Amazon Fire TV Stick Deals & Offers

Amazon Fire TV Stick: Home Entertainment in a HDMI Dongle

The Amazon Fire Stick is a tiny device that plugs straight into the back of TV sets. All you need to do to enjoy Amazon’s streaming services and to browse the web on your TV is to plug the Fire Stick into your TV’s HDMI port. With this stick in place, you can catch your favourite Netflix shows, stream movies from Amazon Prime, watch YouTube content, and stream music via Spotify: it’s a incredible piece of compact home entertainment technology.

Media Streaming with Broadband Technology: Amazon Fire Stick

The Fire Stick is an extension of Amazon Fire TV. Fire TV was launched in 2014 by retail giant Amazon as a device to stream high-definition content from web sources on standard home TVs. The idea was that Amazon could extend its viewer numbers by capturing the vast market of people who continue to prefer conventional televisions over laptops and smartphones.

The Fire Stick emerged almost directly after the introduction of the standard Fire TV box. Taking advantage of the advance of miniaturisation, Amazon managed to include 1GB of RAM and 8GB of hard disk storage space on a device the size of a USB dongle. Even though it fits in the palm of your hand, the Fire Stick packs in a dual-core 1.2GHz Cortex-A9 processor, allowing it to handle complex multitasking and to offer a sophisticated user interface.

After the first version was released in 2014, Amazon went back to the drawing board and improved the design, adding extra functionality. In 2016, the second generation Fire Stick was released. Featuring Alexa voice commands, a faster 1.3GHz processor and updating the connectivity to Broadband 4.1, the second Fire Stick was the most advanced compact streaming device around – and remains so today.

How Does the Amazon Fire Stick Work?

The Amazon Fire Stick plugs into the HDMI port on ordinary TVs and acts just like a normal TV box. It connects to household WiFi networks, downloading streaming content from Amazon’s site (and any other sites that have been configured to run on the device). These streams are then converted into a format suitable for playback on HD TVs, and viewers can enjoy them in the same way they would any ordinary TV shows.

To set it up, all you have to do is plug in the stick and tune your TV’s input to the appropriate HDMI port. Turn on the Fire Remote and it will automatically pair with the stick. Then, enter your wireless password information on screen when requested. After that, you should sign in automatically to your Amazon account (or you can create one if you haven’t already signed up). After a short introduction to the service, you’re ready to start streaming.

The Fire Stick relies on Android software to power its user interface, which is clear and easy to navigate. It is also popular amongst people who like to customise their viewing activities, with the option to install extra apps to run alongside the software provided by Amazon. This opens up the possibility of streaming from specialist sites, including foreign language services.

The stick itself requires a power source to function, and this is supplied by a USB connection, either to the TV set or to a wall socket via an adapter included with the Fire Stick package.

The Fire Stick package also includes a sleek controller which lets you scroll through program schedules, program recordings, browse the web, download apps and navigate the menus of the user interface.

However, just because you have an Amazon Fire Stick installed doesn’t mean you can instantly access Amazon’s streaming services. That’s not how it works. Amazon still requires users to sign up for paid Prime subscriptions if they want to download films or watch their exclusive TV content.

Customers can also use more than one Amazon Fire Stick with a single Amazon account. However, you can only watch a maximum of two streaming shows at any one time (so you can’t give your account details out to friends, allowing them to stream content at the same time).

What Does the Amazon Fire Stick Do?

The Amazon Fire Stick provides access to numerous popular streaming services. Options on offer include:

• Amazon Prime Instant Video – Amazon’s own streaming service, Prime Instant Video provides access to exclusive shows like Vikings, Lucifer, and the Walking Dead as well as thousands of recent movie releases. It also features handy tools like X-Ray, which lets you call up information about actors’ biographies and careers while you are watching their performances.

• Spotify – The web’s biggest music streaming service, Spotify provides a vast library of music stretching from rock and pop to reggae, EDM, electronica, world music, classical and hip-hop. To enjoy it on your Amazon Fire Stick all you need to do is download the Spotify app, which enables you to browse your music collection and find new music on your TV.

• Netflix – The famous movie and TV streaming service is also available via the Amazon Fire Stick. Enjoy Netflix exclusives like House of Cards, Arrested Development, and Stranger Things from the comfort of your living room on your widescreen TV simply by downloading the app.

• Other streaming services – There are probably more streaming services around than you think, and most of them work well with the Amazon Fire Stick. For example, you can download apps to run Pandora, Hulu and Curzon Home Cinema, so look around and subscribe to services that fit your entertainment tastes. It beats watching them on tiny smartphone screens or awkward laptops!

• Gaming – The Fire Stick can also be used to play games on your flat screen TV. Some games can be played using the main controller but Amazon has also come up with a specialist Amazon Fire Controller which may well be worth checking out.

• Kodi – Another useful app to download for your Amazon Fire Stick is probably much less famous outside the circle of Fire Stick owners. Its name is Kodi, and it’s a vital tool to get the most out of your device. Kodi isn’t exclusive to the Fire Stick, it runs on almost any Android device. But it’s ideally suited to Amazon’s streaming stick. That’s because it provides an easy way to connect to online streaming services. When you have Kodi installed on your Fire Stick, all you need to do is install “add-ons” and you can access a much wider range of programs. Get it here for free.

Fire Stick or Amazon Fire TV?

Buyers should also bear in mind that Amazon offers Amazon Fire TV alongside the much smaller Amazon Fire Stick. While the Fire Stick is impressive in terms of the features offered by such a tiny device, the Fire TV box offers much more.

For example, the Fire TV box comes with a Micro SD slot that can accommodate 128GB of extra storage. It can handle high-quality audio feeds, comes with an Ethernet connection and can pump out 4K HD video (as opposed to the 1080p resolution offered by the Fire Stick).

The Fire TV box also trumps the Fire Stick for gaming. Although the Fire Stick can run some basic titles, the Fire TV box has been specifically set up to work well with more technically demanding titles like Minecraft or GTA. If you intend to turn your 4K TV into a living room gaming station, the box version will probably be far superior.

However, as we’ve noted above, the Amazon Fire Stick is an impressive piece of equipment for something as small as it is. It’s ideal for streaming movies and TV (if you don’t worry too much about HD footage). It’s perfect for using audio streaming services like Pandora or Spotify, and is great for browsing YouTube as well. This means that low-end users (most of us) will probably find it as functional as the Fire TV Box, with the added bonus of being able to take it on trips.

If you want a streaming solution for your next holiday, nothing is as suitable as the Fire Stick. You can take it abroad to countries like the United States, Japan, Germany and Austria, so if you travel regularly to those countries, it’s a great option.

Chromecast or Roku: Alternatives to the Amazon Fire Stick

If you want to enjoy streaming video on your home TV, Amazon Fire isn’t the only service you could choose. In fact, it has some stiff competition from GooglesChromecast, so think hard before you make a selection.

Chromecast works by connecting to a smartphone or tablet as a connection between online sites like YouTube and Netflix and your TV. It then “casts” the stream via WiFi to a compatible Smart TV.

To do so, you’ll need to invest in a Chromecast dongle which attaches to the TV. This device is much less powerful than the Amazon Fire Stick and doesn’t cater for remote controls. Instead, it just provides an efficient bridge to streaming services.

Chromecast works smoothly with Google Chrome, but it’s not really as user-friendly as Amazon’s device and requires a little more work to get it set up every time you want to stream. Then again, it’s compact, cheap and efficient, and works with almost every TV around.

It’s also worth noting that Amazon’s Fire Stick is rivalled by the Roku Streaming Stick. Roku’s device works in a very similar manner to the Fire Stick, and actually, comes with a larger library of content available for free. Then again, the Amazon Fire Stick is much faster (in general) and slightly easier for most people to set up.

However, it makes sense to shop around for the best deal. Chromecast, the Fire Stick, and Roku all provide a similar kind of product, so many people will just want to go for the cheapest option available.

Amazon Fire Stick or Chromecast?

Amazon Fire Stick Accessories

When you purchase an Amazon Fire Stick, having the right accessories can massively enhance the amount of fun you get out of it. Here are some useful accessories to hunt for on HotUKDeals:

• Game Controllers – The Amazon Fire Stick can be used as a handy gaming tool, allowing you to stream games from online services. However, most titles will be very tough to control on the standard Fire Stick Remote. Instead, it makes sense to get hold of Amazon’s Fire TV Game Controller. Resembling a PlayStation controller, it doubles up as a slick games controller and a way to browse your music, movies and TV library. For many people, it simply becomes the remote control of choice.

• Replacement Remotes – The Amazon Fire Stick Remote is a well-designed, compact piece of technology, but it’s always easy to misplace something so small. Instead of being left without a controller when you really need one, you can pick up replacement controllers very cheaply. And, if you have an older remote, you can upgrade to an Alexa-enabled voice remote as well which makes it the ideal companion for the Amazon Echo.

• Power adaptors – The Fire Stick needs to be charged periodically or provided with a constant source of power. The best way to do so is to invest in a power adaptor which connects the Fire Stick up to mains electricity.

• Travel cases – One of the best things about the Amazon Fire Stick is its size, making it highly portable. If you want to take it on the road and enjoy streaming video on your travels, it makes sense to buy a padded travel case to keep your stick safe.

The Best Amazon Fire Stick Deals

Finding Amazon Fire Stick discounts is easy. It’s not an expensive piece of equipment in the first place, but you’ll also find plenty of offers all the time at HotUKDeals.

HotUKDeals collects the cheapest Amazon Fire Stick deals from leading UK merchants like Currys, Argos, John Lewis, Tesco, Maplin and (of course) Amazon itself. If a major retailer is offering a reduction, you will find it listed as soon as it becomes available.

The Amazon Fire Stick listings are also a good place to look for deals on Amazon Fire games controllers and remotes, and you can also compare prices for Roku or Chromecast devices as well. This makes it easy to shop around for the cheapest Amazon Fire Stick deal at any point in time – which is always the key to finding the best prices.

As with all tech products, you’ll find slightly cheaper prices when Black Friday and Cyber Monday arrive in November, and the January Sales are always a good time to shop, but sales take place all the time, so you should be able to find an excellent deal.

Cheapest Amazon Fire Stick Price Here at HotUKDeals

Amazon’s Fire Stick allows entertainment fans to stream movies, TV shows and music. It lets you play games, watch sports, browse YouTube and even visit web pages. If you want to turn your TV into a home entertainment hub, check out the HotUKDeals Amazon Fire Stick listings.