I'm getting mixed messages here. Amazon won't sell these devices because they don't allow Prime video streaming. Meanwhile, Amazon disabled Prime instant video on the Google TV, even though it's been working for several years. Do they want these devices to support Prime Instant Video or not?
Amazon Will Ban Sale of Apple, Google Video-Streaming Devices
481–490 of 545 posts
Re: Amazon Will Ban Sale of Apple, Google Video-Streaming Devices
#482They refuse to make the Prime Video app available on the Play Store, they refuse to add Chromecast support, and now they refuse to even sell Chromecast because of their own decision to not support it? I've just canceled my Prime subscription and I hope a few others do as well.
I just canceled mine as well.
Re: Amazon Will Ban Sale of Apple, Google Video-Streaming Devices
#483The other streaming devices won't go away. It will be a nice boost for Best Buy and other brick and mortar stores. While people are there, they can up sale on cables and stuff.
Re: Amazon Will Ban Sale of Apple, Google Video-Streaming Devices
#484Earlier quoted context omitted.
And their forcing you to install an app store shim that asks for ALL/ALL application rights is why they got booted to my "snoopy vendors only" Android profile: the one with zero human contact information. For those of us willing to put the time into it I'd love a cleaner way to containerize apps and firewall off personal information.
> "snoopy vendors only" Android profile That's a brilliant idea, especially now that the multi-user support works on phones in addition to tablets.
If you're willing to root your phone there's an xposed privacy framework that inserts itself between the OS and snoopy apps to allow finer access control.
http://repo.xposed.info/module/biz.bokhorst.xprivacy
This allows you discretion for apps you still wish to install but demand too many privileges.
Re: Amazon Will Ban Sale of Apple, Google Video-Streaming Devices
#485Earlier quoted context omitted.
And their forcing you to install an app store shim that asks for ALL/ALL application rights is why they got booted to my "snoopy vendors only" Android profile: the one with zero human contact information. For those of us willing to put the time into it I'd love a cleaner way to containerize apps and firewall off personal information.
That's interesting, I didn't know you could do that with Android. That is a hell of an awesome feature, coming from an iOS user. IMO, we'll almost be forced to maintain multiple identities in the future, and it's good to hear that Google is getting a jump on that trend. It makes sense, of course, considering that this approach will let Google -- but no one else -- know who all those identities point back to.
It's not in every Android distribution: for instance Samsung doesn't include it on their phones, but profiles are one of the benefits of running stock Android on a Nexus phone.
Re: Amazon Will Ban Sale of Apple, Google Video-Streaming Devices
#486Use standard technologies and no DRM garbage, and all devices will work with all services. But of course, some seem to never learn (i.e. video industry) and even try to use different feudal lock-ins for their dirty tactics.
Re: Amazon Will Ban Sale of Apple, Google Video-Streaming Devices
#487Earlier quoted context omitted.
Amazon's prices for the dry goods I buy (cereals, energy bars) are now often comparable or more expensive than buying locally here in Manhattan. (The grocery stores I am comparing are on my walk home from my subway stop) When I was in college Amazon had better prices on these products than my local stores in Iowa. This is why I'm much less excited about Amazon than I once was.
Do we know Amazon is actually offering the same prices to people in NYC and Iowa? Seems like they could maximize their profit by normalizing pricing to a user's regional cost of living.
they almost certainly aren't. in nyc people shop to optimize for time, not price.
Re: Amazon Will Ban Sale of Apple, Google Video-Streaming Devices
#488Earlier quoted context omitted.
Prime instant video always worked on Android. Amazon just didn't want you to use it because they wanted to sell you a tablet. Or a horribly overpriced clunky phone. Amazon now lets you use Prime instant video on your Android device, but there's a big catch. You have to manually install it from their site and allow untrusted apps on your phone to do so. And it's not just Prime instant video you're installing, you're i…
And while you can get it running, it doesn't support Chromecast because they want you to buy their own competing product. I can feel the Justice Department's Antitrust Division rumbling from here.
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Re: Amazon Will Ban Sale of Apple, Google Video-Streaming Devices
#489I don't think this move is in Amazon's best interests long term. Their competitive edge with Prime is that I go to them first because I assume they'll have what I want, at a fair price and the highest level of convenience. If they are no longer the "Everything Store" then they won't be where I go to for everything...
Exactly. I've ordered from Amazon more than 700 times in the last 5 years. I usually start my product search on Amazon, and if they have what I need and the price seems reasonable, I often won't even check NewEgg, Ebay, Google shopping, etc.
Intentionally reduce your selection for customer-hostile reasons like this and I probably move some of my product search traffic to start with Google shopping, which is bound to cost them more than what they make from the incremental video rental I might make. It's not like I'm not going to have multiple Apple TVs in my house anyway...
Re: Amazon Will Ban Sale of Apple, Google Video-Streaming Devices
#490Earlier quoted context omitted.
If I understand the news article correctly, streaming video players will be allowed as long as they support Amazon Video too. If that's a correct understanding, then it implies that Amazon would sell Chromecast or Apple TV again if those companies add support for Prime Video. I could be wrong though - this is based on the limited info in the article.
Amazon claims it's removing Apple TV and Chromecast because they don't support Amazon Video... but Amazon was the one who decided not to support Apple TV and Chromecast in the first place. Chromecast and Apple TV are more than popular enough to warrant app support, so it can't be a question of platform marketshare, either. (Chromecast support is so simple that the idea Amazon can't do it is laughable.) Android TV is…
Chromecast support is not really simple, considering Amazon probably uses a different DRM system than the one Google implemented.