Ángel Jiménez from Luis USA
USA
Updated Thursday, February 29, 2024-23:45
It is difficult to find a television in stores that does not include at least minimal support for streaming applications, a way to watch Netflix or Disney+ on the screen.
In fact, I would dare say that in 2024, it is directly impossible.
These screens are now the new standard.
This has made things quite complicated for devices like AppleTV or FireTV, which until recently were the usual way of bringing smart functions to a screen that not long ago was called dumb.
Amazon's latest FireTV, however, makes
a good case for considering continuing to use these accessories.
This is the Fire TV Stick 4K Max, announced in the fall of last year and is a somewhat more advanced version than its predecessor, which had the same name.
WIFI 6E
The differences are not many.
The device has
more memory
(good for adding more applications or games) and is a little
faster
moving through the different menus thanks to a more powerful processor, but there are two that are very important and that can transform the user experience.
The first is that it is the
first TV adapter compatible with the WiFi 6E standard,
which offers better latency, less interference and coverage.
In homes that have a router compatible with this technology, it is advisable to use devices that can take advantage of it and can solve coverage problems if the television to which it is connected is in an area that previously had poor reception, as is the case of the television in the one I have tried.
In my living room I have very good WiFi coverage, but in my office, where I have a second television that I generally use for video games, not so much.
To this we must add that, unless we have a relatively new television, it is very likely that the quality of its integrated WiFi will be very inferior.
The second is that the Fire TV Stick 4K Max allows for the first time
to transform the television screen into a painting,
more or less.
It has "ambient" backgrounds that fill the screen with works of art or photos (there are more than 2,000 to choose from) and on which you can also put additional information, such as upcoming calendar appointments, notes or shortcuts for the smart home.
This information can be surprisingly useful in some cases.
The television, when idle, now informs me
when my next Amazon order arrives,
for example, or shows me the temperature.
It's not something I plan on leaving on 24 hours a day because it can obviously reduce the life of the screen and is an unnecessary expense but I find it useful in a room I'm only in for a few hours a day.
ALEXA
And then there is, obviously, Alexa, Amazon's digital assistant.
It is
seamlessly integrated into the device
and now has a more accessible and prominent button on the remote control.
In homes that are already within the Amazon ecosystem, that use Echo or Ring video doorbells, this integration is undoubtedly one of the great advantages.
It makes it easier to control and configure many of the elements that would require downloading specific applications or using a smart speaker.
In the US, Amazon is beginning to test functions with generative AI in Alexa, but for now in a limited way.
There is still no firm schedule for its expansion to Spain but in the case of the Fire TV Stick 4K Max these functions allow you to generate
environmental wallpapers just by imagining the scene and describing it to Alexa.
It is curious and an appetizer of the future of these attendees.
Overall and after several months of testing, I think the Fire TV Stick 4K Max is one of the best options to
bring advanced features to a 4K screen.
It's much better than most of the in-screen platforms that usually come with TVs today, fast and efficient.
In homes that already have other Amazon devices, it integrates very well with just a few configuration steps.
Amazon continues to sell the previous version at a somewhat lower price, but the difference is so small (less than 10 euros) that it is
worth opting for this new version,
which right now has a price of 71.40 euros.