2014 could be viewed as the year of set-top boxes. 2015 is likely to see even more action, as more of what we watch moves to online content, be it Amazon Prime, Netflix, Hulu Plus, the new CBS offering, or one of the lesser known competitors. When you take all of that into account, you'd assume it would have been a big year for Roku, and you'd be right.

Today the company ran down the numbers for 2014 and they were a bit staggering in terms of just how well the set-top box maker has performed.

Imagine if in the 1990's, there were CDs that only played on certain players. In other words, what if Warner Brothers released the Red Hot Chili Peppers' iconic album, "Blood Sugar Sex Magik", and it only worked on CD players made by, say, Pioneer? Not only would it harm consumers, but also limit the reach of the artist. If you did not own a Pioneer CD player, you could not hear the album.

If a new rumor by the New York Post is to be believed, Apple is planning such a thing, but rather than CD players, its iTunes and Beats Music would be the means of harming the consumer. Yes, the fruit-logo company may be working with artists (and ultimately record labels) to bring album-exclusives to its own music services.

The market is thick for set-top boxes these days, but Roku 3 tends to be the most popular choice with many consumers. It's simple to set up and has perhaps the most content. The "channels", as Roku calls them, are an ever-growing ecosystem of networks and online content.

The steps for getting it up and running are fairly simple. The box will help you along, walking you through each step. The first, and most obvious, is plugging it in to an outlet and then connecting the HDMI cable.

This year Amazon jumped into the set-top box market with a remarkably mature competitor. Since its release, the Fire TV has continued to accumulate features and improve. In fact, it's now serious competition for the likes of Roku and Apple TV. So did you find one under your tree this year? If so, there are a few things to know.

First, and perhaps most obvious, you need to  have an Amazon account. That shouldn't be a barrier for most people. You'll just need to enter your email and password to get up and running on your new set-top box. It also needs to connect to Wi-Fi, unless you can use a wired connection (which is better). If your router is password protected then that will be the final entry to start.

Pandora is one of the grandfathers of streaming music services, and remains among the most affordable and well known sources around. It's available on phones and even set-top boxes, not to mention, right on your computer. There are also apps for smart TVs and Blu-ray players. In other words, it is almost ubiquitous.

Now the music service is launching on your Xbox One. The new app was built specifically with the gaming console in mind, with an interface designed to look good on your TV. It will not only be pretty, but provide music while you play your game, and even adds a couple of new features.

If you subscribe to Hulu, and many cord-cutters, along with some who aren't, do, then you know that it has become a haven for content of all sorts. Care to watch last night's episode of The Blacklist? You can do that, along with countless other shows. The service has also been working on original content in an effort to rival the likes of Netflix and Amazon Prime.

Now the Twentieth Century Fox TV Distribution for FX network is signing what Hulu terms a "landmark deal" to bring more of its original content to the service.

Plex, who makes a popular media server and client software package, has never been shy about adapting any platform it can manage to get on. Windows, Mac, Linux, Android, iOS, Roku, Xbox, even NAS devices. Now the organization reaches out to yet another community.

While jokingly saying at the beginning that it was arriving on Sega Genesis consoles, the real target this time is Sony. Plex is headed for both games consoles available from the currently troubled company -- the PS3 and PS4.

HBO is one of the most popular premium networks on TV, with shows like Game of Thrones and others. The channel has also launched an online and mobile app called HBO GO. This brings the content to your computer, phone or tablet.

Now the network has arrived on Amazon Fire TV, the tiny set-top box that launched earlier this year. It's a strong competitor to Roku and Apple TV. While arguably less capable than the former, it is also stronger than the latter in its offerings.

Plex is perhaps the most well known media server among home theater and HTPC enthusiasts. Both a server and end-user app are provided, the former for free, while the latter will set you back a nominal fee. However, it's well worth the time to set up and few dollars out of your pocket.

Now the service is improving on it's offering to Google's mobile platform. Plex for Android has just gained Playlists, making things just a bit easier for its multitude of customers.

YouTube is a great source of entertainment, but don't you wish that sometimes people would just cut to the chase? There are plenty of videos of epic length, often comprising a massive build up to a short punchline. Why not cut the crap and get to the point?

One way to do this when re-sharing YouTube videos is to convert the interesting portion into an animated GIF, saving viewers time and bandwidth. YouTube itself is getting in on the web's rekindled interest in animated GIFs. A new beta program has been opened up that lets YouTube users transform lengthy videos into snapper clips of up to six seconds in length.

Music is important to many people, both current and the variety that brings back memories of youth or life events. While sometimes happy and occasionally tragic, it still raises emotions. Spotify has become one of the top destinations for this, and now it's getting ready for the holiday season.

If you wish to give the gift of music, then cards are available to you for purchase. The cards come in several increments, including $10, $30 and $60, netting the lucky recipient one, three or six months of streaming Spotify Premium music service.

Coming to the end of 2014, it's time to start looking to what the year ahead may have to offer. After gazing into its crystal ball, Juniper Research has compiled a list of what it expects to be the biggest technology trends of 2015. Topping the list is a focus on security. Juniper Research predicts that there will be greater interest in encryption and tokenization, as cloud storage providers battle to regain customer trust.

The launch of Apple Pay will help to drive an increased interest in biometrics to help with security, but 2015 is also predicted to be the year that wearables really take off. Now that Apple has entered the arena, there should be a greater focus on aesthetics and smaller players will increase in popularity. Tied in with both security and wearables is a predicted jump in the use of NFC -- for payments, authentication, health and more.

Pandora, one of the darlings of the music streaming industry, has been around for some time. But the old dog can still learn new tricks, and the service proves that by continuing to improve its offering. It's also one of the best priced services, if you care to get the premium subscription.

The latest update benefits iOS and Android users -- two of its biggest customer bases. "The design of this latest update is part of our ongoing dedication to innovate the UX and UI across platforms, and as a result, provide effortless music discovery and listening for more than 75 million listeners each month", Pandora announces.

On the heals of Amazon shipping its Fire Stick, a new HDMI dongle that provides similar capabilities to the previously released Fire TV, the market for streaming devices has continued to grow. And it's also getting more competitive, as each company improves its offerings.

A new study published by Parks Associates shows that a record ten percent of US households now own a streaming device. That still seems a small number, but perspective is needed. First, it's growing, and second, some people just aren't going to buy in to this technology -- my parents wouldn't know what a Roku was, nor what to do with it.

We've reached that time of the year when merchants offer deals and people are hungrily shopping. If you still read a newspaper then today's edition is likely a bit heavy, laden with ads for Black Friday sales, some of which are already underway.

Roku is also getting in on the action, offering some nice discounts on its TV devices, both set-top box and stick. Bringing streaming online media to your living room, the company is offering some good deals and throwing in a bonus to go along with your purchase. And you don't need to leave home and fight angry shoppers for it.