Amazon launch FireTV streaming device and games console

Streaming Device to rival ATV, Roku and Chromecast

by hodg100
Amazon has just confirmed the speculation by announcing its rival to Apple TV, Chromecast, Roku and the rest, in the Amazon Fire TV.
We’re still awaiting full technical details but the online retailer is bullish about them in claiming it has a quad-core processor with 3x the processing power of Apple TV and Roku, a dedicated Adreno 320 graphics engine, and 2 GB of memory—4x that of Apple TV, Roku, and Chromecast.

Obviously this is a way for Amazon to leverage more influence in the living room, with a device that plugs straight in to your TV and it is, of course, going to feature Amazon Prime Instant Video front and centre of the available streaming services.
3x the Processing Grunt of the Competition?
Amazon Fire TV

Early screenshots of the interface show that, in the US at least, the FireTV will have apps for Netflix, Pandora and Hulu Plus as well as support for YouTube. Given the Kindle Fire tablets don’t have a YouTube app, that’s a welcome surprise, although they're curiously they aren't mentioning it on the webpage on Amazon.com.

The FireTV can stream up to 1080p and has support for Dolby Digital Plus up to 7.1. There is also a cross platform voice search facility which they claim 'actually works'.

The speculation that it would be in the form of an HDMI dongle proved unfounded, with a small box form-factor instead and it will come with a bijou remote control, which Amazon’s vice president of Kindle, Peter Larsen, made a point of pointing out is superior to that of the Apple TV.

Prime Instant Video has recently been directly taking on Netflix by producing its own original content and announced yesterday that 6 new commissions are to become full series, joining Alpha House as exclusive to the service.

Today, Amazon also revealed that Prime Instant Video would become the exclusive streaming home of ‘24’ for all 192 episodes of the Kiefer Sutherland Series.

The device will also support gaming with Minecraft, Monsters University, The Game of Life, The Walking Dead, NBA2K14, Asphalt 8, Riptide GP2, Despicable Me: Minion Rush, and more.and more supported.

We’ll update here with specs, prices and photos when we have them but, for now, is this a device which fires your enthusiasm?

UPDATE: Amazon has confirmed a $99 price with immediate shipping but its $140 with the games controller.
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