Author Note: If after reading, you found this Blog Post to be beneficial and are going to buy one of these devices from Amazon anyway, you might consider clicking one of my Amazon Affiliate links below in blue and checking out that way. As an Amazon Associate I may earn from qualifying purchases. If you already have an Amazon UK account you can still use the links to purchase while logged into your account. This Post is mainly for people in Ireland but also relates to those in the UK who are in the market for a TV connected media device and are hesitating. I am writing from my own experiences using Amazon Devices over the last few years.
Best Fire TV Device Ireland
I'm sure you have looked for a Device you can hook up to your TV to view Movies, TV Shows and more at some stage of your life. Smart TVs promise that capability but in my experience rarely live up to it. Instead I spent a few years buying Android boxes which performed poorly after a while because they were loaded with software and had poor processing speeds and onboard memory. I stream from Legal Subscription platforms like Prime Video, Netflix, Disney Plus and often use USB flash drives with my devices. While you can load third party software on to Amazon devices it is probably not advisable to risk it. You never know where that software has been. If you are currently looking for a recommendation for the Best Fire TV Device in Ireland then you can't go far wrong with Amazon Fire TV.
Author Note: Always use your Devices to watch Legal Apps and content!
Fire TV Cube
I really hesitated before buying this Device because it was twice the price of an Android box but I'm so glad I did. Hard to photograph black surfaces, this is the unit below booting up. The blue light goes off when ready.
I bought this is May 2021 and in mid March 2024 at the time of writing this Blog Post it is still going strong however, I think the battery in the remote is finally dying. I'd normally get 2 years or so out of an Android box before it became problematic and then unusable, the Fire Cube is still going strong though. The home screen shows suggestions of what to watch next from all my Subscription services and this can be a great feature if you find yourself endlessly scrolling. The Alexa voice activation for connected Devices sometimes goes a bit wonky but it's great to be able to tell Alexa to turn on each Device when you don't have the control in your hand. I have found great use for the Alexa pause and play commands which are extremely handy for me as I tend to use a Smartphone or Tablet while watching TV. Finally, the Fire TV Cube looks classy sitting next to the TV. I got a USB adaptor for it but couldn't activate it in the settings menu. Instead, I can use the USB on the TV if I need to. Small complaint really, considering.
For some reason the Fire TV Cube is hard to find these days and not available to ship to Ireland, probably due to Brexit. You may be able to buy from Amazon UK and ship to a relative in the UK and get it that way. Amazon USA also only seems to have refurbished models. Maybe there is a new model coming out in the future? I will update the links below when I find out.
Check out the UK Version Fire TV Cube on Amazon UK.
Check out the International Version Fire TV Cube on Amazon UK. Ireland, EU etc. Not Available.
Check out the Fire TV Cube on Amazon USA.
Fire TV Stick
I bought the Fire TV Stick to replace a second Android box connected to my bedroom TV. Again, the Android was having issues with memory and performance so I wanted something better. I got the Amazon Fire TV Stick with USB port attachment adaptor bought separately so I could load files from Flash Drives and watch externally stored media files. The unit is powered by plug but there is a USB powered adaptor that can use the TV USB port for power if you want. The unit works great and is a much more affordable device than the Fire TV Cube. Only one thing to mention, there is a slight delay at the start of a file when you watch media through a Flash Drive. It's not the end of the world though. I recommend the Fire TV Stick if you want to use for a bedroom or small space as it is really compact. If you need something for your sitting room I would recommend the Fire TV Cube.
Check out the UK Version Fire TV Stick on Amazon UK.
Check out the International Version Fire TV Stick on Amazon UK. Ireland, EU etc.
Check out the Fire TV Stick on Amazon USA.
Echo Dot 4th Generation
This is one of those things that I swore I would never get. It doesn't play visual media so why would I want it? I ended up buying one for my Son and while I was picking it out I started reading all about it. I bought one in the end expecting it to be a massive mistake. To my surprise it has become a very useful tool in my office. Sometimes I have multiple sheets and tabs open on 2 screens and I need to get an answer to percentage or general knowledge question without minimising; Alexa is there with an answer. Sometimes, she has trouble with my accent or I get my question mixed up and have to try again but for the most part it is extremely useful. I can also link it to Amazon Music or Spotify with a simple command. Alexa, play Amazon Music or Alexa, Play Spotify. I have a tower speaker behind me in my office but I rarely turn it on as the Echo is fast and convenient to use. There are loads of other handy things that Alexa can do like setting time reminders, shopping lists, controlling other set device and more but I rarely go beyond what I need it for. You've got to try it for yourself and see if it's a good fit in your home.
Check out the Echo 4th Gen on Amazon UK.
Check out the International Version Echo 4th Gen on Amazon UK. Ireland, EU etc.
Check out the Echo 5th Gen on Amazon USA.
Conclusion
As I mentioned above, I have had these devices for several years now and they are still going strong. If they ever break down I wouldn't hesitate to purchase again. While I may benefit if you purchase using one of my Affiliate links I still stand behind what I say here. I hope you find what you are looking for!
Thanks for Reading, David
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