Amazon’s foray into the world of media streaming devices has been generally well-received. The accessible price of the Fire TV along with Amazon’s ever-increasing content selection has made it a very popular choice among cord-cutters.
It seems like new iterations of the Fire TV, Fire TV Stick, and a number of other peripherals and devices are being released every year. Trying to keep up with the likes of Google is no easy task.
If you’re in the market for a Fire TV Stick but don’t know where to start, here’s a breakdown of the newest versions on the market.
A Brief History of Fire TV
- Product Images - Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K. All-new Alexa Voice Remote, Flat. Jpg file 1.7MB; 3250 x 3250 pixels. All-new Alexa Voice Remote, Right. Jpg file 1.0MB; 3250 x 3250 pixels. All-new Alexa Voice Remote, Straight. Jpg file 1.3MB; 3250 x 3250 pixels. Fire TV Stick 4K, Flat. Jpg file 0.5MB; 3250 x 3250 pixels.
- Connect the Fire Stick to power. Make sure the Fire Stick's micro-USB power cord is plugged into the Fire Stick and the other end of the USB cord is attached to the included power adapter and plugged into an open power outlet. If your TV has an open USB port, you can plug it into the TV directly instead of using the included adapter.
- Set your Fire TV or Fire TV Stick screensaver. From your Amazon Photos mobile app, tap the “More” tab. Tap “Personalize Echo Show & Fire TV” Tap the Fire TV that you want to personalize; Enable Daily Memories or tap ‘Add More Collections’ to select one of your existing collections as your screensaver. Or, from your Fire TV.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/68485134/NewFireTV.0.jpg "Google photos on amazon fire stick")
The very first Fire TV was released in 2014. Apple TV and Roku were starting to see a lot of traction among early cord-cutters and Amazon felt that they needed to join the party.
Amazon recognised that I've been watching prime video on an Xbox 360, which they are cutting support for in September. They have offered me a discount on a fire TV stick 4k 2018 version. I don't have a 4k TV so I'm wondering if I'd be better off with the newer non 4k fire TV stick with Alexa. 62 amazon fire stick stock photos are available royalty-free. Amazon Fire TV stick. MONTREAL, CANADA - NOVEMBER 7, 2017: Amazon Fire TV stick. Amazon Fire TV Stick is a low cost version in a HDMI-stick format of Amazon Fire. Apple TV and Amazon Fire TV Stick 4k in close-up - CITY OF FRANKFURT, GERMANY - MARCH 29, 2021.
Fire Stick Image
Like its competitors, the Fire TV was a machine with relatively humble internals. It wasn’t meant to compete with gaming consoles but it had some gaming capabilities and a controller accessory.
The popularity of the Fire TV grew quickly. It was fueled mostly by the increasing adoption of Amazon’s Prime Video service. Amazon didn’t dawdle, releasing the second-generation Fire TV the following year. They improved just about everything that could be improved, including the processor and chipset. Most importantly, the new Fire TV supported 4K viewing.
The Newest Fire TV in 2021
Over the years Amazon has expanded its Fire TV lineup. The more popular option is of course the Fire Stick, but even that model has a couple of different iterations. There’s also a cube. In this section, we’ll review the most current models of the Fire TV in 2021.
Amazon Fire Stick (3rd Generation)
The newest, most feature packed Fire Stick, is the 3rd Generation.
The 3rd Generation Fire Stick is faster than the 2nd generation and with a fifty percent increase in power and full HD streaming. The first thing you may notice if you’re familiar with the older devices is that the 3rd Generations’ remote is much different from older models. This Fire remote comes with a power button, four app buttons, and of course, it’s integrated with Alexa Voice.
The Alexa Voice function allows users to quickly search for content with the touch of the blue Alexa icon at the top of the remote. This is a much more convenient option than was available on some of the older models.
Of course, this newest generation does support the Dolby Atmos audio and 1080p full HD video quality. Similar to most other Fire TV devices, the third generation also has 8GB memory for applications.
The price tag on this device is only $39.99 and supports most streaming applications and services.
Amazon’s Fire TV Cube
The Fire TV Cube is similar to the Fire Stick only because it is a streaming device. Aside from that, the 2nd Generation Cube is a feature-rich home entertainment solution.
If you’ve stumbled across this device while browsing Amazon, you’ve surely noticed both the device and the price tag are much larger than all of the other Fire TV devices. That’s because this isn’t just a streaming device. It’s also an Alexa device and command center for your entertainment devices.
From your television to your soundbar, the 2nd generation of the Fire Cube adds Alexa’s functionality to other devices. For example, if you’re still using a cable box the Fire Cube will let you control what channels you’re watching and the volume with Alexa Voice.
The Fire TV Cube supports 4K streaming, has Dolby Atmos Audio functionality, and holds 16GB of storage as opposed to other Fire TV devices, and full Ethernet support. Of course, so much functionality comes with a larger price tag. You can order the Fire TV Cube on Amazon for $119.99.
Amazon Fire Stick 4K
Although this isn’t one of the newest devices, it is worth mentioning the 2nd Generation Fire Stick with 4K streaming capabilities.
This Fire Stick supports Alexa Voice, the Dolby Atmos Sound function, and 8GB of memory. Similar to the 3rd generation Fire Stick, you can pick this one up for only $39.99 on Amazon.
Keep Your Fire Going
There’s probably more here than you wanted to know about the Fire TV Stick. Unfortunately, Amazon confused the situation in an attempt to cannibalize its own product.
The latest generation of the Fire TV Stick is the 3rd Generation with Alexa remote, but that doesn’t mean it should be your first choice when purchasing a streaming device. Although it is an excellent product, those who want 4K streaming may want to go with one of the other options we’ve listed. If you want more integration the 2nd Generation Fire TV Cube is a great place to start.
Amazon’s foray into the world of media streaming devices has been generally well-received. The accessible price of the Fire TV along with Amazon’s ever-increasing content selection has made it a very popular choice among cord-cutters.
It seems like new iterations of the Fire TV, Fire TV Stick, and a number of other peripherals and devices are being released every year. Trying to keep up with the likes of Google is no easy task.
If you’re in the market for a Fire TV Stick but don’t know where to start, here’s a breakdown of the newest versions on the market.
A Brief History of Fire TV
The very first Fire TV was released in 2014. Apple TV and Roku were starting to see a lot of traction among early cord-cutters and Amazon felt that they needed to join the party.
Like its competitors, the Fire TV was a machine with relatively humble internals. It wasn’t meant to compete with gaming consoles but it had some gaming capabilities and a controller accessory.
The popularity of the Fire TV grew quickly. It was fueled mostly by the increasing adoption of Amazon’s Prime Video service. Amazon didn’t dawdle, releasing the second-generation Fire TV the following year. They improved just about everything that could be improved, including the processor and chipset. Most importantly, the new Fire TV supported 4K viewing.
The Newest Fire TV in 2021
Over the years Amazon has expanded its Fire TV lineup. The more popular option is of course the Fire Stick, but even that model has a couple of different iterations. There’s also a cube. In this section, we’ll review the most current models of the Fire TV in 2021.
Amazon Fire Stick (3rd Generation)
The newest, most feature packed Fire Stick, is the 3rd Generation.
The 3rd Generation Fire Stick is faster than the 2nd generation and with a fifty percent increase in power and full HD streaming. The first thing you may notice if you’re familiar with the older devices is that the 3rd Generations’ remote is much different from older models. This Fire remote comes with a power button, four app buttons, and of course, it’s integrated with Alexa Voice.
The Alexa Voice function allows users to quickly search for content with the touch of the blue Alexa icon at the top of the remote. This is a much more convenient option than was available on some of the older models.
Of course, this newest generation does support the Dolby Atmos audio and 1080p full HD video quality. Similar to most other Fire TV devices, the third generation also has 8GB memory for applications.
The price tag on this device is only $39.99 and supports most streaming applications and services.
Amazon’s Fire TV Cube
The Fire TV Cube is similar to the Fire Stick only because it is a streaming device. Aside from that, the 2nd Generation Cube is a feature-rich home entertainment solution.
If you’ve stumbled across this device while browsing Amazon, you’ve surely noticed both the device and the price tag are much larger than all of the other Fire TV devices. That’s because this isn’t just a streaming device. It’s also an Alexa device and command center for your entertainment devices.
From your television to your soundbar, the 2nd generation of the Fire Cube adds Alexa’s functionality to other devices. For example, if you’re still using a cable box the Fire Cube will let you control what channels you’re watching and the volume with Alexa Voice.
The Fire TV Cube supports 4K streaming, has Dolby Atmos Audio functionality, and holds 16GB of storage as opposed to other Fire TV devices, and full Ethernet support. Of course, so much functionality comes with a larger price tag. You can order the Fire TV Cube on Amazon for $119.99.
Amazon Fire Stick 4K
Although this isn’t one of the newest devices, it is worth mentioning the 2nd Generation Fire Stick with 4K streaming capabilities.
This Fire Stick supports Alexa Voice, the Dolby Atmos Sound function, and 8GB of memory. Similar to the 3rd generation Fire Stick, you can pick this one up for only $39.99 on Amazon.
How To Put Pictures On Amazon Fire Stick
Keep Your Fire Going
There’s probably more here than you wanted to know about the Fire TV Stick. Unfortunately, Amazon confused the situation in an attempt to cannibalize its own product.
Amazon Fire Stick Walmart
The latest generation of the Fire TV Stick is the 3rd Generation with Alexa remote, but that doesn’t mean it should be your first choice when purchasing a streaming device. Although it is an excellent product, those who want 4K streaming may want to go with one of the other options we’ve listed. If you want more integration the 2nd Generation Fire TV Cube is a great place to start.