Amazon releases HDMI stick with dual-band WiFi for streaming video

Amazon has announced the Fire TV Stick. It is an HDMI stick with a dual-core processor, 1GB of RAM and dual-band WiFi, which offers comparable functionality as the Fire TV set-top box. Amazon ships the gadget along with a remote control for $39.

The Fire TV Stick’s dual core is the Broadcom Capri 28155, an ARM chip with Cortex A9 cores. In addition to 1GB of RAM, there is 8GB of flash storage on the stick and there is also support for Bluetooth 3.0 and dual-band WiFi with two antennas. The operating system is based on Android.

Amazon provides a simple remote control, but the stick can also be operated with smartphones and tablets, via the free Fire TV Remote app, which also allows voice control. The stick supports Dial, YouTube, Spotify and, in the future, Netflix content. This can be played via Android devices and iPhones. The stick can also be combined with the detachable remote control of the Fire TV set-top box.

Fire TV set-top box apps also work on the Fire TV Stick, but not all games. Only a limited number of casual games will work with the stick. The interface that the stick presents is also identical to that of that player. Amazon’s ASAP technology also works with the gadget; this service recommends videos based on viewing behavior and buffers content even before the user presses play for fast playback. In addition, users can mirror the screens of smartphones and tablets on TV, if their mobile device supports Miracast.

Amazon is competing with Google’s Chromecast and Microsoft’s Wireless Display Adapter with the Fire TV Stick. The price of the stick including remote control is 39 dollars, converted 31 euros.