Amazon will soon be releasing its Amazon Fire TV stick, which is designed to combat the Google Chromecast and Roku Stick. It costs $39.99, although Amazon did offer Prime members a $19 special for the first day or two of preorders. The device is supposed to arrive on November 19th, although high demand has apparently made all new orders not ready to ship until January 1, 2015. individuals that ordered the stick early enough should get there's on or right after November 19. It does everything the Chromecast does while also offering some games and does come with a remote control. Still, it's $10 more than the Chromecast on Amazon's own site, and people probably won't latch onto this stick compared to the alternatives that came before.
I would personally be more inclined to stick with the Roku stick, since it's not tied to either Google or Amazon. Plus it's worth keeping in mind that Amazon recently bombed with their entry into the smartphone market, and their tablet has only had mediocre success. Similarly Google bombed their first foray into internet TV set top devices, and while the Chromecast has been much better received, it's dictated more by Google's own agenda with their other services, whereas Roku is focusing on doing one thing right, and not trying to build some empire like Google is. I really like the quality and the build of all the Roku products I have used to date. The Chromecast looks a bit hokey the way it plugs into everything - there are actually more wires to it than they show in the promotional materials.
I have been thinking about ordering one of these sticks since I have amazon Prime. I think in the long run a system like this rather it is from Amazon or somewhere else would be cheaper then getting a subscription with your local cable company.
I am thinking of getting this I just happened to come across it on Amazon.com and I'm pretty impressed. To be honest, I'm impressed with everything Amazon makes and sells. I have a Kindle and I love it. I'm thinking of also upgrading to the HDX!
The Kindle Fire tablets are great devices, though the high end version blows the lesser models out of the water. The Fire TV Stick has great reviews so far. Not everyone is thrilled about how the OS works or how it promotes Amazon's services more than anything else. That's to be expected from a company like Google or Amazon for obvious reasons. I have no issues with it.
Then I'd rather stick with Kindle Fire (not that I have one but been meaning to buy it in the not so distant future). I don't really have any use for the Fire TV Stick for now. My PC alone suffices. I mean, I have to be subscribed to the aforementioned subscriptions and streaming services but if I don't have an account, I'd still have to pay to become a member. How is this any different from using your own computer or laptop to watch shows and movies through Netflix, BBC, Vevo, Vimeo and the like?
I bought my mom this for her birthday and she LOVES it. She isn't the most technically proficient person, but once she figured it out, she uses it all the time to binge watch stuff on Netflix. I think she might have bought a subscription to Hulu just because of it. It's been well worth what I paid.
I have Netflix and Hulu which I watch on the tv using the ps3 station or on my computer. I am not sure I would purchase on of the other streaming devices yet, maybe in the future I can see a use for it but I don't really look at tv or watch movies that much.
