Amazon Fire TV: 3X Faster Than Apple TV, Voice Search
Amazon has sold millions of set-top boxes, such as the Roku and Google Chromecast, but now the company is stepping into the arena itself with the Amazon Fire TV. The device is thinner than a dime yet boasts three times the performance of Apple TV. And you can search for content with your voice.
The Fire TV sports a quad-core processor with a dedicated GPU, 2GB of RAM (2X to 4X more than competing devices) and state-of-the-art MIMO Wi-Fi for "screaming" wireless performance.
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Amazon will also bundle a slick Bluetooth remote with six buttons and a directional pad. The interface itself is very slick and sported smooth scrolling during a quick on-stage demo. Best of all, the remote lets you search for content using your voice, whether it's a TV show or actor.
Content partners inlcude Netflix, Hulu Plus, Watch ESPN, Vimeo, NBA and multiple other providers.
Amazon wanted to address certain areas of frustration for customers around streaming devices. First was searching for content, which has been too difficult with clunky on-screen keyboards. Amazon is also trying to speed up performance, whether it's navigating through menus or just trying to avoid the dreaded spinning circle when streaming content.
All of your content is only a couple clicks away, and Amazon is using Whispersync to keep all your content in sync across multiple devices. A new ASAP feature anticipates what you're going to watch and cues up shows and movies instantly.
If you have the Amazon Cloud Drive app on your smartphone, your pics will automatically upload to the Fire TV in the Photos menu. Other software goodies include X-ray for movies, which allows you to look up info on what you're watching on the fly. Amazon is also bundling its music service, which includes lyrics support.
Overall, Amazon's Fire TV looks blazing fast and smart, even if it doesn't have the broad content selection of Roku.
Mark Spoonauer is the editor in chief of Tom's Guide. Follow him on Twitter at @mspoonauer. Follow Tom's Guide at @tomsguide, on Facebook and on Google+.
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