Amazon Fire Stick Gadget
 

On 2/25/17 9:20 PM, wrote:
On Sat, 25 Feb 2017 17:10:23 -0500, Poco Deplorevole
wrote:

On Sat, 25 Feb 2017 16:20:41 -0500, wrote:

On Sat, 25 Feb 2017 12:59:22 -0600, "Ryan P."
wrote:

On 2/24/2017 2:13 PM, wrote:
On Fri, 24 Feb 2017 11:11:54 -0600, "Ryan P."
wrote:

My one complaint is that the voice search feature only searches Prime

Well that fact alone will keep my Echo in the box until I can regift
it. The only reason I wanted it is so my wife could call up movies and
we have a bunch of movie channels. I was already disappointed that it
could not talk Samsung and I was going to buy a stick. Now that is not
happening either.


So I did a little experimenting... I meant to answer Poco with
something that I knew to be true, and then discovered something else new.

Apparently in a recent update, the added the complete "Alexa"
interface (its seamless, so you don't have to do anything but push the
talk button on your remote). Along with this, searching for movies DOES
now access Amazon Video AND Netflix (and apparently 75 other "top
streaming services" including HBO.

I assume you have to have these services installed on your device for
Alexa to bother searching them. I tested this, and it does indeed
work... It gave me results from Amazon Video, Netflix, HULU and STARZ.

This was added in late 2016... I generally ignore most "What's new
with Alexa..." emails I get, so I missed it!

What is the stick to TV interface? HDMI?

Yes.

Looking at these things I see regular sticks and sticks that are jail
broken. What are they breaking out of?


The constraints of the vendor's operating system.

Amazon Fire Stick Gadget
 

Amazon Fire Stick Gadget
 

On Sat, 25 Feb 2017 21:55:04 -0500, Alex wrote:

wrote:
On Sat, 25 Feb 2017 18:07:48 -0600, "Ryan P."
wrote:

my dad has a Samsung TV that took away the Amazon Prime app
after an update
Our Samsung still does fine with prime. It would have a bullet hole in
it if that stopped, It doesn't talk Showtime tho. ;-)

Have you tried a firmware update?

It updates all the time. They just do not have a deal with Show time.

Amazon Fire Stick Gadget
 

On Sat, 25 Feb 2017 21:30:25 -0500, Keyser Soze
wrote:

On 2/25/17 9:20 PM, wrote:

Looking at these things I see regular sticks and sticks that are jail
broken. What are they breaking out of?


The constraints of the vendor's operating system.

I assumed that, Like what?

Amazon Fire Stick Gadget
 

On Sat, 25 Feb 2017 18:03:31 -0600, "Ryan P." wrote:

On 2/25/2017 4:10 PM, Poco Deplorevole wrote:
On Sat, 25 Feb 2017 16:20:41 -0500, wrote:

On Sat, 25 Feb 2017 12:59:22 -0600, "Ryan P."
wrote:

On 2/24/2017 2:13 PM, wrote:
On Fri, 24 Feb 2017 11:11:54 -0600, "Ryan P."
wrote:

My one complaint is that the voice search feature only searches Prime

Well that fact alone will keep my Echo in the box until I can regift
it. The only reason I wanted it is so my wife could call up movies and
we have a bunch of movie channels. I was already disappointed that it
could not talk Samsung and I was going to buy a stick. Now that is not
happening either.


So I did a little experimenting... I meant to answer Poco with
something that I knew to be true, and then discovered something else new.

Apparently in a recent update, the added the complete "Alexa"
interface (its seamless, so you don't have to do anything but push the
talk button on your remote). Along with this, searching for movies DOES
now access Amazon Video AND Netflix (and apparently 75 other "top
streaming services" including HBO.

I assume you have to have these services installed on your device for
Alexa to bother searching them. I tested this, and it does indeed
work... It gave me results from Amazon Video, Netflix, HULU and STARZ.

This was added in late 2016... I generally ignore most "What's new
with Alexa..." emails I get, so I missed it!

What is the stick to TV interface? HDMI?

Yes.

As an added FYI, if your TV has a USB port, you can use the Fire Stick
WITHOUT having it plugged into a wall outlet for power. Its a standard
USB-type charger with a micro USB port on the stick itself to receive
power. You can take a cable and connect it directly from the Stick to
the USB port on your TV (if it has one) for power. The "sownside" is
that it runs just a bit slower to compensate for the lower power level.
Not enough to be bothersome, though.

On newer TV's, these ports stay powered even when the TV is turned
off, so the stick just goes into "sleep" mode, which allows you to
resume wherever you left off with minimal effort...usually. On older
(and newer cheapo TV's) the USB port probably loses power when the TV is
turned off the Stick will be powered down, requiring a reboot and slower
startup of the Stick.

Lots of free movie apps to choose from, if you don't mind occasional
commercials. Crackle is a good one.

The Roku is powered the same way. We'd had an Apple TV before the Roku, and it seemed to 'reboot'
much faster than the Roku. It was powered with a transformer into a wall. I might just try the Stick
plugged into the wall.

Thanks for the Crackle tip.

Amazon Fire Stick Gadget
 

On 2/25/17 10:25 PM, wrote:
On Sat, 25 Feb 2017 21:30:25 -0500, Keyser Soze
wrote:

On 2/25/17 9:20 PM, wrote:

Looking at these things I see regular sticks and sticks that are jail
broken. What are they breaking out of?


The constraints of the vendor's operating system.

I assumed that, Like what?


Well, I don't know anything about these firesticks, but when you
jailbreak an apple cell phone, you have access to literally hundreds of
apps that won't run on a stock cell phone, and many of these let you
control, display, operate the phone in ways you can't with a stock
phone...more rows of applets, more easily accessible controls, et cetera.

Amazon Fire Stick Gadget
 

On Sat, 25 Feb 2017 21:06:56 -0500, Keyser Söze
wrote:

wrote:
On Sat, 25 Feb 2017 18:07:48 -0600, "Ryan P."
wrote:

my dad has a Samsung TV that took away the Amazon Prime app
after an update

Our Samsung still does fine with prime. It would have a bullet hole in
it if that stopped, It doesn't talk Showtime tho. ;-)


I have a Samsung and I am watching a Prime movie right now.

===

Prime Music is the issue with Samsung, not movies.

Amazon Fire Stick Gadget
 

On 2/26/17 8:47 AM, wrote:
On Sat, 25 Feb 2017 21:06:56 -0500, Keyser Söze
wrote:

wrote:
On Sat, 25 Feb 2017 18:07:48 -0600, "Ryan P."
wrote:

my dad has a Samsung TV that took away the Amazon Prime app
after an update

Our Samsung still does fine with prime. It would have a bullet hole in
it if that stopped, It doesn't talk Showtime tho. ;-)


I have a Samsung and I am watching a Prime movie right now.

===

Prime Music is the issue with Samsung, not movies.


Ahh, I'll try that. Never have, actually. :)

Amazon Fire Stick Gadget
 

On 2/26/17 8:55 AM, Keyser Soze wrote:
On 2/26/17 8:47 AM, wrote:
On Sat, 25 Feb 2017 21:06:56 -0500, Keyser Söze
wrote:

wrote:
On Sat, 25 Feb 2017 18:07:48 -0600, "Ryan P."
wrote:

my dad has a Samsung TV that took away the Amazon Prime app
after an update

Our Samsung still does fine with prime. It would have a bullet hole in
it if that stopped, It doesn't talk Showtime tho. ;-)


I have a Samsung and I am watching a Prime movie right now.

===

Prime Music is the issue with Samsung, not movies.


Ahh, I'll try that. Never have, actually. :)



You're correct...no Prime Music on my Samsung TV. But when I listen to
music I don't own (CDs), I usually listen to WETA-FM (local classical
station) or internet radio.

Amazon Fire Stick Gadget
 

On Sun, 26 Feb 2017 09:07:37 -0500, Keyser Soze wrote:

On 2/26/17 8:55 AM, Keyser Soze wrote:
On 2/26/17 8:47 AM, wrote:
On Sat, 25 Feb 2017 21:06:56 -0500, Keyser Söze
wrote:

wrote:
On Sat, 25 Feb 2017 18:07:48 -0600, "Ryan P."
wrote:

my dad has a Samsung TV that took away the Amazon Prime app
after an update

Our Samsung still does fine with prime. It would have a bullet hole in
it if that stopped, It doesn't talk Showtime tho. ;-)


I have a Samsung and I am watching a Prime movie right now.

===

Prime Music is the issue with Samsung, not movies.


Ahh, I'll try that. Never have, actually. :)



You're correct...no Prime Music on my Samsung TV. But when I listen to
music I don't own (CDs), I usually listen to WETA-FM (local classical
station) or internet radio.

You Tube has some great classical music selections, and also some fine 'Best of...' collections.