Why I Love Roku’s New Remote
Roku’s newest remote is ready to listen, hands-free
Roku just released a bunch of products and, I promise, I’m going to get to them but what I really want to talk about is remotes.
Our relationships with our television and streaming boxes are defined not so much by the interfaces, content, or even the big screens but by the remote controls. Our eyes see, but it’s our hands that touch these small pieces of plastic, metal, glass, and rubberized buttons. That tactile relationship isn’t fleeting. Raise your hand if you binge with the remote in or near your hand (how else can you go back 30 seconds to find out if Game of Thrones really killed off Jon Snow. Yes and no).
As much as we like to stare at our big screens, we prefer to never look directly at our remotes, as if doing so would turn us to stone or a pile of salt. Use any remote long enough and you might be able to train your thumb to know the location of volume, mute, channel, and input.
Unfortunately, most remotes are designed as if they’ll never be used by humans. But not Roku’s, they’re the best streaming (and TV) remotes in the business, and now they’re getting just a little bit better.
