Amazon is adding a new streaming stick to its portfolio. Say hello to the Fire TV Stick 4K, which costs $59.99 and is already available for buyers in the US, among other markets. Amazon says the new Fire TV Stick 4K features a new slimmer form factor, like the Fire TV Stick HD, and is significantly faster than before- 20–40% snappier, to be specific.
Amazon says its new streaming stick ensures “apps launch over 35% faster, and content starts playing nearly 20% faster.” The 4K resolution support (at up to 60fps frame rate, no less) is a key draw here, and if you’re concerned about the format support, the new Fire TV Stick 4K can handle HDR10, HDR10+, HLG, H.265, H.264, VP9, and AV1 video content.
A key highlight is the Direct Power feature, which allows the device to draw power directly from the connected TV’s USB port using the included cable. If your TV doesn’t support direct power delivery via USB, you can still connect the Fire TV Stick 4K to a wall socket with an adapter. On the connectivity front, the device supports Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.3, and Bluetooth Low Energy.
On the software side, the device runs on Vega OS and comes with the new Fire TV user interface and Alexa+ built in. Amazon says that in roughly a year, Vega OS is now home to over 2,000 apps, including the likes of Spotify, Xbox, and VLC, among others, since it first made its debut last year. The next-gen Alexa+ AI brings enhanced conversational AI capabilities and personalized recommendations.
The Fire TV Stick 4K starts shipping today in the United States, Canada, Japan, Mexico, the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Switzerland, and Australia, with more markets following in late October.
As part of the upcoming Prime Big Deal Days sales fest, the Fire TV Stick 4K will be available at half the listed price ($29.99) for buyers in the US. To go with it, Amazon has also launched a new Fire TV Remote with a more tactile response, improved customizability, and integrated TV controls. It costs $14.99 and ships later this month.
Instagram is making its way to yet another screen, and this time, Apple TV is getting a taste of the Reels rabbit hole. The company has launched a dedicated Instagram app for Apple TV, bringing Reels, longer videos, and live shows to the big screen. So, if watching one quick clip on a phone somehow turns into an hour of scrolling, there's now a much larger screen for that.
Instagram brings Reels and more to Apple TV
Audio-Technica, a brand well known for making some of the best studio and professional headphones on the market, has just come out with the ATH-AWX7000, which the company itself claims to be its "finest headphones ever." The new flagship closed-back headphone has debuted at an eye-watering price of $3,799. It combines hand-finished Japanese woodwork with a newly developed 58mm driver.
The earcups are made from Kiso cypress, a prized wood historically used for Shinto shrines and Buddhist temples. Each housing is finished by hand with traditional Echizen lacquer, which brings out the grain and is expected to darken over time. The frame and sliders are finished in a deep navy kachi-iro shade traditionally associated with samurai.
This post is brought to you in paid partnership with Best Buy.
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