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Amazon Fire TV

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Re: Amazon Fire TV

#171

Post by Touche »

alexeisadeski3 wrote: post #129
declan wrote: post #96

This is a reasonable answer to Apple TV. If you have videos on or subscriptions to iTunes, Netflix, and Amazon Prime (as I do), there's no box I'm aware of that will let you watch all three. So you end up using your Apple TV and then Roku or another box -- the Playstation 3 in my living room takes a long time to boot, and a long time to load the Netflix app, draws quite a bit of power, and is overkill for merely watc…

Apple TV lets you watch all three (iTunes, Netflix, and Amazon Prime). Airplay is a thing.

* Requires $500+ companion device.

Re: Amazon Fire TV

#172

Post by spinchange »

untog wrote: post #99
paulyg wrote: post #87

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yet Chromecast solves those issues too. Searching for content is done on website or on existing app, so its only difficult or slow as website or app is.

Yes and no. Chromecast requires you having another device to use with it. Grabbing my phone, opening the Netflix app, choosing to Chromecast, searching for a show, hitting play then waiting ~30 seconds for the Chromecast to actually play is not a good user experience. I use my Roku almost exclusively now.

Your Chromecast takes 30 seconds to load content? In our house someone pretty much always has either their phone, tablet, or laptop nearby and with the HDMI-CEC, you don't even have to find the TV remote to switch inputs, you just queue up want you to want to watch and it plays. And then people can take turns with their respective devices (if you're watching YouTube videos or playing music, etc.)

We also have a Roku and used that before the Chromecast, but the Chromecast is more popular with everyone (kids) in the house for the aforementioned reason of communal use. It's like the Nexus Q was supposed to be, but for video.

Re: Amazon Fire TV

#173

Post by [deleted] »

paulyg wrote: post #168
programminggeek wrote: post #84

This is pretty much what Google TV should have been all along, but Google cares too much about web search and not enough about what people actually want to do on a TV - watch shows and play games. The gaming aspect of this will make it a winner. OUYA's big problem is that it didn't do streaming and was a bit clunky. Amazon has a big game library and just needs controller support. As a parent, a $100 streaming box and…

If you look back at the timetable, Google realized the Chromecast was a better direction then Google TV and but all efforts into Chromecast. That's why I'm really disappointed Amazon choose to create yet another platform for companies to develop apps and games for instead of building on one already in place. Games work just fine on my phone and tablet. So does searching for content. I say that as a parent that has be…

[deleted]

Re: Amazon Fire TV

#175

Post by tehwebguy »

I think this will be huge.

It will only take one great game for this thing to pop. With a system that enough users will have in the living room someone is going to put together a fun free-to-play FPS and that will be enough for it to be the clear winner over AppleTV / Chromecast.

Voice search is a big deal if it works the way I think it does. TV is easy, everyone knows how to use one and how to find what they want to watch. Navigating between Netflix, Hulu, Instant, iTunes, Cruncyroll, NBC ... is a pain. Even on my AppleTV navigating Netflix alone is the worst.

Re: Amazon Fire TV

#176

Post by dankoss »

bratsche wrote: post #139
downandout wrote: post #107

Earlier quoted context omitted.

With screen mirroring, Apple TV offers the ability to play any game in the App Store on a TV wirelessly without having to buy a controller. That game library will likely always be larger than this one. Granted, you must have an iPhone or iPad, but I am surprised that Apple does not tout this feature more. I use it daily and it is pretty awesome.

If AppleTV let me watch Amazon Prime video it would be perfect. I use Amazon Prime and Hulu+ for TV, and right now the only device I have that lets me watch both is my PS3, and its UI sucks (plus it's constantly requiring me to download updates).

Amazon added this about six months ago, but it requires another iOS device:

http://techcrunch.com/2013/09/17/amazons-instant-video-app-a...

Re: Amazon Fire TV

#177

Post by sosborn »

bratsche wrote: post #139
downandout wrote: post #107

Earlier quoted context omitted.

With screen mirroring, Apple TV offers the ability to play any game in the App Store on a TV wirelessly without having to buy a controller. That game library will likely always be larger than this one. Granted, you must have an iPhone or iPad, but I am surprised that Apple does not tout this feature more. I use it daily and it is pretty awesome.

If AppleTV let me watch Amazon Prime video it would be perfect. I use Amazon Prime and Hulu+ for TV, and right now the only device I have that lets me watch both is my PS3, and its UI sucks (plus it's constantly requiring me to download updates).

Constantly?

http://us.playstation.com/support/systemupdates/ps3/history/

Re: Amazon Fire TV

#178

Post by notatoad »

angryasian wrote: post #115
notatoad wrote: post #70

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The problem is that gaming is hard. Look at the ouya disaster. If you want to build a successful gaming product, you need a big developer relations team and a bunch of good first party titles to kick things off. If amazon was really trying to build a gaming console here, they needed to announce with some compelling games. as it is, nobody is going to spend the extra 40 for the controller without any games and nobody…

ouya only supported selected games. If this box supports all games along with emulators and top tier games, it may be a different outcome.

Ouya only supported selected games because games designed for a touchscreen interface are hard to play on a TV and with a gamepad. Amazon can support all games if they want to, but they're going to run into the same problem where most of them suck.

Re: Amazon Fire TV

#180

Post by jawngee »

brewdad wrote: post #152
alexeisadeski3 wrote: post #129

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Apple TV lets you watch all three (iTunes, Netflix, and Amazon Prime). Airplay is a thing.

Amazon Prime is not on Apple TV. That's why I have a Roku sitting next to my Apple TV.

I actually AirPlay amazon prime to Apple TV from my iPhone. In Vietnam, playing anything off the iTunes store can be a lengthy process but somehow Amazon is almost always instantaneous.
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