Roku Rechargeable Voice Remote Pro listens to “Hey Roku” voice commands, costs $ 30

Roku gives the remote control a boost. On Tuesday, the streaming giant announced its new Voice Remote Pro, a rechargeable controller for its various media players, streaming sticks and smart TVs. After which appears in a test program Earlier this year, the new remote control is now available for the same $ 30 as the standard “enhanced” voice remote control and has a rechargeable battery and headphone jack for private listening, as well as customizable “1” and “2” buttons that debuted on Roku Ultra.

The new one is also a middle microphone that allows you to control your hands free without having to touch the microphone button. Just say “Hey Roku” to issue commands, from searching for shows to launching apps to turning on the Roku TV (the latter requires activating the TV’s Quick Start TV feature). Roku says the microphone will take orders from up to 12 meters away.

Now playing:
Look at this:

Roku Remote Pro: rechargeable battery, “Hey Roku” voice …

5:26

You can even say “Hey Roku, find my remote” to make the remote play sound through its built-in speaker. Already available in Roku iOS or Android apps, this should be a useful feature for people whose remote controls are often lost in the pillows on the couch.

If you’re worried privacy, a physical switch on the side of the remote control can always turn off the listening function and you can still press the microphone button when you want to place a command.

Roku says the remote, which uses the older micro-USB standard to charge unlike the modern USB-C port, will be able to run for two months before you need to plug it in again. There are no wireless connections or solar charging, the company said it should be able to fully recharge in two to three hours.

Read more: Update the Roku remote control with voice control, headphone jack and more

The new remote control will work with all Roku TV models, sound bars, and players launched in 2017, including the new Express Plus and Streambar Pro. It is on sale now on the Roku website and will soon be available at various retail outlets where its accessories are sold.

Those who do not want the newer features or prefer to replace the batteries will still be able to receive the “enhanced” remote control or other Roku voice remotes separately.