You really can't go wrong with the Amazon Fire TV Stick. It fuses together ease of use with all the essential content in a package that gives you a big bang for your buck.
Pro:
- Quick at accessing content.
- Great contextual text and voice search using Alexa.
- Good picture quality.
- Excellent app integration and availability.
- Doesn't require an Amazon Echo to work.
Cons:
- Few TV USBs will power it so you need to use the adapter.
- Many smart TVs offer access to all these apps and services anyway (minus the Alexa voice control).
Video streaming dongles have been successful partly because they provide a cheap and cheerful way to turn a dumb TV into a smart one. The Chromecast Ultra, Roku Express and original Amazon Fire TV Stick are often adopted because they are easy, mostly invisible options to add apps and online services to televisions that didn't have the capability themselves.
It's a media streaming device with the benefits of Alexa voice recognition and interactivity included for good measure. It is, in essence, an Amazon Echo for your telly. But is it any good?
All about voice control:
- Built-in Alexa voice-control.
- 86 x 30 x 12.6mm; 32g
- Connects via HDMI.
Amazon's virtual assistant has been taking over the world in recent years, with many third-party products supporting Alexa either directly, by offering voice control, or indirectly, by performing smart home functions such as turning the lights on or off (at your request, not randomly).
There's no doubt that there are better, more powerful media streamers in set-top-box form out there - Amazon's own Fire TV Cube and 4K Fire TV Stick for starters - but the simplicity of the Fire TV Stick makes it a great option for a second TV or those with a Full HD resolution (not 4K) main set. It's also considerably cheaper than many alternatives on the market.
The Stick offers an excellent user interface, including Alexa support for voice-control - which is an especially welcome addition, with its visual cue cards adding to the experience. And you don't need an Amazon Echo for it to all work, nor a Prime subscription - although we suspect you'll want the latter for the best experience.
You really can't go wrong with the Amazon Fire TV Stick as your one-stop shop for all streaming content. Alexa looks like she's on cue to rule the world.
