Amazon announces new Fire devices...

[Enectic]

Amazon just announced a new line up of Fire devices...

http://www.wired.com/2015/09/amazon-six-new-devices-finally-good-plan-hardware/

• A faster Fire TV box with 4K support and Alexa voice control: $99.99 and an optional "Gamers Bundle" for $139.99: includes game controller (but no voice remote), a 32GB microSD card and two games (Ducktales Remastered and Shovel Knight)

• A "new" Fire TV Stick (same hardware, just includes the new voice remote) and Alexa voice control: $49.99

• A new Fire TV voice remote and game controller (both connect VIA WiFi Direct now and the game controller has a headphone jack for private listening)

• A 10.1-inch Kindle Fire HD tablet: $229

• Same thing, 8 inches: $149.99

• A 7-inch Fire tablet for the super-cheap: $49.99

• The kids’ version with a bumper and a two-year replacement guarantee: $99.99

 

[mclld]

Fire TV plus XBMC/Kodi/TVMC is awesome

 

[z31fanatic]

I am interested in the new FTV box.

 

[Corrode]

At $99.99, I wonder if they're subsidizing the cost of the box and expecting sales from Amazon.com to make up for it. Lots of competition in this area right now, so it'll be interesting to see how Apple fares.

I'm still gonna buy a new Apple TV. Don't have a 4k TV and won't have one in the near future.

 

[nebo1ss]

At $99.99, I wonder if they're subsidizing the cost of the box and expecting sales from Amazon.com to make up for it. Lots of competition in this area right now, so it'll be interesting to see how Apple fares.

I'm still gonna buy a new Apple TV. Don't have a 4k TV and won't have one in the near future.

There is a also a new ROKU box expected soon which will probably have all the things Apple left out. The competition is certainly good.

 

[mclld]

As long as you cant install TVMC on a Roku I would never consider it

 

[z31fanatic]

At $99.99, I wonder if they're subsidizing the cost of the box and expecting sales from Amazon.com to make up for it..

When the first FTV box came out, many people thought the same thing. It probably was true and will most definitely be the case for this second gen I think.

 

[nebo1ss]

As long as you cant install TVMC on a Roku I would never consider it

Piracy much?

 

[mclld]

Very much

Is this some kind of Yoda talk?

 

[Scarpad]

so it looks like Amazon has given up premium tablets for Low end crap, a 10inch tablet with 149ppi can you read on that without your eyes bleeding ?

 

[mclld]

Lol at the resolution on the 7", a device to consume media

 

[tbayrgs]

I've had a few FireTV sticks and they work just fine--use them for the stuff I can't get off the AppleTV like SlingTV or TwiT TV shows. Otherwise, still generally rely on the AppleTV and with the new box, probably will see barely any usage, if any.

Still, they're quite capable as a media solution--just have the same limitations as all of these devices do being predominantly locked into one platform. Does kinda suck that even though the new FireTV stick is the same hardware as the first gen, doesn't sound like the older model is getting the upgrade to Alexa.

 

[apolloa]

I love my Fire TV, got it for my Birthday at the beginning of the year. I looked around at the the time for the best for me, may have got the new Apple TV if it was out then.
It's the first Amazon device I've owned, and as they have a great reputation with Kindles etc, I was eager to try it and it's just utterly brilliant.
I do have Kodi installed mind but I have removed my satellite box now. If I could subscribe to services on it in the UK like you can in America I would do that and ditch Kodi even. One day hopefully.

Anyway, this is a great update, if you have a 4K TV. I could use my PS4 for streaming etc and it's an incredibly powerful solution for that, but it's also noisy with the fan. Streaming boxes are great tiny and quiet solutions.

 

[mclld]

Do you have all the good add ons installed?

 

[apolloa]

Do you have all the good add ons installed?

Me? Such as? I have all the decent streaming ones like Netflix, BBC Iplayer, BBC Sport, TVPlayer, Mediahhh TV, Demand 5, AFF Media Centre (Kodi), Sky News, YouMap Cast Receiver, myPlayer Pro (not worth the money IMO), channel PEAR, tubitv, YouTube.com, Flixster.

So a fair few haha. But I can't get things like the HBO Go etc, TVPlayer was supposed to be working on a subscription service that would give you Discovery and the History channels etc but that was a while ago, the app they have on the Fire TV doesn't have as many channels as Mediahhh TV does on freeview.

 

[z31fanatic]

Me thinks he is asking about the piracy add-ons

 

[apolloa]

Me thinks he is asking about the piracy add-ons

haha, ah well that's not for these boards
I actually only use them for things like Discovery and Discovery Turbo, and American ScFi shows we don't get in the UK.
I have a lil Amazon film collection

 

[Hastings101]

Lol at the resolution on the 7", a device to consume media

The resolution on all of them are pretty terrible, but I guess someone wanting a $50 tablet isn't going to care. Amazon's high end HDX must have flopped so they're back to loss leader products; a shame because they were the only tablet makers that put effort into decent speakers.

 

[diamond.g]

Has anyone tried Amazon FreeTime for their children?

 

[Andres Cantu]

Amazon is really aiming for the low-end market with those tablets. It makes them seem so cheap when they say, "buy 5, get the 6th free."

 

[TacticalDesire]

Wish they still had a couple hi resolution options. But these are probably a lot more profitable. I have a feeling the $50 models are going to sell like hot cakes over the holidays. What they don't make on hardware they're probably going to gain in advertising and getting people into their ecosystem.

 

[Andres Cantu]

Wish they still had a couple hi resolution options. But these are probably a lot more profitable. I have a feeling the $50 models are going to sell like hot cakes over the holidays. What they don't make on hardware they're probably going to gain in advertising and getting people into their ecosystem.

Probably, but then people will realize that the resolution is just horrible for 2015. I suspect your last point is what Amazon is aiming for.

 

[Enectic]

Seems the $50 tablet sold fairly well. Went immediately out of stock and shows they won't have any in stock until October 26th. The new Fire TV launches today. I ordered through Staples (using coupons and gift cards from eBay it was only about $110) so I won't get mine until tomorrow.

 

[balamw]

I picked up a new Fire and am impressed for the price. It's a cheap kindle if nothing else.

B

 

[Enectic]

I picked up a new Fire and am impressed for the price. It's a cheap kindle if nothing else.

B

Great to hear! I bought the Fire HD 7 (2014 model) during their Prime Day sale and it's a actually a decent little tablet for the price. I downloaded the Fire OS 5 dev preview and think it's definitely a big improvement over Fire OS 4.