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The
third-generation Amazon Fire TV Stick was first released in 2020 but was
re-issued in 2021 with new remote control.
It contains
handy TV controls that the Fire TV Stick Lite lacks, such as specific Netflix,
Amazon Prime Video, Disney+, and Amazon Music buttons. The microphone button
has also been changed to a blue color with an Alexa branding.
The Stick
itself hasn't changed in the 2021 edition, it's still the same third-generation
model with a 50 percent more powerful processor than the 2019 2nd-gen model.
PRICE
The Fire TV
Stick has the same price as before, at $39.99, which is $10 less than the 4K
version and $10 more than the Lite variant. If you manage to come across this
3rd-gen Firestick on sale, it'll almost certainly be a better deal than the 4K
model - unless it's also on sale.
DESIGN
When you open
the box, you'll see a well-organized collection of accessories. There's the
Fire TV Stick (2020) streaming device itself, as well as a short (yet
malleable) extension cable for getting the stick into tight spots behind a
television.
Two Amazon
Basics AAA batteries for the Alexa voice control are included, as well as a
charger to plug the streamer into (via micro USB).
The streaming
stick is a plain black slab about the size of a tiny candy bar that connects to
a TV via HDMI 2.0 and measures 86 x 30 x 13mm.
It has the same
design as the Fire TV Stick Lite or Fire TV Stick 4K, so if you have both – as
we did throughout our review – it'll be difficult to tell them apart. Despite
the low price, the sleek black design and curved remote give it a luxury feel.
There is a subtle Amazon logo, but it isn't obnoxious, and the sleek black
design and curved remote give it a premium feel.
STREAMING SERVICES
Almost every
streaming service is compatible with the Fire TV Stick. Netflix, Disney Plus,
Sling, Spotify, Hulu, ESPN, CBS All Access, Fubo, Philo, Starz, Peloton, Tubi,
PBS, and other apps are available for download. The App Store also organizes
them into themed bundles, such as music, kids, and football. Unfortunately,
Amazon and Chromecast are still negotiating.
PERFORMANCE
Based on how responsive the new Fire TV interface is on the
Fire TV Stick, it appears to be a little more resource-intensive than the
previous model. The menus occasionally stutter, and YouTube once crashed to the
main menu after a brief freeze. Returning to the home screen from any app also
takes a few seconds. Surprisingly, the third-generation Fire TV Stick ran
slightly faster in our tests than the Fire TV Stick Lite, which has the same
processing power.
The Fire TV
Stick performs admirably once your apps are open and your material is loaded.
Apart from that one crash, I had no trouble surfing through the Netflix and
YouTube apps, and scrolling through Amazon Prime Video is a breeze because it's
embedded right into the main UI. Video from various apps loaded swiftly, and
the quality is as nice as 1080p output can be; if you want 4K, you'll need the
Fire TV Stick 4K.
CONCLUSION
If you want to
increase your TV's streaming capabilities while also adding Alexa to the mix,
the third-generation Fire TV Stick is a wonderful option.
If you have a
4K TV, get the Fire TV Stick 4K; if you just have a 1080p TV or don't care
about 4K, there are several solid reasons to spend the extra money over the
Fire TV Stick Lite, one of which is the new remote control with those extra
shortcuts to your favorite apps.
Source :-
Over the past few years, the popularity of streaming TV has increased, and it has introduced more services and options for the users. In 2020, companies Google and Roku introduced affordable and stunning features-equipped steaming bars and devices. Amazon also joined the trail, and currently, the company has two Fire TV Sticks, i.e., Fire Stick TV Lite and a Fire TV Stick. The latter, Fire TV Stick, is the most expensive streaming device by Amazon, yet it is one affordable product.
Comparatively, the updated Fire TV Stick is two times faster and efficient than its predecessor device. The updated Stick’s remote also has buttons for volume control and power so that you can ditch your TV remote for the basic functions. You might want to get the Fire TV Stick 4K for $50, but you can get impressive and almost similar features in the Fire TV Stick and save $10 as it costs $40 only. The $40 Fire TV Stick has integration with the Echo devices and a good range of apps (excluding Peacock), and a smooth user interface.
Fire TV Stick: Additional Details
Fire TV Stick is a USB stick-sized device that can be connected to the HDMI port of a TV. Using it, you can convert your standard TV into smart TV and stream content from the internet and apps like Netflix, HBO, etc., over your home’s Wi-Fi connection. In addition to this device, if you get the Amazon Prime subscription, your Stick TV experience will enhance.
Examining the physical changes, one might not notice any changes in the overall look of the remote. But with the latest and updated Fire TV Stick, the company has enabled the users to control the volume. But it lacks support for remote shortcuts of the Netflix, Hulu, etc., video-on-demand subscription services. You can easily set up the remote within 30 seconds and control the receiver. This streaming stick also offers HDR display, but only a limited number of TVs can support it. If you use a 4K display TV, then it is better to invest in a 4K streaming stick.
The Fire TV Stick comes with a power adapter, and it is highly recommended to use that adapter for an enhanced and smooth experience. You can still use the USB ports of your TV to turn on the device, but the unit might behave differently.
Streaming Services
Amazon is getting better in their game and is offering improved support for video-on-demand services and content. Using the Fire TV Stick, you can access almost every significant streaming app on your TV, including Amazon Prime, Netflix, Pluto TV, HBO Max, Sling TV, Hulu, Spotify, Pandora, Crackle, and more. However, Amazon still doesn’t have support for NBC’s Peacock.
Overall Review
The Fire TV Stick works pretty much similar to the Fire TV Lite; the only significant difference is in the remote of our device. It offers useful features, support for voice commands, and offers speedy responses. You can easily use it for Alexa searches using the microphone button and receive relevant responses. It offers a content-focused approach and focuses on the titles on the home page. If you are more focused on the content, you should go ahead with the Fire TV Stick.
Amazon is now offering an improved and redesigned main menu and browsing experience along with a section dedicated to Alexa Explore. The sound and picture quality is very similar to the Fire Stick Lite, but the audio is better in the Fire TV Stick as it has Atmos audio support.
Final Verdict
If you don’t want to invest in anything more than $40, then you should move ahead with the Fire TV Stick, but its home page might be a little overwhelming for some users. For a simplistic home page, you might want to opt for a Roku streaming stick. If you already own a Fire TV Stick, you can skip purchasing the updated Fire TV Stick.
Source :- https://officecom-setup.m2activate.co.uk/review-updated-amazon-fire-tv-stick/
Daisy Martin is a qualified IT engineer by education. After working in the IT sector for a decade, she began writing about it two years ago. She loves to write about emerging technology like office.com/setup .
Showbox is the best third party app for watching movies and TV shows. It allows you to watch the latest movies and TV shows for free. This app is the best alternative to Terrarium TV. The content is regularly updated on this app. The video quality it provides is SD, HD, and Full HD. This app is designed only for Android users. So, it is not optimized for a TV, but with mouse it works perfectly. This app is not available on the Amazon App Store. So the installation process can be a bit complicated, but I am making it easy for you. So let’s get started.
Configure Your Fire TV Stick
You need to tweak a small setting in your Fire TV Stick:
- Go to “Settings.”
- Hit the “Device.”
- Now choose “Developer Options.”
- Press the “app from unknown sources” and turn it ON.
- It will ask for confirmation, hit the “Turn On” button to enable this setting.
Now your device can install third-party apps.
Install a Third Party App Store on Your Amazon Fire TV Stick
Amazon app store does not allow you to install third-party apps, which makes it very limited with only Amazon trusted apps such as YouTube. But we can use a third party app store to download third-party apps. So before you download the Showbox on your TV, you have to download the Aptoide app store on your Fire TV.
To download Aptoide app store in your Fire TV Stick, you can watch a YouTube tutorial video.
How to Download Showbox in Amazon Fire TV Stick Using a Third party app store?
While using a third party app on any device, it is always recommended to use an excellent VPN service to browse anonymously.
After successfully download Aptoide app store in your device, you can easily use any third party app, including Showbox.
- Open Aptoide app on your TV.
- Scroll down and look for the Showbox app.
- If you didn’t find Showbox app in the app store, then you can search for it.
- Now click on the Showbox app.
- Hit the install button.
- You will see a warning popup saying that this may not work on your Fire TV Stick. Tap OK to Ignore it because we will use a mouse to navigate the app.
- Wait until the download process is done.
- Now, after download, you will see an installation wizard. Navigate to the bottom and then press Next button.
- Hit the install button.
- Wait until the process is done. Now you will see that the app is installed.
- Click the Open button to open the Showbox free movie app on your Amazon Fire TV Stick.
Congratulations, you have made it. Enjoy watching several free movies and TV shows.
Source :- https://mcafee-activate-en.com/how-to-install-showbox-on-amazon-fire-tv-stick/
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Kellie minton is an avid technical blogger, a magazine contributor, a publisher of guides at mcafee.com/activate, and a professional cyber security analyst. Through her writing, she aims to educate people about the dangers and threats lurking in the digital world.
