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Amazon Launches $39 'Fire TV Stick' to Compete With Chromecast, Apple TV

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Amazon today announced the launch of a new Fire TV Stick, designed to compete with Google's Chromecast and Apple's Apple TV. The Fire TV Stick is a media streaming stick much like the Chromecast, designed to allow users to plug it in to the HDMI port of a television to access content like TV shows, movies, games, and more.

The Fire TV Stick offers a dual-core processor, 1GB of RAM, 8GB of built-in storage, and dual-band/dual-antenna MIMO Wi-Fi. It can be controlled with a remote control, a smartphone, or voice control through an app. According to Amazon, it offers 50 percent more processing power than the Chromecast, along with 2x the memory and 32 times more storage.

Fire_TV_Stick.jpg
"Fire TV Stick is the most powerful streaming media stick available--a dual-core processor, 1 GB of RAM, 8 GB of storage, dual-band and dual-antenna Wi-Fi, included remote control, voice search with our free mobile app, easy set-up, an open ecosystem, and exclusive features like ASAP for instant streaming," said Jeff Bezos, Amazon.com Founder and CEO. "The team has packed an unbelievable amount of power and selection into an incredible price point--Fire TV Stick is just $39."
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In addition to allowing users to access Amazon Prime content, the Fire TV Stick also supports third-party apps like Netflix, Hulu Plus, WatchESPN, Spotify, Pandora, and more, delivering much of the content that's also available on competing products like the Chromecast, the Apple TV, and products from Roku.

The Fire Stick offers "Fling" technology, letting users switch between viewing content on their televisions and Fire Phone or Fire tablet, and it provides wireless mirroring from both compatible Amazon products and those that support Miracast. It also supports various Amazon technologies like X-Ray for looking up movie, music, or TV show information, and it utilizes Whispersync to sync all of a user's content.

Amazon also has the Fire TV, a set-top media streaming box that's a closer competitor to the Apple TV than the Fire TV stick, but the slimmed down plug in-based media sticks from Amazon and Google are far cheaper than the Apple TV, which still costs $99.

While Google and Amazon have concentrated on offering a slimmer portable media solution to consumers, Apple is said to be working on a revamped set-top box that might include support for third-party apps and games along with deeper integration with cable TV channels. It is unclear when Apple might launch its revised set top box, as development has reportedly been delayed several times over the course of the last two years.

Amazon's Fire TV Stick is priced at $39, but for the next two days, Amazon Prime members will be able to purchase the device at a discounted price of $19.

Article Link: Amazon Launches $39 'Fire TV Stick' to Compete With Chromecast, Apple TV
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2014/10/27/amazon-launches-fire-tv-stick/
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I just want a freaking HDMI adapter than I can beam any device screen wirelessly to the screen that the adapter is plugged into.
 
Not sure how this will do but it's pretty amazing how fast technology is changing. I never thought I'd see the day where 1 GB of memory, a dual-core processor & 8 GB of storage could be on a device the size of a flash drive. And all that for $39? Wow.
 
I switched to the Fire TV and sold my ATV2. The only thing I would like is a dedicated iOS app that was promised to control it. Airplay isn't as smooth as with ATV but it works most of the time.

Plus, XBMC or Kodi works great with it.
 
Can we please stop calling these things 'Apple TV Competitors'?

At this point ATV is so far behind that it's unfair to the rest of the devices being released.
 
I bought one. $19 was too hard to pass up. But you do still have to have a power source for it, which kind of sucks. Still, I'd definitely like to check it out.
 
So I'm assuming that with one of these I can get access on my TV to the same pathetic library of free Amazon Prime Instant Video or they can attempt to make themselves the defacto source for rentals of better content, which is all they want to do in the first place. You won't find anything worth watching, so rent this for $x.99.
 
I already got 2 chromecast and an appletv yet for some silly reason I wanna try that one out too lol kinda don't like the chromecast. They play very inconsistent like I close an app and Netflix is still playing on the TV or pause doesn't do anything

roland.g said:
So I'm assuming that with one of these I can get access on my TV to the same pathetic library of free Amazon Prime Instant Video or they can attempt to make themselves the defacto source for rentals of better content, which is all they want to do in the first place. You won't find anything worth watching, so rent this for $x.99.
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One word: plex
 
At $19 and free shipping it's an easy spontaneous buy. I went to Amazon earlier today to buy an HDMI cable (ironically for an Apple TV) and noticed it on the home page. Bought 1 just for easier access to Prime TV.

Good way to build up a user base fast at that price but at $40 and no device to TV streaming, I'm not getting rid of my Apple TVs anytime soon.
 
Amazon? The same company that dropped their phone down to $0.99 after being released for only a small amount of time?

Let me know how it goes.

:rolleyes:
 
rrm74001 said:
Problem is these companies keep coming up with their own standards/protocols.

Image
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A "standard" is just that -- something everyone uses. A U.S. A/C outlet is a standard. USB is a standard. A #2 philips is a standard.

A method or design a company uses and reserves for the exclusive use for that company and selected licensees is proprietary. Something that is proprietary, but definition, cannot be a standard.

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juanrp said:
Amazon? The same company that dropped their phone down to $0.99 after being released for only a small amount of time?

Let me know how it goes.

:rolleyes:
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Except the Fire Phone was universally panned. The Fire TV has received excellent reviews. The Fire TV Stick is just a slimmed, featured down version of Fire TV.
 
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