After weeks of speculation, Amazon has finally unveiled its Android-powered media console. The Amazon Fire TV is a slim black box with a quad-core processor, 2GB of RAM, and a selection of ports for HDMI, optical audio, and Ethernet.
The interface is very visual as you browse through a wide array of movie posters in a moving 3D bar. During the live demonstration, the videos launched right upon pressing play, with nary a lag or loading screen.
Developers would not have a hard time porting their apps into the Fire TV because of its open ecosystem based on Android and HTML. Users will also be allowed to access Hulu and Amazon Prime, as well as the likes of Netflix, Plex, and NBA Game Time some time later. It can also retrieve content from other Amazon services, such as photos from the Amazon Cloud Drive.
The gadget can be controlled through its remote control, as well as the user’s voice using the microphone on the remote. It also provides Amazon’s X-Ray function, wherein additional information about the characters, actors, and production notes reveal straight from the Amazon tablet.
Apart from streaming movies and TV shows, Amazon Fire TV takes it a step further as it provides gaming options much like the new-gen video game consoles like PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. The company has announced the likes of 2K, Double Fine, Mojang, and Ubisoft among others who will be bringing their games to the set-top such as Minecraft.
To be able to play them, you will need a game controller and Amazon has unveiled just that. It looks similar to the Xbox controller, except that it has Android navigation buttons on the front and media controls along the edge.
The Amazon Fire TV is available beginning today for $99.
Source: Engadget
Image source: Amazon, Venture Beat
