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"The newly-announced Amazon Fire TV wants to take over your living room with its tiny, flat media box, but with lots of other existing devices on the market, you'll want to consider all streaming options first before making a purchase.\nFire TV \u2014 a set-top box, gaming console hybrid \u2014 will directly compete against streaming devices like Apple TV, Roku and Google Chromecast, but it will also take on gaming consoles such as Xbox One, PlayStation 4 and even the Android-powered Ouya.\nSee also: Why Amazon Is Releasing a Set-Top Box\nFor the sake of comparing Fire TV to existing set-top boxes \u2014 and leaving the gaming consoles out for now \u2014 there's a lot to be said about its bells and whistles. First, it uses voice search when you speak into the remote and boasts a stronger quad-core processor than the Roku 3 (double core), Apple TV (single core) and Chromecast (single core). \nFire TV also wins in terms of memory (2GB), compared to 512 MB included in the other three devices. Price is virtually the same across the board ($99), with the exception of the Google Chromecast at $35.\nBut you'll also want to factor in content compatibility into your purchase decision. Although Fire TV supports Hulu Plus, Netflix, Pandora and YouTube, users will not be able to access HBO Go, which is available for streaming on all three other devices. On the plus side, you can \u2014 unsurprisingly \u2014 access Amazon Instant Video via Fire TV (as well as the Roku 3), but users of Chromecast and Apple TV are out of luck.\nAnd for those with their eyes on gaming, Fire TV and Roku 3 offer games, whereas Chromecast and Apple TV do not.\nFor a full look at how the Fire TV stacks up against its three main competitors, check out the chart below.\n\n\n\nAmazon Fire TV\nRoku 3\nApple TV\nGoogle Chromecast\n\n\n\nPricing\n$99\n$99\n$99\n$35\n\n\nForm Factor\nBox\nBox\nBox\nDongle that sticks into TV\n\n\nHDMI Compatibility\nYes\nYes\nYes\nYes\n\n\nVoice Commands\nYes\nNo\nNo\nNo\n\n\nProcessor\nQuad-core\nDual-core\nSingle-core\nSingle-core\n\n\nMemory\n2 GB\n512 MB\n512 MB\n512 MB\n\n\nVideo Apps\nAmazon Instant Video, Netflix, Hulu Plus, YouTube, Crackle, Showtime Anywhere, Bloomberg TV, Vimeo\nHBO Go, Amazon Instant Video, Netflix, Hulu Plus, YouTube, Crackle, Showtime Anywhere, Vimeo\niTunes, Disney Anywhere, HBO Go, Netflix, Hulu Plus, Crackle, YouTube, Bloomberg TV, WatchABC\nGoogle Play, HBO Go, Netflix, Hulu Plus, Crackle, YouTube\n\n\nMusic Apps\nVevo, Pandora\nVevo, Pandora, Spotify\nVevo, Vimeo, iTunes\nGoogle Play, Vevo, Pandora, Rdio, Songza\n\nSports Apps\nWatch ESPN, NBA League Pass\nWatch ESPN, NBA League Pass, MLB.TV, NHL Gamecenter, Major League Soccer\nWatch ESPN, NBA League Pass, MLB.TV, NHL Gamecenter\nNone\n\nNumber of Games\n100+; \"thousands\" more coming\nLess than 100\nGames via AirPlay\nNone\n\nRemote\nVoice search, physical remote (no line of sight needed)\nPhysical remote, iOS app available\nPhysical remote, iOS/Android app available (no line of sight needed)\nApp controlled\n\nGaming Controller\nYes; $39.99 (sold separately)\nNo\nNo\nNo\n\nHave something to add to this story? Share it in the comments.\n\n\nAmazon Fire TV \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nAmazon Fire TV\nAmazon launched into the video-hardware business with a set-top device called Amazon Fire TV for $99, a small flat box with a remote control. \n\nImage: Mashable, Christina Ascani\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nInterface\nThe Fire TV allows you to stream from various services such as Netflix, Hulu Plus and YouTube. However, users are unable to access HBO Go.\n\nImage: Mashable, Christina Ascani\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nFeatures\nAmong its features is a predictive engine called \"ASAP,\" which pre-loads content it thinks you are going to watch, so it can start without any buffering or load time. This feature learns over time, and gets better at suggesting content you like.\n\nImage: Mashable Christina Ascani\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nHardware\nIt comes with a quad-core processor, 2GB of RAM and a dedicated GPU for gaming purposes. \n\nImage: Mashable Christina Ascani\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nVoice Activation\nThe Internet-connected set-top box uses voice search when you speak into the remote. It aims to take away the frustrations of scrolling and clicking for letters on an alphabet grid to find content.\n\nImage: Mashable Christina Ascani\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nVoice Activation\n\n\nImage: Mashable Christina Ascani\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nGaming\nIn a big move, the Fire TV also serves as a gaming console and offers titles such as Minecraft, The Walking Dead and Monsters University; many are free or as low as $1.85 to play. \n\nImage: Mashable Christina Ascani\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nSmartphone/Tablet Controllers\nApps for the smartphone and tablet allow users to play games on the Fire TV.\n\nImage: Mashable Christina Ascani\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nGaming Controller\nAn additional gaming controller is available for $39.\n\nImage: Mashable Christina Ascani\n\n\n\n\n"^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://mashable.com/2014/04/02/amazon-fire-tv-competition/>