Roku has had more time to hone its skills and focus on streaming video programming.
#Toshiba fire tv tv
Most TV viewers are going to be happier with built-in Roku TV capabilities than sets using Amazon Fire TV smarts. Alexa has become the de facto standard in the smart home space. Roku doesn’t offer equivalent options yet. The bottom line: It is much easier to run Amazon skills and compatible smart home devices using Alexa in Fire TV. Just tell it, for example, to turn on the kitchen lights and it will work-as long as you’ve already registered that skill and the associated products at home. You can do much of the same smart home command and control functions from the TV. Amazon takes advantage of that popularity in its Fire TV. While companies fought over protocols and wireless standards, consumers discovered another simpler solution was to use Alexa skills to control lights and cameras. The smart home landscape has undergone a radical change due to the lack of a de facto standard and the rise of Alexa. Simply put, Roku’s independence means it has less power in tracking you and isn’t constantly foisting its products on viewers. But no matter what settings one chooses, users should recognize that the potential to combine information on your purchasing habits, location, viewing habits, and Alexa queries can make for a worrisome incursion into one’s private life. However, in the settings menu you can turn off targeted ads, and privacy and tracking information. Amazon Fire TV does track all this information as its default mode. That can be convenient, but also a little intimidating if you think about combining that information with your TV viewing habits. But users can add any video store they want as a channel, so it’s hardly a limitation.Īmazon, of course, tracks its Prime subscribers and online retail customers.
#Toshiba fire tv movie
The one exception is that Roku has special deal with Comcast’s Fandango to be the default online movie store option. So you aren’t bombarded with ads, and you are generally presented with unbiased choices. It isn’t owned by a major Hollywood studio or humongous online retailer. Here Roku has a definite edge because it’s an independent platform. If you are trying to protect your privacy and shun advertising, then you’ll prize independence and choice.
Even though Alexa isn’t available on all apps it’s still the leader. But it isn’t as simple or complete as the built-in option from Amazon. Of course, if you ask Alexa for music, like Steely Dan, you’ll automatically be directed to Amazon Music rather than Pandora.īut wait, isn’t there a Roku skill in Alexa? Yes, if you already have an Alexa device, you can add your Roku credentials to it and use Alexa to control Roku, look for programs and even control the TV’s volume. Ask it to tell you a joke, and it’s got scores of them. Tell Alexa to read the news to you, and it will give you a variety of choices from ABC to the BBC. Ask for the weather forecast and not only will you receive Alexa’s spoken summary but you’ll also get the graphical representation of the highs and lows on your screen.
So Amazon still has some work to do getting Alexa to be more TV focused.Ĭonversely, if you’re an Alexa addict, you’ll find the wider perspective helpful. Ask for the Movies Anywhere and instead of the app you may receive a listing of movies playing in theaters near you (assuming there are any open). Fire TV can also be oblivious to context. Such inconsistent performance is likely to confuse viewers. Ask the same question in Pluto, and you’ll get a complete listing of results from multiple sources.
Ask for something while pausing the YouTube app, and all you’ll receive are YouTube results. Where Alexa struggles in Fire TV is consistency it supports many popular apps, including the likes of Netflix and Hulu, but restricts some voice search results and commands within particular apps.
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