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Roku unveils its latest: Streaming Stick

The stick will be compatible with the new MHL (Mobile High-Definition Link) standard. MHL provides power to the stick from the HDMI input, so the device won't work with most TVs — even most new ones. (MHL is designed as a way to power up your smartphone and access media from the device at the same time.) Currently, only a handful of TVs from Toshiba and Samsung are MHL-compatible, says Parks Associates analyst Kurt Scherf. The new sets from Best Buy will be MHL-compatible, too.

"You'll see a lot more MHL TVs in 2012," he adds. And new smaller MHL TVs may be considerably cheaper than a big smart TV, making the stick a viable option for consumers looking to bring the Internet to their TVs, he says.

From the article "Roku unveils its latest: Streaming Stick" by Jefferson Graham

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