What is the Amazon Fire Stick and what can it do? The Amazon Fire Stick allows users to stream shows, movies, games, and music from the Internet directly to their TV. Similar to Google Chromecast or Apple TV, the Amazon Fire Stick plugs into the HDMI port on a TV to stream entertainment, including access to about 5,000 applications. The first version of the Fire Stick was released in 2014, the second in 2016. The second version of the device, Amazon Fire Stick with Alexa, utilizes the virtual assistant who can help search for apps or shows with the push of a button and voice commands. The Amazon Fire Stick also has a sister device that is more capable than the Amazon Fire Stick: the Amazon Fire TV.
Amazon Fire TV
While the Amazon Fire Stick is a small plug-in for a TV, the Amazon Fire TV is a small box that can plug in directly to a router for fast streaming. The box has more memory than the stick and has access to slightly more apps; many of these are games that require higher performance to play. The apps accessible by both the Amazon Fire Stick and Amazon Fire TV include:
- Music, like Pandora, and Spotify
- Games (many of these require the purchase of a separate gaming controller)
- Movie streaming such as Netflix and Hulu
- Cable channels, like Discovery, AMC, BET, etc.
- And many others including social media apps, basic utilities, and education based apps for adults and kids
While downloading an app is free, some require payment to use them. Acquiring the Amazon Fire TV or Stick does not give users automatic access to all entertainment, just like purchasing a TV requires subscribing to a cable company to access TV channels.
Amazon Fire TV 4K
For people looking to buy a new TV who are also considering purchasing the Amazon Fire Stick or Fire TV, the Amazon Fire TV 4K may be a good option. Amazon now sells a TV with Fire TV already integrated in. The television comes in 4 size options: 43”, 50”, 55”, and 65”. Amazon’s Alexa is integrated into the television, so a push of a button on the remote allows users to save time searching and typing and spend more time being entertained. The most comparable product to the Amazon Fire TV 4K is the 4K Roku TV. Unfortunately for Amazon, users seem to prefer the Roku because of its superior picture quality. Since both televisions give users roughly the same experience, Amazon will need to improve its product if they want users to purchase an Amazon Fire TV 4K over the Fire Stick.
Amazon Fire 7
It’s pretty clear that Amazon loves using the word “fire” after most their products. People asking, “what is the Amazon Fire Stick?” might actually be looking for the Amazon Fire 7. For users that want Amazon Fire’s capabilities but don’t have a TV or don’t want to integrate the software into their TV, the Amazon Fire 7 might be the next best option. The tablet comes with everything the Amazon Fire TV offers and more, but on a conveniently sized tablet. The tablet can be used to play games, read books and magazines, stream movies and TV shows, and even check the weather. The Amazon Fire 7 comes with Alexa integrated in, so you can just push a button to ask her a number of questions and search content for you. This feature is similar to Google Assistant or Siri on the iPhone. You can watch content on the screen of the tablet or transfer it to the television to watch movies or shows on a bigger screen. And bonus, if you are a prime member, you get unlimited access to what prime offers: lots of books, movies, music, and games. While the Amazon Fire 7 may be the best rated and most versatile of the Fire products, it’s clear the variety of Amazon products lets users use the quality products in a variety of settings and have access to millions of hours of content.