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Amazon's answer to Apple TV: a Fire TV box with Alexa and 4K video support
The Verge ^ | September 17, 2015 09:00 am | By Lauren Goode

Posted on 09/17/2015 11:47:34 AM PDT by Swordmaker

Last week Apple sucked up most of the air in the tech press with its newest gadgets, which included a long-awaited, new Apple TV. This week, Amazon has some TV box news of its own.


The e-commerce giant just announced a variety of updates to its Fire TV product line. The newest Fire TV set-top box, a flat, plastic box that plugs into your TV and offers a variety of internet video content, now supports 4K Ultra HD video, a claim that Apple can't make with its own set-top box. (You'll have to be watching 4K content, on a 4K TV, to really reap the benefits of this, but at least the option is there.)

Amazon has also brought "Alexa," the popular cloud-based assistant found in the enigmatic Echo speaker, to the Fire TV through its voice-enabled remote control. Amazon previously supported voice search in its Fire TV remotes, but it didn't include Alexa.

Alexa can queue up music through the TV, and in the future, will power simple searches — "Alexa, play episode three of 'Transparent'". Eventually, she'll let you reorder Amazon.com items through your TV set. But Alexa on Fire TV won't do everything she does on the Echo speaker, like set timers or alarms.

(Excerpt) Read more at theverge.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Computers/Internet
KEYWORDS: 4kultrahd; 4kvideo; alexa; amazon; apple; appletv; cloudstorage; echospeaker; firetv; googletv; roku; siri; streamingvideo
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To: 4everontheRight
Ok...for the tech stups out there....includes me .....what exactly do all these things do??

The Amazon Fire TV, the Apple TV, and the Roku, are all set-top boxes that connect to the Internet via either Ethernet or WIFI to stream video content from a subscription from Netflix, Vudu, Apple's iTunes, Podcasts, AmazonPrime, Hulu, HBO Now, YouTube, Vimeo, various other streaming services, as well as rent on-demand movies and TV shows. Some of those services are now offering content that is not available from any other source, such as Amazon's Bosch based on John Connolly's novels featuring Heironymous Bosch, a LA Police Detective (Excellent). Some of the newer versions of these set-top boxes offer video gaming through downloadable apps available through an app store, access to the Web, buying services (Especially Amazon), and control of your appliances and house through your control panel. Some of the newer units have voice control and voice search for content.

The Apple TV allows mirroring of Apple devices including Mac computers, iPhones and iPads, as well as playing games available on those devices on a big screen TV with multiple players using multiple devices, through AirPlay. Games played on the device can be switched seamlessly to the big screen without losing place or interruption, and vice-verse. Similarly, movies resident on the storage or HDs of those devices can be played through Apple TV with sound and full 1080HD via AirPlay.

The Roku can do some of that from Android and iOS devices, but more limited through apps available on both platforms.

Same for the Amazon Fire. . .

21 posted on 09/17/2015 1:52:31 PM PDT by Swordmaker ( This tag line is a Microsoft insult free zone... but if the insults to Mac users continue...)
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To: Swordmaker

Wonder if I can hook it up to my 1982 Zenith console or my 1969 Sony black and white?


22 posted on 09/17/2015 2:38:32 PM PDT by Nowhere Man ("I wish we were back in the world of Andy Williams." - My mother, 1938-2013, RIP)
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To: Nowhere Man
Wonder if I can hook it up to my 1982 Zenith console or my 1969 Sony black and white?

I think the outputs on all of these are HDMI intended for HD TVs. . . so no.

23 posted on 09/17/2015 2:40:45 PM PDT by Swordmaker ( This tag line is a Microsoft insult free zone... but if the insults to Mac users continue...)
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To: Nowhere Man
Wonder if I can hook it up to my 1982 Zenith console or my 1969 Sony black and white?

Roku still makes boxes with composite video outputs. Add an inexpensive RF modulator, and you're good to go. You might also need a 75-300 ohm adapter for the Sony.

24 posted on 09/17/2015 8:20:02 PM PDT by ReignOfError
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To: Covenantor

I guess so. If you enable it.


25 posted on 09/17/2015 8:29:56 PM PDT by for-q-clinton (If at first you don't succeed keep on sucking until you do succeed)
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To: for-q-clinton

I’m trying to understand how Cortana knows you are in the Target store. Did you have to enter data, such as way point and then GPS function activates Cortana when the way point is reached?

Does Target know that you are in the store via your phone broadcasting signal?

Just curious....


26 posted on 09/17/2015 9:18:11 PM PDT by Covenantor ("Men are ruled-...by liars who refuse them news, and by fools who cannot govern." Chesterton)
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To: Covenantor

GPS and cell phone triangulation.


27 posted on 09/17/2015 9:39:18 PM PDT by for-q-clinton (If at first you don't succeed keep on sucking until you do succeed)
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To: for-q-clinton

Ahh....thanks


28 posted on 09/17/2015 9:43:06 PM PDT by Covenantor ("Men are ruled-...by liars who refuse them news, and by fools who cannot govern." Chesterton)
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To: Swordmaker

4K support is nice on the hardware side; I’ll still stick with Roku (the stick and the box).


29 posted on 09/18/2015 10:14:30 AM PDT by SunkenCiv (What do we want? REGIME CHANGE! When do we want it? NOW)
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