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The Washington Post hopes you'll read articles on your TV
You probably retreat to the TV to tune out the day's news, but the Washington Post is betting that you wouldn't mind reading on the living room screen. It just launched a version of its app for Apple TV and Fire TV that offer a "highly-visual" way to catch up on world events. You pick stories from a carousel, and articles are displayed in a format that's easier to read while you're leaning back on the couch. Naturally, the app takes fuller advantage of your TV when there's video and other multimedia experiences.
Amazon's latest Fire HD 10 tablet finally has a USB-C port
Amazon has just updated its most popular tablet with new internals. The company's latest Fire HD 10 tablet features a new octa-core processor clocked at 2.0GHz that's supported by 2GB of RAM. Amazon claims the updated processor makes the new Fire HD 10 30 percent faster than its predecessor. When it becomes available later this month, you'll be able to buy the Fire HD 10 in two configurations, outfitting the device with either 32GB or 64GB of internal storage. The two models will be priced at $149.99 and $189.99 respectively. If that's not enough space, you can add up to 512GB of additional storage with a microSD card. Other notable hardware features include built-in Dolby Atmos support and WiFi 802.11ac connectivity.
Disney+ may not be on Fire TV due to a reported ad dispute
When Disney confirmed all the platforms on which you'll be able to stream Disney+, there was a notable omission: Amazon's Fire TV ecosystem. It seems the companies are tussling over terms for not just Disney+, but apps for the likes of ESPN+ and Disney Channel.
YouTube TV is now available on Amazon Fire TV devices
Google and Amazon don't have the warmest relationship, but they've been patching things up recently. Amazon reinstated support for YouTube on its Fire TV platform in July, while Google enabled Amazon Prime video streaming through Chromecast devices. In the latest development, YouTube TV is available on Amazon's Fire TV platform, meaning users can stream live television and use an unlimited cloud-based DVR.
Amazon's new Fire TV Cube is faster at understanding your voice commands
Amazon has announced a raft of new products today in Germany, although a leak revealed the bulk of them several hours before showtime. The highlight of the evening was the advent of a second-generation Fire TV Cube, the enthusiast-level unit in Amazon's Fire TV family. Amazon hasn't sought to change the outside of the box, or the number of ports that you can connect to it, but did make some substantial changes inside.
The latest Fire TV devices include a revamped Cube and Anker soundbar
Amazon isn't quite swamping the market for Alexa devices like it did last year, but it still has plenty to show for late 2019. A since-deleted TechCrunch post (now official) has revealed that Amazon is introducing more than 20 Fire TV devices at its imminent IFA event, highlighted by an upgrade to the Fire TV Cube. The media hub and smart speaker hybrid now packs a six-core processor that's roughly twice as powerful as before, with support for 4K and Dolby Vision HDR content up to 60FPS. Also, some common voice controls are now hosted on-device, making it up to four times faster -- you shouldn't have to wait in agony while the Cube navigates to the home screen.
Best Buy’s weekend sale includes up to $500 off 12-inch MacBooks
Best Buy's three-day weekend sale includes a bunch of discounts on Apple and Amazon products, as well as cuts on laptops, TVs, smartwatches and smart home products. The sale runs through Sunday, and if you've been waiting to buy a new device, it's worth checking out.
Amazon previews Prime Day deals before the shopping frenzy
Amazon claims Prime Day 2019 will be a "two-day parade of more than a million deals." The action starts July 15th and new deals will drop as often as every five minutes for a full 48 hours. Today, Amazon released a preview of what's to come.
Google and Amazon bring the YouTube app back to Fire TV
Months after Amazon and Google ended their fight over streaming video, the official YouTube app is once again available on Fire TV devices. As of today, some Fire TV devices (multiple Fire TV Stick variants and the Fire TV Cube) and TV sets (from Element, Insignia, Toshiba and Westinghouse) can natively play videos, keep tabs on subscriptions and otherwise do what... well, most other YouTube-equipped devices can do. This includes playback for 4K HDR video at 60 frames per second, not to mention expanded Alexa integration -- you don't have to mention YouTube by name if you're already inside the app.
Amazon’s Fire TV Recast DVR box is $100 off today
If you've been considering a Fire TV Recast, now is the time to buy - the DVR is on sale for its lowest price ever. From today, the Recast is on sale for $129.99, a saving of $100.
Amazon gives Fire TV devices a section devoted to live television
Fire TV devices now have access to plenty of live television services, and Amazon wants to be sure you know what's playing regardless of what services you prefer. The internet giant is rolling out a dedicated Live tab that showcases whatever's playing across a host of apps, whether it's a free offering like Pluto TV, a cable substitute like PlayStation Vue or an over-the-air broadcast picked up through a Fire TV Recast.
Amazon upgrades the Fire TV Edition with Dolby Vision
At an intimate press event in the Dolby SoHo space today, Amazon announced a new Fire TV Edition with Dolby Vision. This is basically an upgraded Fire TV Edition, and the display model is made by Toshiba. A 55-inch model is available starting today for $450, with 43- and 50-inch versions arriving on the 30th, costing $330 and $380 respectively.
NBC launches its free news streaming service
True to its word, NBC has launched its free news streaming service. NBC News Now will air live programming between 3PM and 11PM Eastern through both the web as well as the NBC News apps on mobile devices as well as Apple TV, Fire TV and Roku. It'll offer an ad-supported mix of live programming (both on-the-hour segments and breaking news) as well as pre-recorded features and interviews.
Over 34 million people use Amazon Fire TV
Amazon Fire TV has over 34 million monthly active users, further widening its lead over competitor Roku. Jenn Prenner, head of global marketing, growth and engagement for Fire TV, confirmed the numbers this week in a panel on the Pay TV Show. Furthermore, Fire TV has become the most popular streaming player in the US, UK, Germany, India and Japan, at least according to Amazon's metrics. It's a big leap for Fire TV, which back in October announced it had 25 million active users.
Google and Amazon end their ridiculous streaming video spat
Google and Amazon haven't historically been the best of friends, at least when it comes to their respective streaming video services. Amazon's Prime Video app hasn't worked with Google's Chromecast or Android TV devices, while YouTube was pulled from Amazon's Fire TV in late 2017. Well, there's good news for fans of both ecosystems: the Google / Amazon Cold War is thawing. YouTube will be available on Amazon's Fire TV devices in the coming months, and Amazon Prime video will work with Chromecast and Android TV devices as well. A Google spokesperson told Engadget that the main YouTube app is coming first, but YouTube TV and YouTube Kids will follow afterwards.
Apple Music is on Amazon Fire TV
Apple Music users in the US can now listen to their tracks on Amazon Fire TVs (or sticks). The news comes only months after Apple Music became available on Echo devices stateside. Apple's streaming service is also expected to come to Echo users in the UK in the coming weeks.
Amazon Fire TV no longer needs you to type your WiFi password
There are a number of reasons why it can be laborious to set up a living room media player, not the least of which is WiFi -- you try entering a password with a remote. Those days might be gone if you have one of Amazon's devices, though. It recently released a pair of updates that give its current Fire TV devices the same WiFi simple setup feature you've seen in newer Echo speakers and the Smart Plug. If you've chosen to save WiFi passwords to your Amazon account, your media hub will hop online the moment it detects your network.
Amazon's Fire TV is a hit among US consumers, says report
Its ability to do everything, from video-streaming to gaming, makes the Fire TV a solid home entertainment product. And people in the US are starting to take note of this. According to Strategy Analytics, an independent firm that researches the consumer market, Amazon's Fire TV accounted for 30 percent of streaming set-top box shipments in Q1 2015. During this period, which measures numbers from January 1st to March 31st, a total of 3.5 million units were shipped to US consumers, with Fire TV picking up steam despite being introduced over a year ago. That said, the Apple TV is reportedly still king of the streaming set-top space, having shipped more than 15 million units to date -- not bad for a hobby, Apple.
Amazon's Fire TV Stick drops to £25 in the UK
If you're looking to buy a cheap streaming dongle, now might be a good time to reconsider Amazon's Fire TV Stick. Today, the company dropped the price of its Chromecast and Roku Streaming Stick competitor to £25 in the UK, which is £10 less than before. As we noted in our original review, there's a lot to like about Amazon's HDMI dongle. Unlike Google's Chromecast, it comes with a dedicated remote and a fleshed-out TV interface, which should appeal to homeowners looking for a traditional set-top box experience. It also comes with a 30-day Prime trial, which is just enough time to binge-watch the best movies and TV shows on Prime Instant Video. It's not clear yet if this is a temporary or permanent price-cut, so if you're interested, best order now just in case Amazon jacks it up again.
Amazon's Fire TV Stick arrives in the UK next month for £35
Google's Chromecast streaming dongle has proven to be quite the hit, but it does come with some drawbacks. There's no physical remote, for instance, and the lack of menus or any overarching UI can be alienating for some. Amazon took a swing at the idea last October with the Fire TV Stick, and after launching in the US it's ready to tackle the UK too. It'll begin shipping on April 15th, although Prime members can pre-order the device today for £19. That's a sizeable discount on the regular £35 asking price, which is just a smidge higher than Google's offering (£30) in the Play store. If you've been weighing up a new Prime subscription, this could be the time to take the plunge; the company will knock the stick down to £7 for anyone that's willing to sign up for a new 12-month membership.
