The All-New Amazon Fire TV with 4K Ultra HD
Previously known for cheap books and poor customer service, Amazon has transformed like a phoenix from the Kindle Fire into one of our most innovative and ambitious technology companies, with customer service at its forefront. It would have been easy to dismiss Amazon’s foray into the tablet market but bold moves like this, as well as swallowing Love Film and spewing it up as Amazon Prime Video are strokes of genius. Prime Video for example started off has a bonus added to their delivery service, but despite the price hike has overtaken Netflix as the streaming service of choice in my household. I’m also keeping a keen eye on Amazon Prime Music, waiting for the right to jump ship from Spotify – after all I’m already paying for it, the content just isn’t there yet.
As an Apple TV owner looking forward to the release of the app store boasting v4.0, it’s with keen interest that I see Amazon’s latest Fire TV box is receiving rave reviews. Key features include 75% more processing power, 4K UHD capabilities, voice control, as well app favs Netflix, BBC iPlayer, YouTube, ITV Player, Demand 5 and BBC Sport – unfortunately Now TV and Spotify are conspicuous by their absence but will hopefully arrive soon. The box also arrives pre-configured to your purchasing Amazon account, a very neat and original idea, designed to make your life easier and get you spending. The only question for many will be “how many devices that do pretty much the same thing (Chromecast, Apple TV, Smart TVs, Games Consoles) do you need in your life”? For me, maybe one or two more.