But the Xbox One is up against a host of less sophisticated but less expensive options. Internet streaming devices such as Apple TV, Roku, and Google Inc.’s Chromecast deliver sharp online video for less than $100.

According to the research firm Parks Associates, about 14 percent of US homes with broadband access already have one of these video players. And that doesn’t count the millions of homes with other devices that can stream Internet videos, such as Blu-ray video disk players. Parks Associates estimates that TV watchers worldwide will buy 330 million such devices by 2017.

Another rival technology, the smart TV, can tap into online entertainment by plugging directly into the Internet. Smart TVs are often criticized for being confusing and difficult to use, compared to streaming boxes like Roku.

From the article, "New Sony, Microsoft game consoles in changed world" by Hiawatha Bray.

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