Skip to main content

Amazon is bringing Alexa’s charms to the first-gen Fire TV and Fire TV Stick

The release of Amazon’s second generation Fire TV in September of last year brought a number of new features with it, but one of the most intriguing was the inclusion of Alexa, the virtual assistant that premiered with the Amazon Echo. Owners of the first generation of Fire TV devices might have felt left out, but that won’t be the case for much longer.

Today Amazon announced a software update coming to the original Fire TV and Fire TV Stick that will bring in a number of new features, the highest profile of which is Alexa. Voice search was already available in both devices, but Alexa brings a number of new functions that approximate many of those available in the Echo.

Recommended Videos

The software update also brings a feature to the Fire TV Stick that was previously only available to owners of its bigger brother: Fire TV Stick users will now be able to connect Bluetooth headphones for private listening. If you’re curious how to set this up, we’ve got a guide on how to get started.

Finally, the update brings improvements to the Amazon Video’s new add-on subscription service. Those looking to sign up for free trials of Starz, Showtime, or any of the other services offered through the bundle service can now sign up directly from their Fire TVs – no need to head to another device.

The update is free and is rolling out automatically, so all Fire TV owners need to do is wait for the new features to arrive. Amazon says the update will start today and roll out over the next few weeks, so if you don’t get the update right away, don’t fret.

Since the launch of the latest Fire TV, Amazon has been on a roll adding new features and services to the entire line of devices. In December of last year, Amazon said it had added more than 1,000 channels, apps, and games to its app store since September alone.

Kris Wouk
Former Contributor
Kris Wouk is a tech writer, gadget reviewer, blogger, and whatever it's called when someone makes videos for the web. In his…
Amazon Fire TV Omni gets mini-LED backlighting and interactive ambient experiences
Amazon Fire TV Omni Mini-LED Series.

The Amazon-developed Fire TV Omni is now available with mini-LED backlighting, with up to 1,400 nits of peak brightness and up to 960 dimming zones, depending on the screen size. Known as the Fire TV Omni Mini-LED Series, the models also offer Dolby Vision IQ, HDR10+ Adaptive and, for the first time, built-in Dolby Atmos. Amazon is also promising that a future software update will enable a new version of its Ambient Experience that uses onboard sensors to react in real time to movement in the room.

The Fire TV Omni Mini-LED Series are available starting November 14 in four screen sizes:
Buy at Amazon
($820),
Buy at Amazon
($1,090),
Buy at Amazon
($1,500), and
Buy at Amazon
($2,100).

Read more
Amazon simplifies its lineup with the new Fire TV Stick HD
A promo image of the Amazon Fire TV Stick HD.

It's a little hard to believe we've gone through most of 2024 without a new Amazon Fire TV Stick. That is, until now. The Fire TV Stick HD has been announced, with the $35 device reducing the Fire TV Stick lineup from four to three and in the process replacing the two oldest sticks in the family. The $40 Fire TV Stick and the $30 Fire TV Stick Lite will still be around while they're in stock. But after that, they're gone.

The other two current devices remain the second-generation Fire TV Stick 4K, and the second-gen Fire TV Stick 4K Max, which we still consider to be the best Fire TV Stick to get.

Read more
Amazon quietly launched three new Android tablets with a bunch of AI features
amazon quietly launched three new android tablets fire hd 8 2024 render official

When Amazon launches a new tablet, there's usually quite a bit of fanfare. But this time, the retail giant has quietly unveiled out three new Fire HD 8 tablets: the Fire HD 8 (2024), Fire HD 8 Kids, and Fire HD 8 Kids Pro. These might sound like iterative improvements, but don't be fooled, as Amazon has added some serious oomph to these tablets.

The new Fire HD 8 tablets include a writing assistant that's built into the keyboard. Have you ever written something out and thought it lacked a certain pizazz? The assistant will help tighten up your text. The Amazon Silk browser also now has a feature that will summarize we pages so you get the gist of the message without reading the entire story, while another AI tool lets you create custom background images through a text prompt.

Read more