SmartStream

Although the Fire TV Cube was released by Amazon in June, it has not yet received the recognition or hype it deserves. The Cube is a cross between a smart speaker and a Fire TV media player. Like an Amazon Echo speaker, the Cube can hear commands from across the room and has a built-in speaker to play back its reply. Like a Fire TV media player, it streams from all the same apps as other Fire TV models and can play 4K HDR content.

A number of streaming media players have recently been upgraded to include basic voice control via Amazon Alexa and Google Home, so I tested both systems on several players to see how close we’ve come to true hands-free control.

Have you noticed Netflix has a new look? The leading movie streaming service has been rolling out new menus for its app over the past couple of months. While the change is not earth-shattering in terms of innovation, it’s a much-needed improvement that makes it faster and easier to scroll through titles.

Netgear’s Orbi Voice is a melding of smart speaker technology and mesh networking that makes sense.

How choice, community support, and nostalgia are keeping the last Blockbuster alive in Bend, Oregon. After spending an afternoon at my local blockbuster, I learned a lot about who still rents videos and why.

TiVo recently added Amazon Alexa voice control to the TiVo Bolt Vox we recently reviewed. While the media streamer/DVR combo already has voice command capabilities through TiVo’s Vox remote, control via an Alexa-enabled speaker or device brings a truly hands-free experience.