A tech review explains that standalone streaming devices such as Roku, Fire TV Stick and Chromecast can meaningfully improve on a smart TV's built-in software. Because smart TV manufacturers license operating systems from companies like Amazon, Google and Roku, performance varies widely and often degrades as the hardware ages, leading to lag and crashes. Adding a modern streaming device can restore speed and reliability at a fraction of the cost of replacing an entire television.
engadget.com
· 2026-09-19
Woot is selling the 2023 Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K for $16.09 through September 13 when shoppers apply the code FIRE30 at checkout. The device supports Wi-Fi 6 and includes 2GB of memory, making it capable of running cloud gaming services like Xbox Cloud Gaming and Nvidia GeForce Now.
theverge.com
· 2026-09-10
Amazon has discounted its newest budget streaming device, the Fire TV Stick 4K Select, from its $49.99 list price to $19.99, a 60% cut. The stick supports 4K Ultra HD with HDR10+, runs Amazon's newer Vega OS, and includes Alexa voice control and 8GB of storage.
androidauthority.com
· 2026-09-01
Google has raised the price of its 4K Google TV Streamer to $149, a $50 jump from its original $99 launch price. The change is already reflected on the Google Store and at Best Buy, though Amazon still lists the device at its older price. The streaming box, which launched in 2024 and also functions as a smart home hub, joins a wave of price hikes across Google's product lineup, including the recently released Pixel 11 phones.
theverge.com
· 2026-08-31
Most smart TVs ship with limited internal storage that quickly fills up due to app caches, temporary files, and manufacturer-installed bloatware that can be difficult or impossible to remove. Users can clear app cache through settings for temporary relief or uninstall unused apps, though bloatware removal is often restricted by manufacturers. An alternative workaround is attaching an external streaming device like a Fire TV Stick, Roku, or Google TV Streamer, which brings its own storage and app ecosystem independent of the TV's built-in memory.
engadget.com
· 2026-08-30
Amazon does not publish an official lifespan for Fire TV Stick devices, but it does commit to providing security updates for a minimum of four years from purchase date, or until a listed support deadline, whichever comes later. Current models like the Fire TV Stick 4K Select and 4K Plus are covered through at least December 2030.
engadget.com
· 2026-08-28
Amazon has discounted its 15.6-inch 2nd-generation Echo Show 15 smart display by $80, bringing the price down from $349.99 to $269.99, a 23% reduction. The deal matches the best pricing seen since Amazon's June Prime Day event.
androidauthority.com
· 2026-08-27
Amazon has increased prices across its device lineup—including Echo, Fire TV, Kindle, and Eero products—by as much as 60%, citing rising memory and storage component costs. The Echo Dot, for instance, jumped overnight from $49.99 to $79.99, a spike confirmed by price-tracking tools like CamelCamelCamel. Amazon says it absorbed these cost increases as long as possible before passing them on to customers, though it plans occasional promotions going forward.
news.slashdot.org
· 2026-08-24
Amazon has raised prices across many of its budget electronics, including the Echo Dot, Kindle and Fire TV Stick HD, with the Echo Dot jumping from $50 to $80. A company spokesperson attributed the increases to sharply higher memory and storage component costs, saying Amazon had absorbed the added expense as long as it could before passing it on. Ring doorbell cameras and the pricier Echo Studio speaker were notably left untouched.
cnet.com
· 2026-08-24
Amazon quietly increased prices on its hardware lineup over the weekend, with some products like the Echo Dot jumping from $49.99 to $79.99. The company confirmed the hikes to TechCrunch, attributing them to rising memory and storage component costs it can no longer absorb, while promising occasional promotions in the coming year.
techcrunch.com
· 2026-08-24
Amazon has increased prices across much of its hardware lineup, including Echo speakers, Kindle e-readers, Fire TV Stick devices, and eero mesh routers, with some products jumping by $30-50. Ring devices were reportedly excluded from the increases. An Amazon spokesperson attributed the changes to rising memory and storage component costs that the company said it could no longer absorb.
androidauthority.com
· 2026-08-24
Amazon quietly increased prices across several hardware lines last week, including Echo speakers, Kindle e-readers, Fire TV Stick streaming devices, and eero routers. The steepest jump hit the 5th-generation Echo Dot, which climbed from $49.99 to $79.99, a 60% increase, while other products saw hikes ranging roughly from 11% to 42%. Amazon attributed the changes to rising costs for memory and storage components used in the devices.
zdnet.com
· 2026-08-24
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