First it was Apple TV, Roku and Chromecast – now Amazon is ready to jump into the television game with Amazon Fire TV. For just $99 Amazon Fire TV brings you everything the other devices give you, but more – AND it’s all integrated with Amazon.

amazon fire tv launches: Technology Blog for Tech-Savvy Families

Amazon Fire TV has now been replaced with the 4K Amazon Fire Stick.

Amazon Fire TV Specs

Fire TV is small (think Apple TV size) but is built with impressive hardware.

Quad-core processor
Dedicated GPU
2 GB memory
Dual-band, dual-antenna Wi-Fi
1080p video
Dolby Digital Plus surround sound
ASAP Feature (predicts what movies and TV episodes you’ll want to watch – gets them ready to stream instantly to minimize video buffering time)
Bluetooth remote – you can search via your voice!

Video

amazon tv features: Technology Blog for Tech-Savvy Families

Fire TV gives you access to Netflix, Prime Instant Video, Hulu Plus, WatchESPN, low-cost video rentals and more. You have INSTANT access to over 200,000 TV episodes and movies. You don’t have to be a Prime member, but if you are – your free content included in your membership can be streamed from this device as well

Minecraft and Gaming

Fire TV sets itself apart from the rest by also being a gaming system! With Fire TV you can play titles such as MINECRAFT, The Walking Dead, Monster University and more. Some games are free, others are available at a minimal cost. Amazons ays the average price of paid games is only $1.85.

Amazon Fire Game Controller

For $39, you can purchase a Amazon Fire game controller.

Play more games Amazon Fire Game Controller doubles the number of games you can play on Fire TV, including Minecraft – Pocket Edition, Asphalt 8, and NBA 2K14
Full set of controls Featuring dual analog sticks and all the controls a gamer would expect, plus lighted player indicators for multiplayer gaming
Affordable games Paid games start from just 99 cents, and many games are available to play for free
Wireless gaming Kick back on your couch and game without wires
Play music and videos Integrated media buttons provide convenient control of movies, TV shows, and music
Leaderboards and achievements The Amazon GameCircle button instantly lets you track progress and compare scores with friends and millions of other gamers
Long battery life Auto-sleep with instant-wake maximizes play time, providing up to 55 hours with the included AA batteries

Kid Friendly

Coming soon is Amazon FreeTime. Amazon FreeTime lets you easily limit screen time and create personalized profiles just for kids. We can’t WAIT for this feature.

Amazon has really upped the game. They are more than an ecommerce site, they have made themselves a platform for entertainment.

We ordered the complete package – Amazon Fire TV, game controller and an HDMI cable – and it will arrive tomorrow! Total for complete system with overnight shipping (I’m a prime member) and tax was $160 – plus Amazon sent over a free copy of their new game Sub Zero and 1,000 Amazon Coins (equivalent to $10). Stay tuned for a complete review. I can’t wait!