How to Enable Javascript on Roku

Since a lot of people are giving into the jailbreaking trend and modding their smartphones, tablets, and TVs in very different ways, it was only a matter of time before all the attention focused on Roku devices.

Roku has been around for a long time but it has only really enjoyed popularity for the past two to three years. It’s a stable but limited OS, and limited platform, designed to act as an intermediary between streaming platforms and the user. So, if you want to run Javascript on it, you have to jailbreak it. But can you actually do it?

There’s No Jailbreaking Roku

At least not yet there isn’t. You have to understand that the Roku OS is a closed loop operating system. It’s not like most Android operating systems running on smartphones, tablets, and other streaming sticks.

Although it shares some similarities, since it’s Linux-based, that’s pretty much the end of it. The only way to change the permissions on a device running a Roku OS is by having developer access. The bad news, for some, is that you can’t use third-party apps or ingenious command lines to grant yourself access.

Sure, this will clearly disappoint a lot of people. But, you have to remember that this can be a marvelous thing for security purposes. Even if Roku devices aren’t likely to store sensitive information, since you can only use them to watch streaming channels, there’s pretty much nothing safer than a Roku device.

You can’t even browse the internet properly, check online stores, and stuff like that. You can say that the Roku streaming sticks were designed as cellphones used to be back in the day. Make calls and exchange texts and that’s it. Simple, but effective in their niche.

Reasons to Jailbreak a Device

A lot of smartphone users will argue that jailbreaking a device is necessary to improve its performance. Samsung users, for instance, are fed up with the amount of bloatware apps that come preinstalled and want them removed to free up RAM memory and CPU power.

That’s fair enough. But, the majority of people want to jailbreak their phones only so that they can install certain third-party apps that wouldn’t otherwise work. For example, older generation smartphones may support screen mirroring apps once the user has total control over permissions and restrictions. So, let’s analyze that for a moment, and discuss some Roku features you may not know are available.

Roku Features

Roku offers many of the things that some Android smartphone users long for: screen mirroring, playing content off a local network, screen casting, and the Play on Roku feature. The latter is very convenient for browsing photos, music, and videos from your phone to your TV.

Screen mirroring works if you have a Roku TV. And, it works whether you have a wireless connection or not. A USB connection to your laptop or PC can also be established. If your remote has batteries, you can set it up easily.

Screen casting doesn’t work for all apps. But, unlike the screen mirroring feature, this one works with both Android and iOS smartphones. To see which app you can cast, look for a cast icon above the app or at the top of your screen.

All you have to do is have both apps installed on your phone and on your Roku TV. Then, launch the app on your phone, tap the cast button, pick Roku as the destination device, and wait. After that you’ll be able to use your phone for something else and have the app run on your TV uninterrupted.

Do You Still Want to Jailbreak Your Roku Device?

Yes, there’s no way to use most popular internet browsers on Roku OS. But don’t you have a phone for that? Trying to argue that jailbreaking a Roku device is almost like complaining that an Amazon Kindle can’t let you play games and that it’s not powerful enough to run Asphalt 9. It’s really a moot point.

Other streaming sticks were designed to do a lot more, which includes online shopping, using an internet browser, downloading anything you want, and so on. That’s not Roku’s purpose and it may never be.

Given your expectations in matters of streaming sticks or smart TVs, do you see this as a flaw or a huge benefit for the Roku OS? Has this particular aspect of its security made Roku devices less appealing to you or not? Let us know in the comments section below.