Hi, everyone !!
After some fairly major announcements, in the shape of 'Roku TV' coming to the UK and a refresh of the Roku streaming player line-up for 2019, it was somewhat disappointing to learn that the contents of the latest press release to emanate from the Roku Newsroom were concerned with matters that are less appealing (from a consumer perspective) but (possibly) of greater significance to advertisers and TV Industry types. Specifically, it was about a new analytics solution to measure and understand daily demographic reach & frequency on campaigns run across the Roku platform, and Linear TV... essentially matching together various unique datasets to provide marketers with new insights to better allocate advertising inventory bought from Roku and from other publishers without additional tagging or integrations. If I haven't bored you to death already, then you may wish to avail yourself of the full lowdown on how Roku and Innovid plan to bring their sophisticated measurement tools to the world of television, OTT, and beyond - details can be found in the press release published online at the beginning of the week. Everyone else should skip to the next paragraph(s) where you are likely to find something more of interest to end-users of Roku products, along with the usual list of new apps!
Perhaps the most exciting news for end-users of the Roku platform, certainly from the perspective of those (myself included) who frequently use their devices for listening to music, was the release of a new channel (app) from artist-owned global music streaming and entertainment platform, 'TIDAL', whose lossless audio experience and high-fidelity sound quality will enable Roku customers to stream high quality music from their Roku players like they’ve never heard before... until now, that is! :-D
With 'TIDAL' on Roku, streamers can enjoy:
- Hand-picked music video playlists for every genre
- Exclusive behind-the-scenes artist interviews
- Performances from your favorite artists with our catalog of livestreams
- Original content series and video podcasts
That means having your favourite music, plus artist exclusives, in a mix of audio & visual formats... all available to stream directly through the 'TIDAL Roku Channel', so subscribers to the service can enjoy any of their albums, playlists, videos, or other exclusive content, on their Roku devices. The new 'TIDAL' channel features a custom interface for Roku devices plus some awesome features:
• Over 60 million songs and over 250,000 high-quality music videos
• Thousands of playlists curated by TIDAL’s editorial team, artists, and industry experts
• Live and on-demand streams of concerts from some of the world’s biggest performers
• Exclusive music documentaries, original shows, and podcasts
HINT:- Please CLICK on the above images TO ENLARGE THEM for easier viewing !!
The 'TIDAL' app for the Roku platform joins existing channels from other premium music streaming services, such as the 'Spotify Roku Channel' and the 'Deezer Roku Channel', with details about each of those services available via the respective official websites for both 'Deezer' and 'Spotify' online. It is possible (as a new customer) to get a free trial of each service and, since it boils down to personal preference when it comes to sticking with one or other of these premium music streaming services, you could do worse than enjoying whatever freebies each of them will throw at you before deciding on your favourite. When it comes to the 'TIDAL' service, in particular, here are your main choices:-
Essentially, there are two monthly subscription options:
• Premium (£9.99/month), which offers a standard sound quality
• HiFi (£19.99/month), which offers lossless High-Fidelity sound quality
Both options offer a '30-DAY FREE TRIAL', and you can sign up directly via the 'TIDAL' channel on your Roku device, as well as being able to sign-up through the official 'TIDAL' website online, simply by clicking "Start Free Trial" on the upper right-hand side to begin the registration process. There is a handy article on the 'What HiFi' website, outlining "25 tips, tricks and features for Tidal", some of which may come in useful if you are planning to subscribe and wish to get the most out of your subscription... rather than relying solely on streaming audio through your Roku device(s)! ;-)
Meanwhile... those of you who (like me) pre-ordered a re-designed Roku Express [Model: 3930EU] and/or new Roku Premiere [Model: 3920EU] were probably expecting a delivery on Friday 27th September 2019 as per the quoted release date(s) from the Amazon UK website, of which I shared details (and screenshots) as part of my 'Roku UK Channel Store - Weekly RoundUp #341' post, just one week ago. Unfortunately if you were one of those eager beavers who pre-ordered from Amazon UK (as I did) then, instead of your brand new Roku device(s), you will have received an email from Amazon UK saying they were "…still trying to obtain the item(s) which you ordered" and would send another email "…as soon as we have a delivery date", while reassuring disappointed customers that "…we're making every effort to ship your order as soon as possible", but then adding "If you would prefer, you can cancel this order" as well as suggesting "You can also visit the product detail page(s) to see if the item(s) are available from third party sellers on Amazon.co.uk's Marketplace".
Having already checked the Amazon UK Marketplace several times, I can confirm that there are (currently) no third party sellers offering either product. So, although I'm not exactly "over the moon" about it - and unlikely to cancel (unless they show up in my local Argos or Currys/PC World store) - the wait to get my hands on the new 2019 Roku streaming players looks set to continue. So, while Amazon concluded their email by saying: "Please accept our sincere apologies for the inconvenience caused by this delay", I'm (understandably) still cheesed-off they failed to deliver as promised! :-|
Meanwhile, for those who may still be considering the purchase of either one, both of their respective product pages include the following message for would-be purchasers:-
Temporarily out of stock.
Order now and we'll deliver when available.
We'll e-mail you with an estimated delivery date as soon as we have more information. Your account will only be charged when we dispatch the item.
Here's an annotated screenshot I took after a 'Search' of the 'Amazon UK' website for these items:-
ONCE AGAIN:- Please CLICK on the above image TO ENLARGE IT for easier viewing !!
While the websites of other UK retailers, such as 'Argos' and 'Media Streaming Market', have also updated their respective webpages to include these new models from the 2019 Roku streaming player line-up, in so far as I could tell, they are all in the same boat... in as much as none of them appear to have any stock actually available. Other 'Roku-Recommended Retailers' in the UK who are also expected to sell these new products have yet to even add them to their listings... that includes the likes of 'Currys/PC World', plus 'Tesco' and 'ASDA', all of whom were specifically mentioned in the Roku press release about their introduction, as featured in my 'Weekly RoundUp' post last week.
Another newsworthy item I thought I'd mention concerns an updated SPECIAL OFFER from the folks at 'NOW TV' whereby both new and existing customers can SAVE 70% OFF the usual cost of an 1-Month Sky Sports Pass and PAY ONLY £9.99 FOR ONE MONTH as opposed to the usual price of £33.99 to watch all eleven 'Sky Sports' channels live - via the 'NOW TV' app on Roku devices - by simply USING VOUCHER CODE: SPMUNOWBPNOW via the 'Apply a voucher' option found under the relevant purchase section for a 1-Month Sky Sports Pass in your online NowTV account. With both the '1-Day' and '1-Week' passes going-up in price recently, this deal on the '1-Month' pass becomes even more attractive and the fact you are getting access to 'Sky Sports' for a whole month anyway means the lack of a mobile month pass - as is (currently) being used as a "sweetener" with the (over-priced) day and week passes - is redundant, as it offers nothing more than you are already getting with the regular month pass, and doesn't include all the channels anyway! :-O
AS BEFORE: Please CLICK on the above images TO ENLARGE THEM for easier viewing !!
Now, if you're a regular reader of this blog, you may recall my sharing another voucher code for the '1-Month Sports Pass' from 'NOW TV' as part of my previous 'Weekly RoundUp' post, that did not save you quite as much. In fairness, it was a 50% saving (i.e. half-price) and paying £16.99 for one whole month of live 'Sky Sports' streaming is one of the better offers they have made in recent times. However before you start cursing yourself (or me) for taking that first (more expensive) deal at a cost of nearly seventeen quid, when you could have got the same thing this week for only a tenner, know this: if you cancel the first (£16.99) pass, purchased with the voucher code I shared last week, you can then use the "Restart with voucher" option to apply this second (cheaper) pass, and get another month of 'Sky Sports' for only £9.99... which will only start on the day that your first pass ends. So, all told, you'll have 'Sky Sports' via 'NOW TV' on your Roku devices over a 2-month period, for a total outlay of only £26.98 - instead of the usual asking price of £67.98 (i.e. 2 x £33.99) - which is equivalent to an AVERAGE SAVING OF MORE THAN 60% OFF OVER TWO MONTHS thanks to the ability to combine (or stack) the two 1-month offers, for 50% off and 70% off, respectively. Provided you have less than 30 days to run on whatever 'Sky Sports' pass is active (or has been recently cancelled) on your 'NOW TV' account - with no other pass pending - you should be able to redeem both of these codes without a problem. I can say this with absolute certainty, because I've already done so myself. Hopefully that will appease those of you who've been wishing you had waited! ;-) :-)
Meanwhile, if you're a new 'NOW TV' customer, you might wish to consider one of the other special offers or pass bundles - e.g. for Sky Cinema, Entertainment, etc. - when you first register for your 'NOW TV' account, and then claim the sports pass offer(s) using the voucher code(s) above once you are already subscribed through another offer/bundle and, therefore, qualify as an "existing" customer for the sports pass. It's better to do it that way... because, if you signed-up as a new customer through the sports pass offer(s), you would no longer be eligible for the new customer deals among the other special offers and/or pass bundles. So, if you think you're likely to want Movies, Entertainment, and Sports (or any combination thereof) be sure to sort-out the Movies and/or Entertainment pass(es) when you first sign-up for 'NOW TV' and then add the Sports pass(es) to your account after the fact. Just be sure to do it before 11:59pm on Monday 30th September 2019 (when the above 'Sky Sports' Pass offers end) and to cancel your pass(es) well in advance of their full price auto-renewal date... as you can still keep watching until that date, even after you cancel! ;-)
Other tidbits of Roku-related news, from the last seven days, which might be of interest to readers of this blog - particularly those subscribing to 'TVPlayer' and/or who may be considering the purchase of a new R7 Series 'Roku TV' from Hisense, when they launch later this year - include the following:-
- Alchimie acquires TV Player - introducing new UK distribution channels via the 'TV Player' platform for Alchimie’s extensive portfolio of premium factual content. With a special focus on The Natural World, Crime, Current Affairs, History and children’s content, Alchimie’s 40,000 hour catalogue has the depth and breadth to regularly refresh content on the SVoD section of the 'TV Player' platform, appealing to gamers, nature lovers, music & motor-sports fans alike.
- Channelbox launches on Freeview - the new streaming TV service bundling a curated selection of free-to-air TV channels of various genres and languages is delivering them to the Freeview platform (on channel 271) via OTT. The service (currently) includes channels like France24, Hellenic TV, Faith UK, Retro Movies, plus Law&Crime. Given how the new 'R7 Series' from Hisense will have both 'Freeview TV' as well as on-demand service, 'Freeview Play', built-in to them as standard… I'm hopeful that UK Roku customers will be able to access 'Channelbox' on the Freeview platform (channel 271) via those internet-connected Roku TV's at launch! :-)
- BritBox confirms first wave of distribution partners - 'BritBox' has confirmed distribution deals bringing the service to 'Samsung' televisions, as well as 'Freeview Play', and 'YouView'. This new agreement with 'Freeview Play' (in particular) will see 'BritBox' rolling out on the UK’s fastest growing TV platform. Through this distribution partnership, the 'BritBox app' will be available on 'Freeview Play' televisions from a wide range of manufacturers, which (hopefully) will include the forthcoming 'R7 Series' of 'Roku TV' models from 'Hisense' in the UK! :-D
Moving on from Roku-related news, to the equally important matter of all the latest additions to the channel store, I'm pleased to say we have exceeded the number of new Roku channels (apps) that were released last week, with ANOTHER HUGE CROP OF NEW CHANNELS to further boost the UK Roku Channel Store total. To wit, ONE HUNDRED AND NINETEEN NEW ROKU APPS have been added to the already vast selection of more than eight thousand one hundred which populated the channel store as of this time last week. That means we've now been blessed with almost four thousand new apps, during a period of just thirty-nine weeks, any of which UK Roku owners can add to the individual selection of apps installed on their device(s). So assuming you are not still reeling from the shock of being able to get a 1-Month 'Sky Sports' pass from 'NOW TV' for only£9.99, i.e. the same price that you would otherwise be expected to pay for a 1-Day 'Sky Sports' pass, let's now focus on listing all those one hundred & nineteen new Roku apps for you! :-)
Before I get into the current list of channels, however, I would just like to point-out that the ongoing issue of "missing" reviews from the 'Roku Guide' website appears to have worsened (yet again) since my previous article for this blog. Over the last thirty-nine weeks, my 'Weekly RoundUp' posts have seen a total of 3,974 new channels added. Meanwhile, the number of 'Roku Guide' reviews being published during that time has continued to fall short of the mark. Quite how they managed to only produce 18 reviews, with just thirteen from the current week; three more from last week, along with; two US-only channels, when there were upwards of 119+ new Roku channels released in the past seven days, is beyond me! Unfortunately, this cannot be seen as being an exception to the rule... because, digging through their archives, it soon becomes clear that this has been happening all too frequently. Looking at all of the articles they've published since the start of the year, there has been a total of only 1,025 new reviews added to their website. With a minimum of one hundred and six "missing" reviews from the past week they remain more than seventy percent short of where they should be and, if this continues, there could be hundreds (if not thousands) more Roku channels with no corresponding independent review for me to provide a link from each of the 'Weekly RoundUp' posts on my blog. I hope this shortfall is addressed soon because, as mentioned 35 weeks ago, the current situation isn't good for anyone connected to Roku: be they end-users, developers, bloggers like myself, or even Roku - whose platform provides the very source from which 'Roku Guide' compile their reviews! :-O
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 six and a half years, there's a *lot* to catch-up on. So, without further ado, here's my 'Weekly RoundUp' of all the new Roku channels released between 22nd September 2019 and 28th September 2019:-
MAKE - MONEY - ONLINE.........................................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]
***FILED UNDER: "EDUCATIONAL" in the Roku UK Channel Store WHEN RELEASED***
THE JENNY SUSHE SHOW.........................................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]
***FILED UNDER: "WEB VIDEO" in Roku UK Channel Store WHEN FIRST RELEASED***
THE CROCHET CHANNEL.........................................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]
***FILED UNDER: "EDUCATIONAL" in the Roku UK Channel Store WHEN RELEASED***
THAI CALIENTE.....................................................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]
***FILED UNDER: "FOOD" in the Roku UK Channel Store WHEN FIRST RELEASED***
A&M PHLEBOTOMY SERVICE.................................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]
***FILED UNDER: "SPECIAL INTEREST" in Roku UK Channel Store WHEN RELEASED***
SKI TV WORLDWIDE..................................................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]
***FILED UNDER: "LIFESTYLE" in Roku UK Channel Store WHEN FIRST RELEASED***
SCREEN JUNKIES.......................................................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]
***FILED UNDER: "FILM & TV" in Roku UK Channel Store WHEN FIRST RELEASED***
BUSINESS AND ENTREPRENEUR TV......................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]
***FILED UNDER: "EDUCATIONAL" in the Roku UK Channel Store WHEN RELEASED***
PROPERTY PITCH........................................................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]
***FILED UNDER: "FILM & TV" in Roku UK Channel Store WHEN FIRST RELEASED***
REALTY 411.................................................................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]
***FILED UNDER: "SPECIAL INTEREST" in Roku UK Channel Store WHEN RELEASED***
TFS PROPERTIES.........................................................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]
***FILED UNDER: "EDUCATIONAL" in the Roku UK Channel Store WHEN RELEASED***
POCOYO TV.................................................................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]
***FILED UNDER: "KIDS & FAMILY" in the Roku UK Channel Store WHEN RELEASED***
KUNST IMPULSE FILME............................................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]
***FILED UNDER: "RELIGIOUS" in Roku UK Channel Store WHEN FIRST RELEASED***
SURVIVAL DOC...........................................................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]
***FILED UNDER: "SPECIAL INTEREST" in Roku UK Channel Store WHEN RELEASED***
BANG BANG TV...........................................................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]
***FILED UNDER: "FILM & TV" in Roku UK Channel Store WHEN FIRST RELEASED***
LULUKIDS MEDIAN TV (PINKFONG!)....................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]
***FILED UNDER: "KIDS & FAMILY" in the Roku UK Channel Store WHEN RELEASED***
AVENTURE FILMS.......................................................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]
***FILED UNDER: "FILM & TV" in Roku UK Channel Store WHEN FIRST RELEASED***
NEW HARVEST VENTURES......................................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]
***FILED UNDER: "EDUCATIONAL" in the Roku UK Channel Store WHEN RELEASED***
TRUE HORROR STORIES.........................................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]
***FILED UNDER: "FILM & TV" in Roku UK Channel Store WHEN FIRST RELEASED***
THE ALWAY'S CHRISTMAS CHANNEL...................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]
***FILED UNDER: "MUSIC" in the Roku UK Channel Store WHEN FIRST RELEASED***
BEST CATS TV (FUNNY CATS).................................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]
***FILED UNDER: "KIDS & FAMILY" in the Roku UK Channel Store WHEN RELEASED***
EARTH WITH JOHN HOLDEN...................................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]
***FILED UNDER: "TRAVEL" in the Roku UK Channel Store WHEN FIRST RELEASED***
LOUD CRY RADIO......................................................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]
***FILED UNDER: "MUSIC" in the Roku UK Channel Store WHEN FIRST RELEASED***
IN THE PIT WITH RIC.................................................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]
***FILED UNDER: "MUSIC" in the Roku UK Channel Store WHEN FIRST RELEASED***
WILD WEST ADVENTURES.......................................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]
***FILED UNDER: "FILM & TV" in Roku UK Channel Store WHEN FIRST RELEASED***
DOUBLE HAUNTED TV SCENE SETTER..........COST: £0.69 (MONTHLY) [Roku Guide Review]
***FILED UNDER: "LIFESTYLE" in Roku UK Channel Store WHEN FIRST RELEASED***
MYSTIQUE ENTERTAINMENT..................................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]
***FILED UNDER: "SPECIAL INTEREST" in Roku UK Channel Store WHEN RELEASED***
DDPY ON DEMAND............COST: FREE (n.b. may require additional fees) [Roku Guide Review]
***FILED UNDER: "FITNESS" in the Roku UK Channel Store WHEN FIRST RELEASED***
BROOKS HOLT (CRAZY GOLF / MINI GOLF).........................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]
***FILED UNDER: "TRAVEL" in the Roku UK Channel Store WHEN FIRST RELEASED***
MR. NVC DIY...............................................................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]
***FILED UNDER: "SPECIAL INTEREST" in Roku UK Channel Store WHEN RELEASED***
TURNIN RUST..............................................................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]
***FILED UNDER: "SPECIAL INTEREST" in Roku UK Channel Store WHEN RELEASED***
MUSIC PODCAST........................................................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]
***FILED UNDER: "MUSIC" in the Roku UK Channel Store WHEN FIRST RELEASED***
MYDEMOCHANNEL (EXTREME SPORTS TV).......................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]
***FILED UNDER: "SHOPPING" in the Roku UK Channel Store WHEN FIRST RELEASED***
IBC TAMIL....................................................................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]
***FILED UNDER: "FILM & TV" in Roku UK Channel Store WHEN FIRST RELEASED***
BABY COW SCREENSAVER...............COST: £1.49 (ONE-OFF PAYMENT) [Roku Guide Review]
***FILED UNDER: "SCREENSAVERS" in the Roku UK Channel Store WHEN RELEASED***
CHICKS WITH TATTOOS............................................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]
***FILED UNDER: "SCREENSAVERS" in the Roku UK Channel Store WHEN RELEASED***
CHECK THE HEADLINES 4K (U.S. NEWS).......COST: £0.69 (MONTHLY) [Roku Guide Review]
***FILED UNDER: "SCREENSAVERS" in the Roku UK Channel Store WHEN RELEASED***
NATURE IN FULL HD...........COST: FREE (n.b. may require additional fees) [Roku Guide Review]
***FILED UNDER: "SCREENSAVERS" in the Roku UK Channel Store WHEN RELEASED***
ONLY BIKINI GIRLS SCREENSAVER......COST: £1.49 (ONE-OFF PAYMENT) [Roku Guide Review]
***FILED UNDER: "SCREENSAVERS" in the Roku UK Channel Store WHEN RELEASED***
STONE BALANCE................................COST: £0.69 (ONE-OFF PAYMENT) [Roku Guide Review]
***FILED UNDER: "SCREENSAVERS" in the Roku UK Channel Store WHEN RELEASED***
AUTUMN MOUNTAINS........................................COST: £0.69 (MONTHLY) [Roku Guide Review]
***FILED UNDER: "SCREENSAVERS" in the Roku UK Channel Store WHEN RELEASED***
HOW TO DETOX YOURSELF.....................................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]
***FILED UNDER: "INTERNATIONAL" in the Roku UK Channel Store WHEN RELEASED***
PLEASE NOTE:- That this 'How to Detox Yourself' channel should not be confused with another app release, by the same name, which featured in my 'Roku UK Channel Store - Weekly RoundUp #338' post towards the end of August 2019. Were it not for the difference in their unique channel store identifiers I could (as with other apps by this developer) have easily written this off as an existing channel, believing it was nothing more than an updated version of the first 'How to Detox Yourself' app, which had been re-submitted to the channel store among the other 'Just Added' Roku channels. Instead we see yet another example of multiple apps, each bearing the 'TV.AllSuper.Info' label, each with similar content - further "spamming" the channel store - just like many others in recent months. Sadly Roku still haven't seen fit to put a stop to their shenanigans... much to my dismay! :-(
GLUTEN-FREE LIFESTYLE........................................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]
***FILED UNDER: "INTERNATIONAL" in the Roku UK Channel Store WHEN RELEASED***
KETOGENIC DIET101..............................................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]
***FILED UNDER: "INTERNATIONAL" in the Roku UK Channel Store WHEN RELEASED***
INDEPENDENT FILMMAKERS NETWORK (IFN-TV)............COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]
***FILED UNDER: "FILM & TV" in Roku UK Channel Store WHEN FIRST RELEASED***
THE CHUBB SHOW.....................................................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]
***FILED UNDER: "MUSIC" in the Roku UK Channel Store WHEN FIRST RELEASED***
SDA RADIO.................................................................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]
***FILED UNDER: "MUSIC" in the Roku UK Channel Store WHEN FIRST RELEASED***
JACK BENNY PROGRAM...........................................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]
***FILED UNDER: "FILM & TV" in Roku UK Channel Store WHEN FIRST RELEASED***
DISCOVER NEW FLAVORS........................................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]
***FILED UNDER: "FOOD" in the Roku UK Channel Store WHEN FIRST RELEASED***
IRELAND SCREEN SAVER..................COST: £1.49 (ONE-OFF PAYMENT) [Roku Guide Review]
***FILED UNDER: "SCREENSAVERS" in the Roku UK Channel Store WHEN RELEASED***
CHRIST IN COLOR......................................................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]
***FILED UNDER: "RELIGIOUS" in Roku UK Channel Store WHEN FIRST RELEASED***
FRESH PRESS..............................................................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]
***FILED UNDER: "NEWS & WEATHER" in Roku UK Channel Store WHEN RELEASED***
DAILY BULLETIN........................................................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]
***FILED UNDER: "NEWS & WEATHER" in Roku UK Channel Store WHEN RELEASED***
SMARTFOODIE............................................................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]
***FILED UNDER: "FOOD" in the Roku UK Channel Store WHEN FIRST RELEASED***
EGYPT SCREENSAVER.......................COST: £0.69 (ONE-OFF PAYMENT) [Roku Guide Review]
***FILED UNDER: "SCREENSAVERS" in the Roku UK Channel Store WHEN RELEASED***
FAIRY TALE SCREENSAVER..............COST: £0.69 (ONE-OFF PAYMENT) [Roku Guide Review]
***FILED UNDER: "SCREENSAVERS" in the Roku UK Channel Store WHEN RELEASED***
ISRAEL SCREENSAVER......................COST: £0.69 (ONE-OFF PAYMENT) [Roku Guide Review]
***FILED UNDER: "SCREENSAVERS" in the Roku UK Channel Store WHEN RELEASED***
UNITED STATES PRESIDENTS 1........COST: £1.49 (ONE-OFF PAYMENT) [Roku Guide Review]
***FILED UNDER: "SCREENSAVERS" in the Roku UK Channel Store WHEN RELEASED***
HAWAIIAN SUNSET.............................COST: £0.69 (ONE-OFF PAYMENT) [Roku Guide Review]
***FILED UNDER: "SCREENSAVERS" in the Roku UK Channel Store WHEN RELEASED***
HALLOWEEN SMASH.................................................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]
***FILED UNDER: "GAMES" in the Roku UK Channel Store WHEN FIRST RELEASED***
UNITED STATES PRESIDENTS 2........COST: £1.49 (ONE-OFF PAYMENT) [Roku Guide Review]
***FILED UNDER: "SCREENSAVERS" in the Roku UK Channel Store WHEN RELEASED***
LIFE OF RILEY TV......................................................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]
***FILED UNDER: "FILM & TV" in Roku UK Channel Store WHEN FIRST RELEASED***
JOY OF IMPERFECTION.............................................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]
***FILED UNDER: "INTERNATIONAL" in the Roku UK Channel Store WHEN RELEASED***
BEAT INFORMATION-OVERLOAD...........................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]
***FILED UNDER: "INTERNATIONAL" in the Roku UK Channel Store WHEN RELEASED***
SEXY GOLD STAR MOVIES................................COST: £1.49 (MONTHLY) [Roku Guide Review]
***FILED UNDER: "FILM & TV" in Roku UK Channel Store WHEN FIRST RELEASED***
PLEASE NOTE:- That this latest 'Sexy Gold Star Movies' channel should not be confused with the (slightly) shorter-named, 'Gold Star Movies', channel which is represented in the Roku Channel Store by the exact same channel icon (aka 'HD Poster' image) as this latest clone of that original app but featured in my 'Roku UK Channel Store - Weekly RoundUp #326' post back in June of this year. This time it's the developer 'CordCutters Media' as opposed to 'TV.AllSuper.Info' - mentioned earlier in this (and other recent) post(s) - who are guilty of releasing multiple copies of the same channel. Both are priced at £1.49 per month, which is hardly surprising given their highly similar nature. However... with little indication as to what you can expect for your money, prior to actually shelling-out your own hard-earned cash on the (potential) promise of a single screenshot: which (itself) is no more than a larger version of what is displayed on the channel icon (aka 'HD Poster' image) for this Roku app, you would (perhaps) be better advised to look elsewhere in the channel store - and choose something from a developer who invests in providing something new & different, with each new app release, as opposed to churning-out one (cloned) Roku channel after another, hoping to make a quick buck in the process, while gambling that no-one notices what's going-on... anyway, 'nuff said on this, for now! :-|
ANIMAL FAILS SCREENSAVERS.......................COST: £0.69 (MONTHLY) [Roku Guide Review]
***FILED UNDER: "SCREENSAVERS" in the Roku UK Channel Store WHEN RELEASED***
UNITED STATES PRESIDENTS 3........COST: £1.49 (ONE-OFF PAYMENT) [Roku Guide Review]
***FILED UNDER: "SCREENSAVERS" in the Roku UK Channel Store WHEN RELEASED***
CRIME TIME RADIO USA...................COST: £0.69 (ONE-OFF PAYMENT) [Roku Guide Review]
***FILED UNDER: "SPECIAL INTEREST" in Roku UK Channel Store WHEN RELEASED***
SKINS TV (SKIN TV).............................................COST: £1.49 (MONTHLY) [Roku Guide Review]
***FILED UNDER: "FILM & TV" in Roku UK Channel Store WHEN FIRST RELEASED***
SUPERCHARGED PRODUCTIVITY..........................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]
***FILED UNDER: "EDUCATIONAL" in the Roku UK Channel Store WHEN RELEASED***
THE CALM MIND.........................................................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]
***FILED UNDER: "EDUCATIONAL" in the Roku UK Channel Store WHEN RELEASED***
KETO - PALEO - DETOX.............................................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]
***FILED UNDER: "LIFESTYLE" in Roku UK Channel Store WHEN FIRST RELEASED***
CARIBBEAN BUZZ TV (CBTV).................................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]
***FILED UNDER: "LIFESTYLE" in Roku UK Channel Store WHEN FIRST RELEASED***
UCTV LIVE...................................................................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]
***FILED UNDER: "NEWS & WEATHER" in Roku UK Channel Store WHEN RELEASED***
MR AND MRS NORTH TV..........................................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]
***FILED UNDER: "FILM & TV" in Roku UK Channel Store WHEN FIRST RELEASED***
DRUMS SCREEN SAVER.....................COST: £1.49 (ONE-OFF PAYMENT) [Roku Guide Review]
***FILED UNDER: "SCREENSAVERS" in the Roku UK Channel Store WHEN RELEASED***
RAINBOW JUNIOR......................................................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]
***FILED UNDER: "KIDS & FAMILY" in the Roku UK Channel Store WHEN RELEASED***
TOP 70s HITS.................................................................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]
***FILED UNDER: "MUSIC" in the Roku UK Channel Store WHEN FIRST RELEASED***
TOP CARTOON TV.......................................................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]
***FILED UNDER: "KIDS & FAMILY" in the Roku UK Channel Store WHEN RELEASED***
BEST FOOD TV.............................................................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]
***FILED UNDER: "FOOD" in the Roku UK Channel Store WHEN FIRST RELEASED***
LIVE OLYMPICS TV (OLYMPIC TV).........................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]
***FILED UNDER: "SPORTS" in the Roku UK Channel Store WHEN FIRST RELEASED***
BEST CBD TV...............................................................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]
***FILED UNDER: "EDUCATIONAL" in the Roku UK Channel Store WHEN RELEASED***
iTV CHATTANOOGA...................................................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]
***FILED UNDER: "LIFESTYLE" in Roku UK Channel Store WHEN FIRST RELEASED***
POPSTAR! TV................................................................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]
***FILED UNDER: "FILM & TV" in Roku UK Channel Store WHEN FIRST RELEASED***
CAMPUSLORE.............................................................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]
***FILED UNDER: "SPORTS" in the Roku UK Channel Store WHEN FIRST RELEASED***
TROFEY CHANNEL...............COST: FREE (n.b. may require additional fees) [Roku Guide Review]
***FILED UNDER: "LIFESTYLE" in Roku UK Channel Store WHEN FIRST RELEASED***
AMERICAN ACTION GRINDHOUSE..................COST: £1.49 (MONTHLY) [Roku Guide Review]
***N.B. THIS WAS UNCATEGORISED in the Roku UK Channel Store WHEN RELEASED***
ALSO:- This latest 'American Action Grindhouse' channel should not be confused with the similarly-named, 'American Grindhouse Movies', channel which (by no small coincidence) is also represented in the Roku Channel Store by the exact same channel icon (aka 'HD Poster' image) as this latest clone of that original app. Anyone wishing to check-out that earlier app release will find it was featured in my 'Roku UK Channel Store - Weekly RoundUp #326' post back in June of this year. As with the 'Sexy Gold Star Movies' channel (outlined above) it's a developer by the name of 'CordCutters Media' who's (once more) guilty of releasing multiple copies of the same app here. Again, both are priced at £1.49 per month... but there's really nothing more to say about this channel (and the developer associated with it) that hasn't already been written about similar cloned channels elsewhere in this post so, rather than repeat myself (ad infinitum) I'll leave it at that! :-|
MAN TV CRIME FIGHTERS.................................COST: £0.69 (MONTHLY) [Roku Guide Review]
***FILED UNDER: "LIFESTYLE" in Roku UK Channel Store WHEN FIRST RELEASED***
TIKTOKS (TIC TOK)....................................................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]
***FILED UNDER: "COMEDY" in the Roku UK Channel Store WHEN FIRST RELEASED***
SMOSH.........................................................................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]
***FILED UNDER: "COMEDY" in the Roku UK Channel Store WHEN FIRST RELEASED***
TIDAL......................................COST: FREE (n.b. may require additional fees) [Roku Guide Review]
***FILED UNDER: "MUSIC" in the Roku UK Channel Store WHEN FIRST RELEASED***
RESURRECTION BAPTIST CHURCH.......................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]
***FILED UNDER: "RELIGIOUS" in Roku UK Channel Store WHEN FIRST RELEASED***
SPIRIT OF LOVE..........................................................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]
***FILED UNDER: "RELIGIOUS" in Roku UK Channel Store WHEN FIRST RELEASED***
CHRISTMAS FIREPLACE 1 HOUR.....COST: £1.49 (ONE-OFF PAYMENT) [Roku Guide Review]
***FILED UNDER: "SPECIAL INTEREST" in Roku UK Channel Store WHEN RELEASED***
FUNNY FURRY ANIMALS.........................................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]
***FILED UNDER: "KIDS & FAMILY" in the Roku UK Channel Store WHEN RELEASED***
IMMORTAL MOUNTAINS...................COST: £0.69 (ONE-OFF PAYMENT) [Roku Guide Review]
***FILED UNDER: "SCREENSAVERS" in the Roku UK Channel Store WHEN RELEASED***
HOT AIR BALLOONS WORLD...........COST: £0.69 (ONE-OFF PAYMENT) [Roku Guide Review]
***FILED UNDER: "SCREENSAVERS" in the Roku UK Channel Store WHEN RELEASED***
WILD ANIMALS WORLD....................COST: £0.69 (ONE-OFF PAYMENT) [Roku Guide Review]
***FILED UNDER: "SCREENSAVERS" in the Roku UK Channel Store WHEN RELEASED***
LOVELY CATS SCREENSAVER..........COST: £0.69 (ONE-OFF PAYMENT) [Roku Guide Review]
***FILED UNDER: "SCREENSAVERS" in the Roku UK Channel Store WHEN RELEASED***
TOKYO SCREENSAVER......................COST: £1.49 (ONE-OFF PAYMENT) [Roku Guide Review]
***FILED UNDER: "SCREENSAVERS" in the Roku UK Channel Store WHEN RELEASED***
THE FLOURING-MILL OF STORIES.........................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]
***FILED UNDER: "FILM & TV" in Roku UK Channel Store WHEN FIRST RELEASED***
MOVIE NOOK...............................................................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]
***FILED UNDER: "FILM & TV" in Roku UK Channel Store WHEN FIRST RELEASED***
CINEMA FORT..............................................................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]
***FILED UNDER: "FILM & TV" in Roku UK Channel Store WHEN FIRST RELEASED***
THE VENTURE BAY....................................................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]
***FILED UNDER: "FILM & TV" in Roku UK Channel Store WHEN FIRST RELEASED***
ACTION VILLE.............................................................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]
***FILED UNDER: "FILM & TV" in Roku UK Channel Store WHEN FIRST RELEASED***
YOU CAN'T AFFORD THIS.............COST: £279.91 (ONE-OFF PAYMENT) [Roku Guide Review]
***FILED UNDER: "SCREENSAVERS" in the Roku UK Channel Store WHEN RELEASED***
PLEASE NOTE:- That, if there were ever a reason for *not* having a credit card / debit card or other payment method associated with your Roku account - or (at the very least) having a PIN set-up so as to avoid unauthorised (or accidental) payments/purchases to be made from your Roku account - then this is it! Take a close look at that price: no, your eyes are not deceiving you... nor is it a "typo" on my part - TWO HUNDRED AND SEVENTY-NINE POUNDS PLUS NINETY-ONE PENCE is the asking price that the developer of this 'You Can't Afford It' screensaver (channel) has assigned to the Roku app whose channel icon (aka 'HD Poster' image) is shown above. So, if you've not yet removed the payment method from your Roku account, or (at least) set-up a PIN to protect against unwanted purchases, then now is as good a time as any to address that particular issue. As the old saying goes: prevention is better than cure - YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED !! Hopefully this will be sufficient for the majority of Roku users to avoid a nasty mishap in respect of this app... I certainly hope so! :-O
Of course how this is even possible, I cannot comprehend. Surely there should be sufficient checks and balances put in place (by Roku) to stop any developer from attempting to levy a fee for their app which is as excessive as this? As a bare minimum, surely any Roku channel with an associated fee of more than (say) £10.00 (Ten British Pounds) should require verification from Roku *before* the app developer can publish it to the Roku Channel Store? Clearly this is not yet the case... but it should be!
When I first spotted this Roku channel, I really wasn't sure what to make of it. Had it been sometime around April 1st (i.e. April Fools Day) I might have been less sceptical and (maybe) even have had a chuckle about it. Even if the developer is just pushing their luck... trying to see if there's some uber-rich Roku owner, with more money than sense, who would "bite" when challenged that they could not afford to purchase this, I do not think it would be in good taste - and, for that reason, ought not to be allowed. However, having thought about it for a while, I decided to let readers of this blog know of this potential costly pitfall and hope to either see the price of the app reduced significantly, or for this ludicrously expensive app to be removed from the Roku platform all together. It might help if Roku customers were to complain about this app, to (at least) make Roku consider taking appropriate action on this matter. What do you make of it? Any thoughts... please leave a comment below!
MAGIC COLORS..........................................................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]
***FILED UNDER: "GAMES" in the Roku UK Channel Store WHEN FIRST RELEASED***
VTV - THE BREAKOUT..............................................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]
***FILED UNDER: "GAMES" in the Roku UK Channel Store WHEN FIRST RELEASED***
VIP MOVIES ULTRA.............................................COST: £0.69 (MONTHLY) [Roku Guide Review]
***FILED UNDER: "FILM & TV" in Roku UK Channel Store WHEN FIRST RELEASED***
JACK O LANTERN SCREENSAVERS.................COST: £0.69 (MONTHLY) [Roku Guide Review]
***FILED UNDER: "SCREENSAVERS" in the Roku UK Channel Store WHEN RELEASED***
MIDNIGHT CRAVINGS TV...................................COST: £1.49 (MONTHLY) [Roku Guide Review]
***FILED UNDER: "FILM & TV" in Roku UK Channel Store WHEN FIRST RELEASED***
CHARMING BIKINI GIRLS.................COST: £1.49 (ONE-OFF PAYMENT) [Roku Guide Review]
***FILED UNDER: "SCREENSAVERS" in the Roku UK Channel Store WHEN RELEASED***
FAITHFUL DOGS..................................COST: £0.69 (ONE-OFF PAYMENT) [Roku Guide Review]
***FILED UNDER: "SCREENSAVERS" in the Roku UK Channel Store WHEN RELEASED***
PJ MASK TV..................................................................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]
***FILED UNDER: "KIDS & FAMILY" in the Roku UK Channel Store WHEN RELEASED***
ABUNDANT LIFE CHURCH.......................................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]
***FILED UNDER: "RELIGIOUS" in Roku UK Channel Store WHEN FIRST RELEASED***
SCIFI-HOLLYWOOD FILMS.......................................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]
***FILED UNDER: "FILM & TV" in Roku UK Channel Store WHEN FIRST RELEASED***
DIVINE SPIRIT NETWORK (DSN).............................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]
***FILED UNDER: "FILM & TV" in Roku UK Channel Store WHEN FIRST RELEASED***
OSCAR FILM CHANNEL.............................................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]
***FILED UNDER: "FILM & TV" in Roku UK Channel Store WHEN FIRST RELEASED***
CATS GONE WILD.......................................................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]
***FILED UNDER: "COMEDY" in the Roku UK Channel Store WHEN FIRST RELEASED***