For years, media streaming hardware was the territory of the true geek – the enthusiast who would invest heavily (in both time and hard-earned cash) in creating and fine-tuning the perfect setup. The hardware employed was large, expensive, and noisy – a “media center PC” housed in a cupboard next to the big screen, or an expensive AV device with ropey software and limited file format support.

I remember those days fondly but boy am I glad they’ve gone. Those devices have been pushed aside by tiny, HDMI-enabled streaming sticks, the size of a thumb drive, housing more tricks than a magician convention. And they’re everywhere – according to research firm Parks Associates, during the first three-quarters of 2014, 10 percent of US households with a broadband connection bought at least one streaming-media player. Google Chromecast and Amazon Fire Stick are two recent entries into the market, backed by huge advertising spend and retail distribution.

From the article "Review: Roku Streaming Stick" by Terry Walsh.

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