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Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max (2023) vs Apple TV 4K (2022): Amazon or Apple?
Two top-tier streaming devices, but one must take home the gold
Streaming devices are one of the best ways to add immersive entertainment to your TV-watching experience you may not be able to indulge in otherwise. Sure, smart TVs include all kinds of cool stuff these days, but brands like Samsung and LG usually can’t touch the sheer volume of apps and other great features you’ll find on plug and play hardware from the likes of Amazon, Apple, Roku and others.
Android TV is aggressively promoting Google's free streaming channels
Your favorites row has now been invaded by ads
Ads are creeping into our day-to-day lives from every angle, and even with our best efforts, they are hard to avoid sometimes. While paying top-dollar for major subscription-based streaming services like Netflix will get rid of most, if not all, of the ads you’re bound to see, it may not be feasible to spend tons of money on many, if not even one, streaming service out there. Now, it seems like it doesn’t just branch out to streaming services alone, as streaming and smart devices have ads preinstalled in their operating system. They’re getting awful, and now Google TV is aggressively promoting its free, but ad-based, streaming channels by injecting them into your favorites row.
Sonos wants to challenge Google on the headphones and set-top box front
Sonos seems to be gearing up for a 2024 product blitz, aiming to take over your ears and entertainment center
Sonos is navigating a rocky road in the consumer hardware game, facing a demand slump that even CEO Patrick Spence can't sugarcoat, calling it "challenging" in a recent earnings call. Despite the hurdles, the company remains optimistic about 2024, with Spence teasing something major—a new product set to drop next year that has them buzzing. Turns out, Spence was seemingly hinting at Sonos' debut in the headphone world and a set-top box on the horizon to challenge the heavyweights like Apple, Google, and Roku.
Onn Google TV 4K Streaming Box: For $20, you can't go wrong
This streaming device undeniably proves that affordable things also come in compact packages
When it comes to great streaming devices, the options available can be overwhelming. While they all offer the same basic features, if you’re looking for a high-quality 4K UHD option that is extremely budget-friendly, the new compact Onn Google TV 4K Streaming Box is worth considering.
3 reasons the Nvidia Shield TV Pro is my favorite media player Prime Day deal
You can save $45 off the retail price, the deepest discount yet
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I've been an Nvidia stan on Android since the very first Shield TV launched all the way back in 2015. As a matter of fact, I'm still running my 2015 Shield in my living room, and I have been since its release, and the damn thing is still supported somehow, seven years later. Nvidia's commitment to supporting Android is unparalleled, that much is clear. But I'm not here to talk about the OG Shield, nope. I'm here to direct your attention to the Amazon Prime Day sale for the latest model of the Shield TV Pro, a streaming box that I've been running in my bedroom since the Tegra X1+ device launched in 2019, and thanks to that exceptional chip; the Shield TV Pro can upscale content like no other box on the market, the very reason I volunteered to write this article, as the device is at an all-time low at $170, making Prime Day the perfect day to pick up one of my favorite Android devices.
Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max review: Leaving the Chromecast in the dust
What Amazon lacks in design, it more than makes up for in speed
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More than ever, the device you choose to stream Netflix, Hulu, and dozens of other subscription services is as important as the TV itself. Sure, you can rely on built-in software — after all, most televisions these days partner with the likes of Roku, Amazon, or Google to make additional accessories redundant. But that software is often much slower than what you'll find on standalone boxes, which means picking up dedicated devices can actually present a much-needed upgrade.
Save $30 on Roku's best streaming box right now
Short of its soundbars, the Roku Ultra is where it's at
Over-the-top TV hardware is all over the place these days, but if you want as little physical fuss as possible — you did decide to "cut the cord," right? — the latest Roku Ultra box might just be for you. And for the next couple weeks, you can save a good chunk of change on one.The box features 50% better Wi-Fi reception than its prior iteration to help pipe in payload from Netflix, Hulu, and all the like in 4K with Dolby Atmos and Dolby Vision to the TV all the way in your garden shed. It's still got Ethernet if you need it plus HDMI and USB ports for the direct connections to your set. The Ultra is also able to display video from casting device (which you may need if you're dealing with YouTube TV) and connects with your Alexa, HomeKit, and Google Assistant setup as well.
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- Good news! The best deal we've seen yet on the Mi Box S is back at Walmart. There's never been a better time to pick up one of these streaming boxes that just received a long-awaited update to Android 9 Pie.
When you think Android TV Box, you might think Nvidia Shield TV right away, but the company best known for its graphics cards isn't the only one offering a capable big screen experience for Android. Xiaomi's Mi Box S is a neat little device outputting 4K HDR to your TV, and it's on sale at Walmart, going for only $30. That's the lowest we've ever seen and $5 less than the recent offer of $35.
A good (or even middling) soundbar can really boost your TV viewing experience, and it's all the better if the soundbar also has streaming capabilities like the JBL Link Bar or Roku Smart Soundbar. Roku only announced that streaming soundbar a few weeks back, and now there's a second one. This one is cheaper, and it's being released under the Wallmart Onn brand.
oku has leveraged low prices and vast app support to become one of the most well-known media streamer platforms. Devices like the Roku Stick are basically impulse purchases at this point. Today, some of Roku's cheapest streaming boxes are getting new capabilities. The updated Premiere is getting 4K HDR support, and the new Premiere+ adds Google Assistant.
Last month I took Amazon's Fire TV for a test drive and came away pretty damn impressed. It's a nice box with a lot to like – but there's also some pretty stiff competition in the streaming box arena. Companies like Google and Roku are both ready to take your money in exchange for enhancing an otherwise stale television experience.Since there a variety of options on the market today, we decided to take four of the most popular and put them in a head-to-head deathmatch. We've got Google's Chromecast, the Roku Streaming Stick, Roku 3, and Fire TV all ready to duke it out and answer one question: which one is worth your money?Unfortunately the answer isn't so simple. Each unit has standout features of its own, and none of them are bad at what they do. In fact, it's really difficult to go wrong with any of these choices. With that said, if you're looking for something in particular – be it gaming compatibility, the largest catalogue, or even the most affordable – we should be able to help guide you towards the right purchase.