Roku online video players head to UK & Canada next year

Roku has a collection of inexpensive, feature rich, set-top boxes available to consumers. Soon the Roku online video players will be available to consumers in both the U.K. and Canada, along with region specific channels, starting in early 2012.

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Roku made the expansion announced on Thursday. The company also put out a call for interested content providers to contact them so that they can provide region-specific channels for both these areas.

It’s likely that Netflix will be on board from the get go considering their presence in Canada and their recently announced plans to launch in the UK in 2012. Some of the casual games, like Angry Birds, will also find their way on to the Roku players just like they have in the U.S.

This announcement has a benefit for both Roku and the content providers that allow their channels on the box. Netflix could see good adoption rates in the U.K. if the Roku boxes are priced as well as they are in the U.S. The recently announced $49 Roku LT makes this kind of streaming set-top box almost a no brainer, especially if it comes with a Netflix channel preloaded in the UK and Canada.

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Roku has been seeing some excellent growth in the last year and with this expansion into new regions that growth can only continue. Do any of you guys have a Roku or have an interest in the $49 LT? Let us know what you think of the device or the company’s expansion in the comments.

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