XUMO on Roku has a whole new look and feel. The company which provides a format that curates internet based content providers has been in action for 4 years and seen huge growth in its use in multiple formats. The best example of the format, which pulls together curated content from internet based sources is found on LG smart TV’s in the form of Channels Plus.
Along the way the company has had some spectacular examples of how to deliver Internet-based TV on multiple platforms. The most heavily used set-top smart TV platform, Roku, has supported XUMO for a few years but featured an interface more akin to early Roku channels than the more traditional feel on iterations for smart phones and TV’s.
This is an issue no more. XUMO has a very attractive new leanback update on Roku that integrates a full transparent program guide and access to on-demand movies. Lean back refers to the experience more associated with traditional TV viewing where a viewer can make a channel selection and just enjoy a steady pre-set flow of programming without having to choose the next video to play after each successive selection.
The new setup is an ultra modern looking interface that operates and feels like a digital cable TV guide. All of its categorized feeds provide users with a listing of what they can expect to see on any given selection as well as information about what will be playing next.
This may seem like par for the course when it comes to TV but what makes it different from normal TV is that the content is all Internet-based. This means that instead of getting traditional channels users will be able to pull in programming curated from numerous short form sources like Funny or Die and Gags, a prank centered feed as well as Internet-based live streams like CBS News Network, Chedder, and Newsmax. Many of the various apps found integrated into the system are available as Roku channels on their own, but XUMO puts them all into one place and allows users to search them top to bottom and relax. Want something specific, pop into the genera search. Want to see something more substantial, check out a categorized on-demand movie section.
The move puts XUMO in place to drop the app onto other streaming TV platforms in the future as its current iteration would play well on other set-top brands. Will we see it on Fire TV or Apple TV anytime soon? With a beautiful app for Android and IOS it is very reasonable to expect to see the app ported to other popular set-top platforms soon enough. We will keep our eyes peeled for future developments.
