NEW Fire TV review
So I haven't figured out how to make Alexa clean my house like Cinderella...yet. But I'm working on it. In the meantime, I have figured out that she is much more than a glorified alarm clock or DJ. Although, you should know that alarms are "not currently supported on this device," like they are on the Echo. This is a more basic version of Alexa. It doesn't have her full functionality. You can, however, use the new Fire TV for shopping.
ABOUT ME
I'm not sure what the target demographic for this product is, but I am a professional female in my early thirties, who is in a committed relationship. That is a nice way of saying that my partying days are behind me and my boyfriend and I spend a lot of time binge watching stuff on the sofa. Yes. We are suburban couch potatoes. No shame here. Also, I am an Amazon Prime member, and we do have a 4k UHD TV.
I have a Fire Stick and the original Fire TV box. The Fire Stick is ok, but the graphics and speed cannot match the Fire TV.
DIMENSIONS, PORTABILITY, AND DESIGN
As for the device itself, it is much smaller than the old Fire TV.
The old one was 10 oz, 4.5" wide, 4.5" long, and 5/8" thick.
The new one is about 3 oz, 2.5” wide, 2.5” long, and 5/8” thick.
Although smaller and lighter than its predecessor, this version of the Fire TV is LESS portable than the previous version and this is why: It has a built-in HDMI cord that is only 3.75” long. Whereas the old version had a full HDMI cord and could be unplugged and moved without having to access the back of the TV, this item cannot. If you do not have any open HDMI ports on the front or side of your TV, you will need to access the back of your television to plug this in, where it will act as a dongle and probably remain until you throw the TV out. No idea how this placement will affect the ability to use the remote, although, the remote works most of the time with my Fire Stick, which has the same set up.
It connects via HDMI cable (attached, but you might need an extension HDMI cable) and plugs into a wall power outlet. You CANNOT plug the cord into a USB port on the TV. It will tell you that the device detects an insufficient power source. So, you need an actual electrical plug. The old version came with its own special cord and didn’t use a universal microUSB like the Fire Stick does. This version DOES use a micro USB cable, so if you move it or lose it, it isn’t the end of the world.
The remote is identical to the last version: 6" long, 1.5" wide, 1/2" thick and weighs 2.5 oz. If you were someone who HATED how the battery door on the remote opened, then bad news – this one is exactly the same. I never had that problem, but it was a common complaint in previous reviews. Although the remotes are identical, they are not interchangeable. They are assigned to each box specifically and you have to go into the menu to change them. Not sure how that can even be done without first having the remote, though.
The cord is 5 feet long, which is fine. But, the electric plug portion of the cord is long. This can’t easily be plugged into any plug that has an item in front of it that sits flush with the wall. If you don’t want to ruin the cord, you will need AT LEAST 3 inches of space between the wall and any other object.
CONNECTION AND SET UP
It connects quickly and easily to your Prime account because Amazon sends it to you already setup with the information. So, if you are buying it as a gift, you should specify that while you are checking out. However, during the set up process it does give you the option to change the account associated with the device. The problem is that your account is preloaded (if you don't specify it is a gift) and it doesn't require a password during set up. You can set up Amazon FreeTime and a pin on it, though, so you don't have to worry about your kids making unauthorized purchases, overusing it, or accessing questionable material.
During the setup it automatically updates the software and then asks you if you want to download any of their most popular apps. Oddly, Netflix is not listed as one of those apps, so when you are finished with the setup, just push the voice button and say “Netflix. It will take you directly to the download screen.
Please note: SOME apps have free content and others require a PAID subscription. Yet others require you to log into your cable provider’s account before being able to view the “free” content. So, if you are cord-cutting, there aren’t as many truly free options as you might first think.
AUDIO AND VIDEO
As for HD quality, it does provide a good image. I have a Samsung 6500 series 4K UHD LED TV, the curved version. The HD content is amazing. Also, it does process tasks faster than my Fire Stick, both of which are connected to Verizon Fios via Wifi. My Vizio 38” soundbar (with subwoofer and satellite speakers) just stopped working this week after only 1.5 years of normal use and no damage, so I can’t test the surround sound. I also don’t recommend the Vizio soundbar. It sounded great, but it should still be working and it isn’t. The previous Fire TV box was shipped without the ability to use surround sound in any of the apps (like Netflix). I’m going to assume Amazon wouldn’t make that same mistake twice.
VOICE CONTROL
However, the best part is definitely Alexa and the voice activated remote. You can say things like, "Alexa, show me comedic movies." It will take you to a list of comedies. You can access anything on the box, such as games and apps, but it is also a virtual search engine. You can ask, "What is the overnight weather forecast for San Diego, CA?"
It is fast, it is responsive, and best of all it is accurate. Accuracy is an issue with most of these voice operated items. There is a learning curve, but Alexa rarely gets mixed up or confused once she figures you out. There is definitely a period of time when it's almost like talking to an elderly patient who isn't weaing their hearing aid. "You think I'm too hairy?!" "No. I said to play Katy Perry!" That kind of thing. But, Alexa is a quick learner.
Once the initial awkward dating period is over and you get to know each other better, Alexa is great with Prime Music. Say, "Alexa, play Walk like an Egyptian,'' and she will. Prime music has no commercials, and you can listen to specific songs or even entire albums with a quick verbal command. Sometimes, Alexa is smarter than you are. I said, "Alexa, play the pop radio station." She responded with, "Playing the Top Pop Prime Station," and put it on. And maybe she knows that secretly you really don't like Katy Perry that much. Prime music also scrolls the words on the screen as the song plays.
COOL FUNCTIONS
Another cool thing is that it can connect to bluetooth items. So, let's say that you like to have peace and quiet when you sleep, but your boyfriend likes to fall asleep with the TV on. He can put on a pair of bluetooth ear buds and let you sleep. You can also project sound to bluetooth speakers, if you wanted to.
You can finally share items from devices other than a Kindle. By saving your media to your Amazon cloud account, you can easily transfer and view them on your TV.
Additionally, Alexa now has skills which enable you to ask her to do tasks involving your smart home devices. For instance, you can ask her to adjust your thermostat, or turn lights on or off. The skills have to be enabled in the Alexa app on your phone first.
Lastly, the Fire TV can now sync with your other Alexa-enabled devices. In the Alexa app on your phone, go to the Music, Videos, and Books tab. Then click on FireTV. Then click on Manage Devices. That will allow you to link whichever devices you choose. This IS compatible with the Tap, even though the Tap is the one Echo device that does not support multi-room music playing. So now, without even having the remote, I can say to the tap in my living room, “Alexa, play the Man in the High Castle” and the Fire TV will start playing it on my television.
WHAT IS MISSING
There is one thing I wish Alexa could do, but doesn't. I wish she had the ability to make VOIP emergency calls. There are all sorts of apps now that can make phone calls. I noticed that when the Echo came out, it was a huge hit with disabled people, like my mother who had a stroke and never learned how to use electronics. It would be really nice if you could say, "Alexa, call 911" or "Alexa, call my emergency contact." It would only have to store 911 and maybe 1-2 emergency numbers. And it could be a life saver, literally. Amazon already sends texts to your verified phone number regarding delivery. You could set the device to show your verified number as the caller ID number. You could prevent pranks or accidents by setting a code word. "Alexa, call 911, codeword: ambulance." I think that would be amazing, but that's just me.
Additonally, Echo devices are now able to call each other. So, you can call Grandma’s Echo with your Dot. But, the Fire TV does not have that capability. They are coming out with the Echo Connect in December 2017, which makes phone calls. But, it requires BOTH an Echo device AND home phone service, so for the life of me I can’t figure out why anyone would need it. It basically turns your home phone (which very few people use anymore) into a speakerphone on your Echo (but most phones have speakerphones now). Regardless, the FireTV is not an Echo device and it is unlikely the Echo Connect will ever work with it.
Lastly, it did not carry over my watchlist or progress from my other Fire TV, so I have to select the season and episode of the shows I am watching all over again. Not the biggest deal, but it would have been a nice convenience.
SUMMARY
If you need this mostly for Prime content, you will be very happy. If you are willing to pay for some reasonably-priced subscription-based services, you will be even happier. One star off for the silly HDMI cord setup and the oversized electrical plug that sticks out so far.
Sorry my review is practically a novel. If you were able to get through it, I hope it was useful. Feel free to leave any questions or comments. I always do my best to answer/respond.
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Smart Displays
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Smart Speakers
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Alexa on the go
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Fire Tablets
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Fire Kids Pro
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Fire Kids tablets
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Fire Plus tablets
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Tablet bundles
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Streaming Devices
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Smart TVs
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Companion Devices
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Kindle E-readers
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Kindle Bundles
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Household Robot
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Doorbells
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Security Systems
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Cameras
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Mobility
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Outdoor Lighting
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Smart Bulbs
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Appliances
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Wifi Systems
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Amazon Halo
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Halo Rise
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Halo View
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Halo Band
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Cloud Gaming
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Controller & Bundles
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Home Security
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Echo & Alexa
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Fire Tablets
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Kindle
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Fire TV
More Compact, Speedier, With HDR 4K
Reviewed in the United States on October 27, 2017
PREFACE: There seems to be a lot of angry and disappointed people reviewing this product. I have read a few of these reviews to try and understand their point of view, and they all seem to have the same general argument: that this Fire TV is not this or not that; they are comparing it to previous models or other products. They aren't reviewing it based on what it is, but what it isn't. It sounds like people complaining that an apple is not an orange, which seems a bit unfair.— REVIEW —The big question with this product is: do you need a Fire TV?With TVs getting smarter there are fewer people that need devices like a Fire TV. So ask yourself these three questions first:1) Is your TV Smart (does it already have apps built in)?2) Do you already have a Fire TV/Roku/Apple TV?3) Do you care about 4K?If you have a Smart TV and it has your apps, you don't need Fire TV.If you already have a device that you currently use, you don't need to upgrade, unless...If you care about 4K, then get a Fire TV with 4K. But, hold on...— DOES THIS REPLACE THE FIRE STICK OR THE FIRE TV? —Since this is called the Fire TV, it seems fair to assume that's what this product is replacing. Yet, it looks compact that it could be an upgraded TV Stick. Even still, there are rumors of a Fire TV Cube (that integrates Alexa) that I've seen photos of, that could be coming out soon.Personally, I think Amazon is headed towards at least three different levels of Fire TV, kind of like their Kindles. There will be a low-end with the TV Stick, the mid-range with this Fire TV, and probably a high-end with a Fire TV Cube. This would make the most sense and give people some options.*** HDR AND DOLBY VISION ***The selling point for this device is the HDR (High Dynamic Range). This basically means you have a fuller and bolder range of colors. If your old TV was a box of 8 crayons, then HDR is a box of 64 crayons, in terms of colors.HDR is a good thing, but, then we have something called Dolby Vision, which is an enhanced version of HDR (which you get with Apple TV). You have to Google to get the explanation. Dolby Vision is not on this Fire TV model. This isn't that big a deal as this is still a developing technology and you would need a Dolby Vision-enabled TV.— WHAT CAN IT DO —Fire TV can access video subscription services like Netflix, HBO Now, Hulu, etc, through apps you can download on the device. This gives you an all in one solution to your subscriptions.It also has Alexa to help with voice commands. You can search for movies this way, or just ask her to order some paper towels.You can download games and play with the remote.— WHAT IT CAN'T DO —It has 8GB of internal storage. For most people, that's more than enough to download the apps you need, but should you need more there is no option for expansion. This isn't the type of device for downloading and storing movies; that's what your mobile phones and tablets are for.Depending on if you use iTunes, you can't access your iTunes Movie/TV library. This was a big stinker for me. Apple TV 4K will soon get the ability to view Amazon Video, but not vice versa. The closest we've been to getting iTune is the creation of Movies Anywhere, launched October 2017.— MOVIES ANYWHERE —If you haven't already, get on Movies Anywhere and sync up all your online digital libraries. You can view your purchased movies from Amazon/Vudu/iTunes/Disney'Google all in *one place*. Once you sync them up, you can use the Movies Anywhere service to view your movies, or on whatever app you were using before. Buy one movie somewhere, watch it on any linked app! This is as close to world peace as we're going to get.— DESIGN —With this third generation, we see the first redesign. The box is now a small square block similar to a Chromecast. One side plugs into an HDMI input, the other to a power socket. I’m not sure about this hanging block design, if you were to plug it into the side of a TV, it could bend over time. (Luckily, I have a setup where I don’t have to worry about this.) Overall, the small package is convenient to set up or take on the go if needed.The remote feels nice and the design hasn't changed.Amazon removed the ethernet option, so if you need this you can buy a separate adapter for it. This makes the product thirty dollars cheaper, which is great for consumers who don't need it since most people are going full wireless. But it's available if needed.— INTERFACE —The horrible interface. I think we can all agree on that. I have a big library of purchased movies. I have to scroll through one long list to find what I want. I've learned to just ask Alexa for my specific titles. In my opinion, they need to revamp their user interface to be less tedious to use. It needs more focus on what people own, not what Amazon wants people to buy.— TWO FUTURE FEATURES REQUEST —Implement Dolby Vision, and give access to iTunes libraries in the future. My personal requests.— SUMMARY —I’ve been a fan of the Fire TV since the first box. Now that I have a very Smart HDTV, I'm switching to an Apple TV 4K which will give me full access to all my digital libraries everywhere.If you don't have an iTunes library, get a Fire TV. If you want your iTunes library, consider switching. Or you could wait to see if this mystery Fire TV Cube will be released and get that.
Reviewed in the United States on October 27, 2017
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