Audio Video News

Amazon has expanded its popular Fire TV family of streaming media players with a new 4K/HDR-ready model featuring Alexa voice control.

Almost lost in the aftermath of <A HREF="http://www.ultimateavmag.com/news/20807walmart/">Wal-Mart's big announcement</A> that it was tackling the movie download space was the unveiling last week of the deal between Amazon and TiVo to partner on movie and TV show downloads. TiVo owners with broadband connections can now shop for video downlods from Amazon's Unbox and have the movies and shows sent directly to the TiVos- in their living rooms, connected to their TVs. The new service is called Amazon Unbox on TiVo.

Longtime Amazon customers may already be surprised to find CD purchases from years and years ago appearing in their Amazon Cloud Players. Their eyebrows are set to move even higher now that Amazon is extending the courtesy to LP purchases. Buy an AutoRip-eligible disc—analog or digital—from the online retailer, boot up the Cloud Player, and there it is. If your computer or tablet of choice lacks a disc drive, as increasingly many do, you’re also free to download a free 256-kbps AutoRipped copy. The feature is available to U.S. customers only, for titles displaying the AutoRip logo.

The we-sell-everything-everywhere behemoth otherwise known as Amazon is determined to remain the Big Kahuna in Smart-Speakerville.

As voice control technology spreads like wildfire throughout the AV world, Amazon is looking to keep its lead over the competition with redesigned Echo and Echo Plus smart speakers, new Alexa features, and a new family member, the Echo Spot.

Are you old enough to remember the days when electronics stores were everywhere? If you’re from the New York area you may recall Crazy Eddie’s “insane” radio and TV ads. If you’re on the West Coast you probably remember the one-time institution, Pacific Stereo. Today, the field is defined by Best Buy, which operates in every state, a handful of savvy regional players like hhgregg, and a smattering of veteran independents.

Amazon is on track to have 76.2 million users of its streaming video service, about 3 million more than previously forecast, making it the fastest-growing streaming video service, according to a new report from eMarketer.