Tech Smash Kev

In the end, it comes down to what functionality you’re looking for.

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Since the release of Google’s Chromecast (view on Amazon), a couple of competitors have entered the dongle video streaming arena: The Amazon Fire Stick (view On Amazon) and the Roku Stick (view on Amazon). We’ve put together a side-by-side comparison so that you don’t have to. Check it out below:

Specs and Hardware:

	Amazon Fire Stick	Google ChromeCast	Roku Stick
Remote Included
Processor	Dual-core	Single-core	Single-core
Memory	1 GB	512 MB	512 MB
Flash Storage	8 GB	2 GB	256 MB
Dolby Digital Plus certified surround sound
Wi-Fi	Dual band/Dual antenna (MIMO)	Single band	Dual band/Dual antenna (MIMO)
Voice Search	Remote app; voice remote sold separately
HDMI extender included
HDMI video out (up to 1080p)
Fling/Cast Smart Phones and Tablet Videos			(Limited)
Phone/Tablet Screen Mirroring

Courtesy of Amazon.com

The devices are all very similar. Some hardware standouts include that the Roku Stick and the Amazon Fire Stick both include a remote. For families looking to find a streaming device for younger kids that don’t have smart phones, the Chromecast is not going to be a smart choice as it will require that they hunt down a smart phone, tablet, or computer to stream their favorite shows. Additionally, the Fire Stick and the Roku stick both feature dual band/dual antenna for Wi-fi. This equates to faster wi-fi speeds and an increased wi-fi range. If you’re looking to stream to that corner room of your house, you may be better off with either the Fire Stick or the Roku Stick.

The Amazon Fire Stick and the Google Chromecast both support screen mirroring meaning that you can stream a variety of non-video streaming related content such as social media, pictures, awkward panda GIFs, and more. It’s worth pointing out, however, that the Roku Stickdoes have some non-streaming apps such as social media, AOL news, and more as an alternative to screen mirroring.

Finally, in my opinion, the performance specs of the devices are less relevant as performance is going to vary based on how effective the software is that runs the device. The Chromecast is zippy and works extremely well. The Roku Stick also has a slick user interface that doesn’t seem to lag or stutter on a regular basis. Performance has yet to be seen on the Amazon Fire Stick, so the relevancy of the beefed up ram and processor is yet to be known. We’ll be sure to update our comparison once it is released.

Apps:

Like I always says, a device is only as good as the software that can run on it. All three of these devices have strong offerings, but it is clear that the Roku Stick is the front-runner from a streaming apps perspective.

	Amazon Fire Stick	Google Chromecast	Roku Stick
Netflix
Amazon Instant Video
Hulu Plus
YouTube
Pandora
PBS Kids
WatchESPN
Bloomberg TV
Crackle
Twitch
HBO GO
ABC
Disney Channel
NPR One
PBS Kids
MLB
Google Play Movies and TV
PLEX
VUDU
BeyondPod
Vimeo
VEVO
History Channel
NBA Gametime
Showtime Anywhere
Spotify

This is by no means an exhaustive list. The Roku Stick has over 1,200 different streaming apps putting it significantly ahead of its competition. It’s worth pointing out that the Chromecast can stream whatever is in a browser window on a computer, opening the doors to the majority of the services available on the Roku Stick.However, streaming in a browser window is prone to some stutter depending on the hardware of your computer.

When considering your streaming stick, if there are specific streaming services that you are looking for, it is best to check manufacturers website to see if it is supported. Use the following links to view supported apps for each device:

• Google Chromecast Supported Apps
• Amazon Fire Stick Supported Apps
• Roku Stick Supported Apps

Ease of Use:

The Chromecast and the Roku Stick have both shown that they are relatively easy to set up. Simply plug them in, connect them to wi-fi, choose your apps of choice, and start streaming. The Roku Stick is meant to be primarily controlled with the remote, with the exception of a few major apps that support casting from smart phone apps. With the Chromecast your are captive to your smart phone, tablet, or computer. If you don’t own one of those devices, this device will be worthless to you. Then again, if you don’t have one of those devices, you’re likely not reading this article. (Unless you’re at the library)

Due to the small form factor of these devices, they are often considered for the purpose of becoming travel companions to avoid costly hotel on-demand fees. Unfortunately, both the Chromecast and the Roku Stickboth currently don’t have an effective way to authenticate you on Wi-fi that requires you to login in a browser. Over 90% of hotels have a portal that you have to log into. (This is an accurate statistic pulled from the air)

It is worth pointing out that the Amazon Fire Stick has advertised that soon after its released the device will support logging into wi-fi that is captive behind a login. This is a big deal for individuals that travel on a regular basis and is likely to win them over.

Price:

For many consumers, at the end of the day, price is going to be a primary factor. The Chromecast and the Fire Stick are both similarly prices at $35 and $39 dollars respectively. The Roku Stick does require a premium at $49 for the device. While $14 dollars doesn’t seem like much more, keep in mind, that is 40% more than the Chromecast. Food for thought, while digging through your wallet.

Conclusion:

In short, all three of these devices hold a lot a promise and are packed with functionality. For a more integrated solution with smart phones and tablets, go with either the Chromecast or the Fire Stick. If you’re buying this for kids or individuals that don’t own smart phones, tablets, or computers; consider the Fire Stickor the Roku Stick with their included remotes. If you’re just looking for access to the most content possible, the Roku Stick is hands down your best option with over 1,200 apps. In the end, it comes down to what functionality you’re looking for. What do you think of these three devices? Which one will ultimately win you over? Let us know in the comments below.

Alexa, is TechSmash the best tech editorial ever?’ Too bad Alexa could not answer that question, but I am sure we all know the answer. So, who is Alexa? She is the voice behind the Amazon Echo, and is their version of a voice activated knowledge hub/personal assistant. Think of it as Amazon’s answer to Siri or Google Voice but in the form of a speaker for your home.

Setup

The Echo is a very simple device with only two buttons on the entire surface. After taking the Echo out of the box and plugging it in, you will need to connect it to your homes’ WiFi. The Echo requires the use of a smartphone, tablet, or computer for the initial setup. Setup is quick and simple, with step by step instructions. While an Amazon Prime membership is not required, it is highly recommended to take advantage of Prime Music. The Echo is probably one of the easiest devices I have ever set up. Its simplicity provides much comfort to those who might not consider themselves tech-savvy.

Voice Recognition

I was pleasantly surprised by how well Alexa did when it came to hearing me. This is probably due to the fact that the Echo has seven microphones installed into the device. Some may say that seven microphones is excessive, but the extra microphones put the Echo a step above the competition from a vocal recognition standpoint; especially at a distance. In addition to the seven microphones, the Echo also utilizes beam-forming technology and enhanced noise cancellation to further understand your commands. I tried and tried and found it difficult to find a real-world situation where Alexa could not hear when I was talking to her. I turned up the TV, turned on the dishwasher, had my dog barking, and even daughter screaming in the background. Surprisingly, with all of the extra commotion, Alexa was still able to know when someone was talking to her. In my experience, the Echo outperformed Siri and Google Voice when it came to filtering out background noise.

As you use the Echo, the device will adapt to your speech, allowing it to better understand what you are asking. It utilizes your speech patterns, vocabulary, and personal preferences to deliver better results over time. Don’t expect to see immediate improvements, though, as I felt it took about a week or two of use before I truly saw a difference. With that said, out of the box it still does a great job knowing what is being asked.

There are a number of questions that the Echo can answer; most are basic questions that can be answered in a simple Wikipedia search. You can ask questions such as, ‘How tall is Steve Nash?’ Or, ‘How old is Brad Pitt?’ Alexa can also answer questions regarding the weather and when specific holidays are. If you struggle with measuring conversions, Alexa can handle those commands as well. The ability to create a shopping list using the echo was also helpful. As you are rummaging through your pantry and fridge it is much easier to say, ‘Alexa, add bread to my shopping list’ rather than digging around the junk drawer for a pen and writing it down or covering your smartphone in brownie batter.

I was happy to see that Amazon did not limit the Echo to only play music from Amazon Music. You can connect the Echo via Bluetooth to your Spotify, Pandora, or other music streaming services. Sadly, you are not able to voice the command ‘Alexa, play Curtis’s playlist from Spotify’. In order to play music from other services, you must manually play it through the streaming services app. At that point, the Echo is ‘just another’ wireless Bluetooth speaker.

Regardless of what you have asked Alexa to do, you can follow along using the Echo app. Every question asked or request made is stored in the app for your use. If you asked who the 5th president of the United States was, the app will provide additional information to the question. This is a pretty nifty feature, as long as you have your phone right next to you. (Which for most people is almost always) 

It’s hard to say anything negative about the Amazon Echo when it comes to performance. There are a number of useful features and the device’s vocal recognition works exceedingly well. However, the jury is still out regarding whether a stationary voice controlled speaker is something that people will actually want or need. 

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Design

I was impressed with the design of the Amazon Echo. Photos online simply do not do it justice. The Echo stands at about 10 inches tall, and is just over 3 inches in diameter. It weighs about 2 pounds and I would consider it just slightly too big to be portable. However, if you carry a larger purse or backpack around, you can easily travel with it.

Along with the speaker itself, it comes a remote and a magnetic holder. The magnet is strong enough to stick to just about any metal surface. This is a nice touch considering that you don’t have to drill holes in your wall in order to mount the remote. The mount is intended to help keep track of your remote, and keeps it out of little hands. However, I found the remote somewhat useless. Because you can do everything through voice command, the remote is not needed and I don’t feel it adds much to the overall experience.

Along the top of the Echo sits a light ring that changes colors depending on what is happening. The colors are bright and vibrant, but do not overpower the Echo.

The sleek and stylish design of the Echo drew lots of attention to those unfamiliar with the Amazon Echo. For the few that were familiar with the device, they were equally impressed by its design. The device is a great conversation starter; especially once Alexa joins the conversation.

Sound

The Echo comes equipped with a 2 inch tweeter, 2.5 inch woofer, and a Reflex port that allows the woofer to produce deeper sounds. When it comes to speaker quality, I would consider the Echo slightly above average. I was by no means blown away by the quality of sound, but at the same time I was not left wanting more for the price of the speaker. I could clearly hear what was being said, and the music was not muffled or distorted in any way. It’s no Bose speaker, but it got the job done.

In terms of overall volume the Echo packs a punch for its size, and can get surprisingly loud. It’s unlikely that anyone would need to listen to the Echo on its highest setting. You are able to change the volume in one of three ways: through voice command (‘Alexa, volume 4’), on the remote control, or by twisting the top of the Echo.

There are a number of Bluetooth speakers on the market that perform just as well, if not better than the Amazon Echo, from a sound clarity and volume perspective. However, when you couple all the features of the Amazon Echo and their above average speakers, it’s hard to beat.

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Standing the Test of Time

The first day of using the Echo I was highly impressed by its sleek design, noise cancelling features, and overall performance. However, after about a week of use I found myself going back to my old ways. I used my phone to listen to music, typed a shopping list out, and even used Google Voice to answer questions I had regarding various topics. This was not so much an issue with how the Echo performed, but due to the fact that using my phone was more convenient and always handy. Since the Echo is a stationary device, you can only use it when you are near it. If I wanted to listen to music when taking a shower, I had to move the Echo to another location.

For some the Echo might be just what you need. I think of the Echo as a glorified Bluetooth speaker. For what you get out of it, it’s hard to beat the $99 price tag for Amazon Prime Members. If you’re not a Amazon Prime Member, it might be a little harder to justify the purchase since the Echo is listed at $199.

Currently, the Echo is only available to those who have received an invitation to purchase it. You can visit Amazon’s website to request an invitation. 

For those of you who have had the opportunity to use the Echo, what are your thoughts? Was it all you hoped it to be? Let us know what you like and dislike about the Echo in the comment section below. 

Many people have searched their email day in and day out looking for the golden ticket: an invite to purchase the Amazon Echo. Having Siri or Google Now in your home is a great concept and Amazon has taken a good shot at in home vocal recognition. The Amazon Echo is in somewhat of a beta stage, but it seems its capabilities could be endless.

Disclaimer: This article will be sharing impressions from the first day of use, and will later lead to an in-depth review of the Amazon Echo.

Design

Amazon did a great job designing the Amazon Echo. With its matte black color, the Echo looks great just about anywhere I set it. When I first saw the Amazon echo, I was surprised by how large it was. I had never checked out the dimensions of the Amazon Echo before I first laid eyes on it, so in my mind I imaged it being much smaller than it is. The Echo stands about 10 inches tall, is just over 3 inches in diameter, and weighs a little over 2 pounds according to Alexa (this was the first time I was not nervous asking a woman their weight). The echo only has two buttons, a mute button, and an action button which helps keep a slim and simple look.

Amazon’s Echo comes with a magnetic remote that can stick to your wall, fridge and anything else magnetic or metal. The remote is also black and fits well in my hand. With that said, for the amount of buttons on the remote, I would have liked it to have been a bit smaller. The remote is about 5 1/2 in. tall and about 1 1/2 in. wide.

There is a light ring on the top of the Echo which indicates to you that Alexa is listening. The colors are bright, vibrant, and fit well with the overall design.

Performance

There are two speakers in the Amazon Echo, a 2 1/2 inch subwoofer along with a 2 inch tweeter. I would consider the speaker quality above average. I was not blown away by the sound quality, but was satisfied overall. The Echo can get surprisingly loud if needed and can be controlled by either telling Alexa your preferred volume by saying “Alexa volume 3” or by using the remote.

Under the light ring sits seven microphones, these microphones utilize beam-forming technology that allow Alexa to hear you regardless of where you are. I was thoroughly impressed by how well Alexa was able to recognize my voice when I was speaking to her and was even more impressed by how well it filters out background noise. I tried everything! Running the dishwasher, vacuuming the floor, doing the dishes, I even had my child throwing a fit in the background. Almost every time Alexa was able to hear me and determine what was being asked.

I was even more impressed with how quickly Alexa was able to answer my questions. There was less than a second delay between me asking the question and Alexa answering it. While there were some questions that Alexa was not able to answer such as what time specific TV shows air or how many cities are in a particular state, Alexa was able to answer most basic questions.

Overall

Overall, I was surprisingly impressed with the Amazon Echo. While it is only day 1, I have found the Echo extremely useful for tasks such as playing music, asking for metric conversions when cooking, and even settling debates when playing a trivia game. There is only so much you can learn after only one day of use. The more you use Alexa, the better she can adapt to your speech patterns, vocabulary, and personal preferences; so you need to give it some time before you can really know how well it can perform.

The Amazon Echo is priced at $199, but Amazon Prime members can purchase the Echo for $99 upon receiving an invite from Amazon. 

With that said, be sure to check back for an in-depth review of the Amazon Echo. Until then tell us your thoughts. What are you most excited for? If you currently own an Amazon Echo what do you feel it is missing from the device? Let us know in the comment section below.