The world of entertainment has witnessed several developments, and streaming devices are one of them. With these devices, you no longer feel the need to subscribe to cable TV to watch what you desire. The Amazon Fire TV Stick helps you watch your favorite shows and movies from top streaming services in a click. Those who own a TV with an HDMI port are in for a treat with the Fire TV Stick. The Fire TV Stick could be one of your best buys, especially if you are a TV buff. You can turn an ordinary television to a smart TV with the additional features it offers. You can subscribe to your favorite web channels like Hulu and Hotstar and enjoy watching premium videos with the Fire TV Stick.
What Can You Do With The Amazon Fire TV Stick?
If you are unfamiliar with its functioning, here’s a brief overview to help you understand its purpose.
The Amazon Fire TV Stick is a streaming device that plugs into the HDMI port of your TV.
To power it on, you either plug it into a USB port in your TV or directly into a power outlet with the included.
You can add all streaming services to your TV, which include Amazon Prime Video, Netflix, Hulu, Pandora, YouTube, network TV apps, and thousands of lesser-known channels via downloadable apps.
It comes with a remote control and is pretty easy to use. It is super-fast with HD clarity and requires a good Wi-Fi connection for streaming.
Since it’s from Amazon, it is compatible with Alexa and you can Alexa’s skills to give commands to your Fire TV Stick.
What Are The Best Features Of Amazon Fire TV Stick?
Universal Remote
The latest 2019 version of the Fire TV Stick comes with an Alexa voice remote. The remote is different from the 2017 version with additional buttons, a mute button as well as a power button. The Fire TV Stick easily detects your TV type, be it Sony, Samsung, or LG, and immediately programs the remote. Since they have power and volume buttons compatible with most TVs, you can safely put away your TV remotes. You can tuck it away at the back of your screen, and the in-built set-up menu can resolve any issues you might face.
Alexa
Alexa is available on the Fire TV Stick just as you get it on an Amazon Echo, as long as your TV is on. Besides using commands such as “Rewind 2 minutes” or “Next episode,” Alexa will help control all your smart home gadgets like the thermostat once you enable it on the Alexa app. This cool feature is a complete bonus, and you should hold the microphone button on the remote to give your commands. Here’s how you can use Alexa to control your Fire TV Stick and a list of commands for your use.
Apps
You can download the official YouTube app on the Fire TV Stick and enjoy your videos. And it’s not just videos; you can listen to Amazon Music alongside TuneIn and Spotify. It contains 8 GB of storage limit, hence the number of apps you can download is limited. Users may not be able to stream the odd app, but the full range of selection more than makes up for it.
YouTube
Earlier, there was no direct support for YouTube via a proper app, but you could access it by getting directed through the in-built browser or Firefox. However, with Google and Amazon finally settling their differences, the apps are available on each other’s platforms. So now you have the official YouTube app for Fire TV devices to help you enjoy your videos. YouTube TV, which is a preferred streaming device for many, can’t be accessed for now but would come up eventually.
What’s New In The Fire TV Stick 2019
The Amazon Fire Stick was first launched in 2014. The Second Generation in 2016 and named Fire TV Stick with Alexa Voice Remote. The last update in 2019 has the second-generation Fire TV Stick with an updated remote from the 4K model. The 2019 model has a remote control with new power and volume buttons. The earlier model’s remote with no volume controls made it difficult to switch between it and the TV remote. Existing Fire TV owners can purchase the current Fire TV owners separately.
How Do You Set Up An Amazon Fire TV Stick?
It’s seamless to set up an Amazon Fire Stick with an easy user interface and a multi-functional remote. All you need to do is to plug the stick into your TV’s HDMI input. You need to connect the power adapter that comes with it. Use the remote control and follow the set-up instructions that appear on your TV screen. After completion of the set-up, you can add any streaming channels like Netflix, Hulu, and you are good to go.
How Does The Amazon Fire TV Stick Rate?
The Good
– The Amazon Fire TV Stick is inexpensive and very affordable.
– Works best with the most popular voice platform which is Alexa
– The response is fast, and the video quality is top-notch
– The remote can control the volume and power of all TVs.
– Compatible with YouTube
– Supports 4K interface
The Bad
– There’s too much of marketing of Amazon shows which many users are not even concerned about
– Performance varies between the apps
– Alexa’s abilities remain restricted to select apps
Pricing
The Fire TV Stick 4K with Alexa Voice Remote costs less than $50 and is excellent value for money compared to other 4K streaming devices. In comparison, its competitors are priced much higher, and this is a pretty decent buy despite certain shortcomings. The Fire TV Stick with Alexa Voice Remote costs less than $40.
Bottom-Line
Overall, we love the latest model, which is the Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K. Notably, the loading time is quick with an easy user interface, and navigating through apps and shows is pretty simple. It seems to be optimized for Amazon Prime subscribers and contains plenty of promotional material, which can be a slight setback. However, despite these shortcomings, there’s plenty to love about this budget streaming device from Amazon.