Amazon's $99 FireTV media streamer
[MUSIC] [MUSIC]
I'm David Carnoy, Executive Editor CNET.com and I'm here with Amazon's new Fire TV. I'm David Carnoy, Executive Editor CNET.com and I'm here with Amazon's new Fire TV.
This is a $99 streaming media box. This is a $99 streaming media box.
It does music, video and games. It does music, video and games.
Amazon has talked about how this is an open ecosystem so, it not only has Amazon video on it, but it also has Netflix. Amazon has talked about how this is an open ecosystem so, it not only has Amazon video on it, but it also has Netflix.
And a host of other partners and it does have some games as well. And a host of other partners and it does have some games as well.
You can buy an optional $39.99 game controller that's designed to work with Amazon's Kindle Fire games. You can buy an optional $39.99 game controller that's designed to work with Amazon's Kindle Fire games.
You can purchase a game on a Kindle Fire for instance and use it on this box or you can buy it separately on this box. You can purchase a game on a Kindle Fire for instance and use it on this box or you can buy it separately on this box.
It taps right into your Amazon account so the day you set this up all your content, those movies you might have download or music, will appear on this box. It taps right into your Amazon account so the day you set this up all your content, those movies you might have download or music, will appear on this box.
It obviously does Amazon Instant Video and prime members will have a lot of free content to choose from. It obviously does Amazon Instant Video and prime members will have a lot of free content to choose from.
In terms of connectivity, around back you'll find an HDMI connection, there's also a USB port, that's for future expansion it's just there. In terms of connectivity, around back you'll find an HDMI connection, there's also a USB port, that's for future expansion it's just there.
There's also an ethernet connection if you don't wanna go wireless. There's also an ethernet connection if you don't wanna go wireless.
This is a wireless box just like Apple TV. This is a wireless box just like Apple TV.
It has wireless in it. It has wireless in it.
In terms of specs, Amazon has count effected it's three times faster than competing products out there from Roku, Apple and, that, that Google Chrome cast. In terms of specs, Amazon has count effected it's three times faster than competing products out there from Roku, Apple and, that, that Google Chrome cast.
So, it's got a Quad-core Qualcom Snapdragon processor in it. So, it's got a Quad-core Qualcom Snapdragon processor in it.
It also comes with two gigabytes of internal RAM. It also comes with two gigabytes of internal RAM.
All that processing power does make the interface very smooth and zippy. All that processing power does make the interface very smooth and zippy.
So, performance is really good. So, performance is really good.
The other big differentiator is the voice search. The other big differentiator is the voice search.
The remote that comes with this box has a microphone built into and you can search using your voice. The remote that comes with this box has a microphone built into and you can search using your voice.
You can search in a number of different categories including title, actor and genre. You can search in a number of different categories including title, actor and genre.
So, it does away with all of these sort of typing in letters that you have to do with a little remote. So, it does away with all of these sort of typing in letters that you have to do with a little remote.
All in all I've been impressed what I've seen so far. All in all I've been impressed what I've seen so far.
This does seem like a big leap forward from what Apple TV is today. This does seem like a big leap forward from what Apple TV is today.
And, at $99, it's obviously designed to compete with that. And, at $99, it's obviously designed to compete with that.
We will have a full review in the coming days, so tune back for that. We will have a full review in the coming days, so tune back for that.
I'm David Carnoy, thank's for watching. I'm David Carnoy, thank's for watching.
[MUSIC] [MUSIC]
[MUSIC] [MUSIC]
I'm David Carnoy, Executive Editor CNET.com and I'm here with Amazon's new Fire TV. I'm David Carnoy, Executive Editor CNET.com and I'm here with Amazon's new Fire TV.
This is a $99 streaming media box. This is a $99 streaming media box.
It does music, video and games. It does music, video and games.
Amazon has talked about how this is an open ecosystem so, it not only has Amazon video on it, but it also has Netflix. Amazon has talked about how this is an open ecosystem so, it not only has Amazon video on it, but it also has Netflix.
And a host of other partners and it does have some games as well. And a host of other partners and it does have some games as well.
You can buy an optional $39.99 game controller that's designed to work with Amazon's Kindle Fire games. You can buy an optional $39.99 game controller that's designed to work with Amazon's Kindle Fire games.
You can purchase a game on a Kindle Fire for instance and use it on this box or you can buy it separately on this box. You can purchase a game on a Kindle Fire for instance and use it on this box or you can buy it separately on this box.
It taps right into your Amazon account so the day you set this up all your content, those movies you might have download or music, will appear on this box. It taps right into your Amazon account so the day you set this up all your content, those movies you might have download or music, will appear on this box.
It obviously does Amazon Instant Video and prime members will have a lot of free content to choose from. It obviously does Amazon Instant Video and prime members will have a lot of free content to choose from.
In terms of connectivity, around back you'll find an HDMI connection, there's also a USB port, that's for future expansion it's just there. In terms of connectivity, around back you'll find an HDMI connection, there's also a USB port, that's for future expansion it's just there.
There's also an ethernet connection if you don't wanna go wireless. There's also an ethernet connection if you don't wanna go wireless.
This is a wireless box just like Apple TV. This is a wireless box just like Apple TV.
It has wireless in it. It has wireless in it.
In terms of specs, Amazon has count effected it's three times faster than competing products out there from Roku, Apple and, that, that Google Chrome cast. In terms of specs, Amazon has count effected it's three times faster than competing products out there from Roku, Apple and, that, that Google Chrome cast.
So, it's got a Quad-core Qualcom Snapdragon processor in it. So, it's got a Quad-core Qualcom Snapdragon processor in it.
It also comes with two gigabytes of internal RAM. It also comes with two gigabytes of internal RAM.
All that processing power does make the interface very smooth and zippy. All that processing power does make the interface very smooth and zippy.
So, performance is really good. So, performance is really good.
The other big differentiator is the voice search. The other big differentiator is the voice search.
The remote that comes with this box has a microphone built into and you can search using your voice. The remote that comes with this box has a microphone built into and you can search using your voice.
You can search in a number of different categories including title, actor and genre. You can search in a number of different categories including title, actor and genre.
So, it does away with all of these sort of typing in letters that you have to do with a little remote. So, it does away with all of these sort of typing in letters that you have to do with a little remote.
All in all I've been impressed what I've seen so far. All in all I've been impressed what I've seen so far.
This does seem like a big leap forward from what Apple TV is today. This does seem like a big leap forward from what Apple TV is today.
And, at $99, it's obviously designed to compete with that. And, at $99, it's obviously designed to compete with that.
We will have a full review in the coming days, so tune back for that. We will have a full review in the coming days, so tune back for that.
I'm David Carnoy, thank's for watching. I'm David Carnoy, thank's for watching.
[MUSIC] [MUSIC]
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