantage of the contact info they provide to connect with them in person! ;-) :-)
ONLY CATS.........................................................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]
***FILED UNDER: "SCREENSAVERS" in Roku UK Channel Store WHEN RELEASED***
ONLY DOGS........................................................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]
***FILED UNDER: "SCREENSAVERS" in Roku UK Channel Store WHEN RELEASED***
PACCA ALPACA.....................................................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]
***FILED UNDER: "KIDS & FAMILY" in the Roku UK Channel Store WHEN RELEASED***
GOLDEN OLDIES..........COST: FREE (n.b. may require additional fees) [Roku Guide Review]
***FILED UNDER: "FILM & TV" in Roku UK Channel Store WHEN FIRST RELEASED***
PLEASE NOTE:- That, although this 'Golden Oldies' channel is completely FREE-TO-ADD to your Roku device(s) and does feature content which is FREE-TO-STREAM without the need for any form of payment and/or subscription, the official app description in the Roku Channel Store advises users to be aware it "May require additional fees" in order to access certain content therein. Considering how this channel (currently) features a collection of (mostly) vintage public domain content such as can be found on many other Roku channels, it is my opinion this may have been "flagged" in error by either the developer (or, perhaps, even someone at Roku) because, having sampled several videos, I did not find anything which required a payment. Of course, it could be that the developer and/or any future content provider may wish to charge for certain videos that may subsequently be uploaded for streaming and simply wishes to cover any eventuality by including a warning about the potential for fees to be charged... but for now, in so far as I can tell, you should be able to watch whatever you like from the content library of this 'Golden Oldies' channel without having to pay for the privilege! ;-) :-)
BRICK MINDS.........................................................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]
***FILED UNDER: "KIDS & FAMILY" in the Roku UK Channel Store WHEN RELEASED***
COLLIN TV...............................................................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]
***FILED UNDER: "KIDS & FAMILY" in the Roku UK Channel Store WHEN RELEASED***
MOTORCYCLIST.................................................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]
***FILED UNDER: "SPORTS" in the Roku UK Channel Store WHEN FIRST RELEASED***
SADDLE UP! CLASSIC WESTERNS..................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]
***FILED UNDER: "FILM & TV" in Roku UK Channel Store WHEN FIRST RELEASED***
TALES OF TOMORROW CHANNEL..................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]
***FILED UNDER: "FILM & TV" in Roku UK Channel Store WHEN FIRST RELEASED***
SCI-FI & HORROR FILMS CHANNEL...............................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]
***FILED UNDER: "FILM & TV" in Roku UK Channel Store WHEN FIRST RELEASED***
KERYGMA TV........................................................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]
***FILED UNDER: "RELIGIOUS" in Roku UK Channel Store WHEN FIRST RELEASED***
MOTORCYCLE CRUISER.......................................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]
***FILED UNDER: "SPECIAL INTEREST" in Roku UK Channel Store WHEN RELEASED***
MOTOAMERICA..................................................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]
***FILED UNDER: "SPORTS" in the Roku UK Channel Store WHEN FIRST RELEASED***
WATERSKI.............................................................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]
***FILED UNDER: "SPORTS" in the Roku UK Channel Store WHEN FIRST RELEASED***
WAKEBOARDING................................................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]
***FILED UNDER: "SPORTS" in the Roku UK Channel Store WHEN FIRST RELEASED***
WORKING MOTHER............................................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]
***FILED UNDER: "LIFESTYLE" in Roku UK Channel Store WHEN FIRST RELEASED***
SALT WATER SPORTSMAN....................................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]
***FILED UNDER: "SPECIAL INTEREST" in Roku UK Channel Store WHEN RELEASED***
ATV RIDER................................................................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]
***FILED UNDER: "SPECIAL INTEREST" in Roku UK Channel Store WHEN RELEASED***
WEDDINGS & HONEYMOONS..............................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]
***FILED UNDER: "SPECIAL INTEREST" in Roku UK Channel Store WHEN RELEASED***
ISLANDS................................................................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]
***FILED UNDER: "TRAVEL" in the Roku UK Channel Store WHEN FIRST RELEASED***
BOATING...................................................................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]
***FILED UNDER: "SPECIAL INTEREST" in Roku UK Channel Store WHEN RELEASED***
DIRT RIDER...............................................................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]
***FILED UNDER: "SPECIAL INTEREST" in Roku UK Channel Store WHEN RELEASED***
HOT BIKE..................................................................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]
***FILED UNDER: "SPECIAL INTEREST" in Roku UK Channel Store WHEN RELEASED***