Amazon announces Amazon Fire TV (1 Viewer)

[Chris Will]

No Vudu, no sell. Now that I've been using UV and Vudu for awhile, any new streaming box I buy must support Vudu or I'm not buying it (unless it is a new Apple TV because I also have a decent collection of iTunes movies). I really hope the new AppleTV that is rumored opens up and allows devs to create apps, It would be great to have one device that could access both my iTunes and Vudu libraries (assuming Vudu would create an app for it).

 

[Carl Johnson]

Amazon Fire is a step better than the Chromecast that I already have considering it streams both Netflix and Amazon Prime, but that's not enough to justify spending $100 on it. I'll just continue to stream Amazon content from my pc to the Chromecast.I might give that a second thought if the gaming function appears to be good, but that's unlikely considering I already have an Xbox.

 

[Michael Elliott]

It seems Roku rushed their "streaming stick" to beat this into the markets. At $50 I've really been thinking about getting it since it's apparently the same as the Roku3 minus the gaming stuff, which I don't need. I don't see the point of this either except for Amazon to enter the game as I'm sure they have bigger plans down the road. I do wonder if they'll pull the Amazon Prime from other outlets like Roku.

I'm going to wait for some reviews but as of right now I'm going to get the Roku streaming stick.

 

[Towergrove]

Both Roku and Apple TV can stream your own content, Apple from ITunes and Roku From Plex, this box isn't going to allow this , is it ?

Yes the Plex App is available for the Amazon Box and on the Plex website they are offering it (the app) for a discount currently.

 

[Sam Posten]

The Plex app should if I am reading it right.

 

[DaveF]

This probably means that Amazon Streaming Video is not coming to TiVo, and no updates to the amazon app in TiVo.

 

[Sam Posten]

Well, this pisses me off. I had selected the $4 upgrade to have my Fire TV overnighted to me, but it seems that adding the controller to my order defeated that and it went back to 2 day free shipping. So mine won't get here till tomorrow. =( And I'm tied up all weekend with attending stuff up in NJ. So now I probably won't get any time to spend with it till Sunday night.

 

[Sam Posten]

Riptide is currently free, has IAP.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00EEL0LGY?t=slickdeals&tag=slickdeals&ascsubtag=8PzFVrs8EeO6APJ1rARu_g0Z53_o9I04_0_0_0

 

[Ronald Epstein]

This probably means that Amazon Streaming Video is not coming to TiVo, and no updates to the amazon app in TiVo

Heya, Dave!

When I reviewed the Tivo Roamio, if I remember correctly, it had the Amazon Instant Video
streaming. However, there was no way for PRIME members to log into it.

I alerted the Tivo people about it and they assured me that they were working on it...

...guess not.

In the meantime, I used my ROKU to log into Amazon Instant streaming with my
prime account. Hope Amazon will continue to allow ROKU to use their service.

 

[Sam Posten]

Macworld concurs: This is the 'catch up' version:
http://www.macworld.com/article/2139100/amazons-fire-tv-skates-to-where-the-apple-tv-puck-is.html#tk.twt_dmoren

Steps ahead with apps and xray. What's in the NEXT version tho? Cause like Apple, Amazon is one company that really does grind on the things that aren't quite there with their early versions, are crafty about adding features that people really want and not just throw out stuff to see what sticks.

If Amazon can do for Fire TV what they did with Kindle, or Kindle Fire, then the revs 2-3 years down the road will be incredible. But this version just establishes a line in the sand to establish parity and move the ball a little bit further.

 

[Robert Crawford]

Heya, Dave!

When I reviewed the Tivo Roamio, if I remember correctly, it had the Amazon Instant Video
streaming. However, there was no way for PRIME members to log into it.

I alerted the Tivo people about it and they assured me that they were working on it...

...guess not.

In the meantime, I used my ROKU to log into Amazon Instant streaming with my
prime account. Hope Amazon will continue to allow ROKU to use their service.

If and when Amazon doesn't allow Roku or any of my other devices to use their service then I'll be done as a Prime member.

 

[Ronald Epstein]

If and when Amazon doesn't allow Roku or any of my other devices to use their service then I'll be done as a Prime member.

I am with you, Robert.

I have been very tolerant of their $25 yearly price increase.

I admit, I don't use their streaming service often, but as long as I know
it's part of the PRIME service and I can access it on devices outside of
their Fire TV, then I find the $100 to be acceptable.

 

[KeithAP]

As more and more of these devices come out, it becomes clear to me how much nicer a Mac Mini attached to the TV with a wireless keyboard and mouse is. The increased expense is well worth it IMHO although I realize I will be in the minority on this.

That being said, the FireTV looks pretty nice to me. If someone is in the market for a device like this I think it would be as good of choice as any.

-Keith

 

[Ronald Epstein]

As more and more of these devices come out, it becomes clear to me how much nicer a Mac Mini attached to the TV with a wireless keyboard and mouse is. The increased expense is well worth it IMHO although I realize I will be in the minority on this.

Keith, you are less of a minority than you think.
I looked at that option. It's tempting....

 

[Patrick Donahue]

One thing I found out about the Fire TV that's a TAD sneaky, especially considering the jabs Amazon made at Apple for being a closed eco-system:The voice search feature only delivers results for movies you can purchase through Amazon. It doesn't search across other services (such at Netflix) like the Roku does.Roku FTW

 

[[email protected]]

No UV = no sale. No 3D, no 4k, it doesn't do anything that would get me away from Roku. Seriously though, I can afford to buy one of every streaming box but, I won't buy any box that locks itself down like apple does and how this fire box looks like it probably is. And I'll third the motion on dropping prime if they remove the app from Roku!

 

[Sam Posten]

Flixster app is in the first batch Mike.http://www.amazon.com/Flixster-Movies-by/dp/B004HXHVZ8/ref=sr_1_1?s=mobile-apps&ie=UTF8&qid=1396568563&sr=1-1&keywords=flixster

 

[DaveF]

Heya, Dave!

When I reviewed the Tivo Roamio, if I remember correctly, it had the Amazon Instant Video
streaming. However, there was no way for PRIME members to log into it.

I alerted the Tivo people about it and they assured me that they were working on it...

...guess not.

In the meantime, I used my ROKU to log into Amazon Instant streaming with my
prime account. Hope Amazon will continue to allow ROKU to use their service.

Tivo supports the downloaded video purchases, but no streaming or Prime. And the interface is the old SD interface, not updated since Tivo HD or earlier (though it plays HD). It's useable, but dated and limited.

Amazon has indicated that they're maybe, sort of, if they get really bored, working on updates. But six months after the Roamio release, there's no sign of life. This new device implies (to me) that Amazon wants people using Amazon devices, and not third-party devices.

 

[Josh Steinberg]

Am I missing something?

It doesn't seem like this box does anything more or less than any other commercially available set-top streaming box. And if this is $99, and the different models of Ruku start at $59, why would I get this? Aren't most new TVs and Blu-ray/DVD players made with built in streaming anyway?

I like Amazon, I like my Amazon prime, but I don't understand who the target audience for this device is.

 

[DaveF]

It plays Amazon Instant / Prime videos. AppleTV doesn't. And it has Amazon's brand name cachet. (Roku is much less known to the mass market.) I think the marketing is that simple.