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Friends, family, and acquaintances can watch their favorite television series and movies on these low-cost streaming gadgets.
What better gift than one of Amazon or Roku's streaming sticks in these COVID times, when many people are staying at home as much as possible? They're a terrific method for folks to catch up on their favorite streaming services' TV episodes and movies. While Amazon and Roku aren't the only companies that make this type of device, here's why they're different.
Roku and Amazon have both been in the streaming game for quite some time, with the former introducing its first device in 2008 and the latter in 2014. Both began with set-top box media devices and have now expanded their businesses to include HDMI streaming sticks and smart TVs, as well as major TV brands. There are also a range of possibilities from which to choose depending on the requirements.
Amazon currently sells three HDMI streaming sticks: the Fire TV Stick, Fire TV Stick Lite (seen above), and the 2018 Fire TV Stick 4K. They all include Alexa-enabled remote controls and 8GB of storage. The biggest difference is that the Lite edition does not allow you to control the TV with the remote. While both the current Fire TV Stick model and the Lite version are 2020 devices, they can only stream in 1080p, but the older Fire TV Stick 4K can stream in 4K, if available.
Purchase a Fire TV Stick (Amazon)
Meanwhile, Roku is only now offering its Roku Streaming Stick+, a 4K streaming gadget that was debuted in 2019. Both firms provide devices with simple user interfaces. Roku OS has a smartphone-style home screen with icons arranged in rows. With Prime Video at its core, Fire OS is starting to resemble a streaming service. However, both operating systems offer access to a large range of apps, including streaming services, games, and tools. These aid in providing a more PC-like experience for the viewer. Granted, there's only so much a remote control can do. They're also reasonably priced. The Fire TV Stick Lite is only $29.99 (C$49.99) on Amazon.com, $39.99 (C$59.99) on Amazon.ca, and $49.99 (C$69.99) on Amazon.ca. On Roku's US and Canadian websites, the Streaming Stick+ costs the same as the Fire TV Stick 4K.
Chromecast, Google TV, and Other Options
The Chromecast with Google TV, which was released this year, is a nice alternative. It's the first time the popular casting device from Google has supported apps. It runs on a customized Android TV interface and offers a comparable experience to Fire OS, a derivative of Android. While Fire OS focuses on Prime Video, the new Chromecast gadget emphasizes movies and TV shows from Google Play. In addition, instead of Alexa, its voice remote uses Google Assistant. It's the same price as its 4K equivalents and has the same 8GB storage as the Fire TV Stick line. It also boasts more RAM than both Amazon and Roku's streaming sticks, though this won't make much of a difference because most streaming sticks only run one app at a time.
But it's the adaptability of the Fire TV Stick and Roku Streaming Stick+ that sets them apart. Around 9,000 apps are available for Fire OS, including browsers like Amazon's Silk and Firefox. Even if there isn't a comparable app, most users should be able to quickly browse any site to stream content with these. Google TV had access to around 6,500 of the 7,000 or so Android TV apps when it first launched, but there is no effective all-around browser. While Roku OS lacks a competent browser, it does have access to over 20,000 apps, ensuring that most users will find what they're looking for.
There are other options available. Many Android and Windows set-top boxes are available, however they might be difficult to set up. Smart TVs are also available, but depending on the operating system and Wi-Fi card strength, purchasers may find up paying a premium for a feature with limited streaming capabilities. Higher-end set-top media boxes are also available for a little more money on Amazon and Roku for gift-givers who want to go all out.