Amazon announced a new entertainment box that will let users stream video to their TVs from Amazon's video library, as well as from services such as Netflix and Hulu.
Amazon said the new gadget will go beyond current searching options that require one letter at a time input. It will also deal with lag-y performance.
Amazon VP Peter Larson said during the announcement, "Nothing drags you out of the director's world more quickly than the dreaded spinner."
Presenting the Amazon Fire TV. "It's tiny, incredibly powerful, and unbelievably simple," says Larson.
It has WiFi built in. It has 3x the performance and power of AppleTV, Roku, Chromecast and it is"thinner than a dime."
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| Amazon VP Larson with the "Amazon Fire TV".
There's a feature called ASAP which will instantaneously start a movie or show based on a prediction of what you want to watch. There is no "dreaded spinner," Larson says.
You can watch from Hulu, Netflix, YouTube, ESPN. Amazon will show you the lowest cost option to watch any given show. Amazon will also be launching 10 of its own original shows, this year.
Alpha House will be back for a second season. Mozart In The Jungle will be about sex, drugs, and classical music.
New York Magazine called the pilot for its show Transparent the "best it's seen in years."
The price for the box, which will deliver all the content you want: Voice search. Amazing performance. ASAP. Children's FreeTime. X-Ray (that's an IMDB connection). Music. Photos. Games, will be only $99.00. Shipping starts today.
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A letter from Jeff Bezos, with more details on the Amazon Fire TV, is here.
"It has WiFi built in. It has 3x the performance and power of AppleTV, Roku, Chromecast and it is"thinner than a dime."
ReplyDeleteI just bought an android powered G-Box MX2. I fiddled around with it for a few hours more than I wanted to, but I just dropped the TV portion of my cable service and I'm saving $60/month now and have access to more programming then I could ever use.
I paid $115,but it goes for $100 on amazon with an earlier OS and crappier remote. The cable/satellite TV providers are already getting killed.
When I went into TWC to drop TV yesterday and return their box they actually offered the same programming I had for $30/month less...lol..I still said "no". The next few years is going to be tough for them.
These things are all great until the broadband folks start to throttle speed and jack the cost per GB. Then they will be obsolete btc style....
ReplyDeleteIt's a real possibility. But you have to take the savings while you can, also there's always the chance that CELL internet service gets the speeds & cost to a point where they become real competition too.
DeleteAs usual, technology over time should provide more options.
Unless the mighty hand of regulation takes control. Never underestimate the ability of well-connected cronies to use the force of government to protect their turf.
DeleteThe next big move will rhyme w thr govt take over of radio and teevee. The internet will be licensed and controlled. Just need to get this damn war started!!!
ReplyDelete"The cable/satellite TV providers are already getting killed."
ReplyDeleteYeah, I bought DTV at $20 4 years ago and am taking a bath. Wait, what's that? It's at $73/share and adding subscribers & might merge with DishNetwork? Oh.
There's plenty of customers left like me who don't mind $100/mo cable bills because I get every channel, "on demand", a HD-DVR that can record anything I want to watch at a later date and also gets all the live sports I want. Further, if one is married w/ offspring, what you save in going out can be applied to "in-home" entertainment.
"Yeah, I bought DTV at $20 4 years ago and am taking a bath. Wait, what's that? It's at $73/share and adding subscribers & might merge with DishNetwork? Oh."
DeleteLet's remember that the stock market is a snapshot indicator of the health of a company's present day. I say "indicator" because that doesn't account for money printing distortions,also the current price level may not indicate the viability of the business model in the future.
You are assuming that because "There's plenty of customers left like me who don't mind $100/mo cable bills" currently, that it will not change down the road.
You are also somewhat uneducated in terms of what the level of service is with these streaming boxes, as they give you "every channel, "on demand"" as well as allowing you to save on ""in-home entertainment".
As customers like yourself become more educated on the level of service they can get with these boxes, I doubt many of them are staying on board for an additional $60/month for the use of a DVR and less programming service.
As noted by the other Chris above, the old phone/cable monopolies will have to get some crony legislation passed to combat the internet streaming boxes.
How long will that take? Who knows. Let's hope at least 3 years or more. In the mean time cell internet will also be improving in speed/service/price, plus we have the bonus of some non legacy monopoly providers in that market and the infrastructure costs are far less with cell towers than cable or twisted pairs.
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ReplyDelete