Amazon has added a new Games Hub to Fire TV devices, which can be accessed by selecting the “Games” tile on the Fire TV search screen. The new hub is heavily focused on Amazon’s Luna cloud gaming service, which is understandable since that’s currently the most popular type of gaming being done on Fire TV devices, but you’ll also find local downloadable games from the Amazon Appstore being highlighted, as well as Twitch streams and game trailers. Read more ›
When the Fire TV Stick 4K Max launched, it introduced a new setting that allows you to fully disable all HDR, as opposed to only being able to choose from HDR being always on and HDR being adaptive. This setting is handy for those with quirky TVs, AVRs, or HDMI switches that don’t behave correctly with HDR signals. Thankfully, the Fire TV Cube 3 also has the same option to disable HDR. Now if only Amazon would add it to older Fire TV models, like the 2nd-gen Fire TV Cube.
See all my 3rd-gen Fire TV Cube coverage here.
The 3rd-gen Fire TV Cube is the first Fire TV to come with an option that Fire TV users have literally been asking for since the original Fire TV debuted in 2014. In its display settings is finally an option to make the Fire TV Cube output no video signal when it goes to sleep, as opposed to outputting an all-black video feed, which is what all prior Fire TVs do. The “No Signal” option, which is on by default, for the new “Sleep Mode Behavior” menu will finally allow your TV to automatically turn off when the Fire TV goes to sleep. Read more ›
About a year ago, Amazon pushed an update to newer Fire TV models that made it possible to control the volume of Bluetooth headphones and/or speakers paired to a Fire TV with the Fire TV remote’s volume buttons. At the time, it seemed like only Fire OS 7 devices, like the 3rd-gen Fire TV Stick and 2nd-gen Fire TV Cube, received the new capability. Now it looks like Amazon is finally bringing it to older Fire TV devices running Fire OS 6. At the very least, the Fire TV Stick 4K can now control Bluetooth volume using the remote volume buttons, which was not possible a few weeks ago. Other Fire OS 6 Fire TV models may be gaining the capability as well, but I haven’t had a chance to check, so please let everyone know in the comments if it works for you and which Fire TV model you are using. Thanks to everyone that contacted me about this new update!
Amazon Fire TV devices have had a rudimentary network status check for a while that did very little. Usually, it just reported that the network was either disconnected or fine. At best, I’ve found that the tester would sometimes recommend a different WiFi channel to use if the one that is currently being used is congested. Amazon has now completely overhauled the Fire TV’s built-in network test with vastly more information as well as a built-in network speed test. Read more ›
Amazon has started to add specific websites to the Universal Search results on Fire TV devices. Searching for a URL, either by voice search or using the onscreen keyboard search, will now display a new search result format for select websites that will load the website directly through Amazon’s Silk web browser. Read more ›
Amazon has announced that the Fire TV Cube is the first streaming device in the U.S. to support Audio Streaming for Hearing Aids (ASHA). Those with compatible Bluetooth hearing aids from Starkey can use a new “Hearing Aids” menu found under the Accessibility menu in Settings to connect the hearing aid to the Fire TV Cube. Once connected, you can use the volume buttons on the Fire TV remote to adjust the volume of the hearing aid. While the hearing aids are connected, you can hold the Home button to see a new “Disconnect Hearing Aids” option to easily disconnect. Amazon says it will expand support to more Fire TV models later this year.
Along with the new Fire TV Interface’s arrival last year came the arrival of user profiles on Fire TV devices. Those user profiles are becoming more useful as they can now be linked to the profiles within streaming service apps. As Reddit user occasio has pointed out, user profiles in the Discovery+ app can now be linked to the Fire TV user profile to eliminate the need to select a profile twice. Read more ›
Amazon has rolled out a new Auto App Download feature to Fire TV devices recently that can speed up access to new apps. The new feature, once enabled, will streamline the process of downloading, installing, and launching apps with a single click. Instead of needing to first select an app to be downloaded, wait for the download, and then find the app in your app list to launch it, all steps happen as soon as you select any app, with a few caveats. Read more ›
Amazon Fire TV devices have gained a new feature called the Alexa Shortcut Panel. When you tap the microphone / Alexa button on your remote, the shortcut panel appears in the bottom third of the screen with buttons that provide access to the Smart Home Dashboard, which was recently revamped, the Weather, your video Library, and to News, which launches the Fire TV News app. Read more ›
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