When it comes to smart TVs, good interfaces are few and far between for built-in options. Most first-party smart interfaces are cumbersome and clumsy to navigate, stop getting updates shortly after the TV is released, and just don’t work well period.
If you’re lucky enough for your TV to support Google Cast, then that’s a bonus, but you have to use a phone, tablet, or computer in order to project content to the big screen. The other option is to plug an Apple TV, Chromecast, Android TV, or Fire TV into your setup and let that handle the content delivery. Amazon wants to change that and recently teamed up with Best Buy and Toshiba to announce the Fire TV Edition, available now.
Last month we reported when Best Buy and Amazon announced the new Fire TV Edition platform. This new product line will be Toshiba 4K TVs that have Amazon’s Fire TV built into them from the factory.
Available at both Best Buy (in-store and online) and Amazon from Best Buy as a third-party seller for the first time, these TVs are now available to pre-order.
You can attach an antenna or cable box to Toshiba’s Fire TV Editions to get regular cable channels. Should you choose to go over-the-air to avoid cable fees, the live and streaming channels you have will show up on one unified home screen. This is huge to me, as one annoying thing with using smart TVs is having to change inputs all the time.
Since this is powered by Fire TV, which is powered by Alexa, you can use similar commands to an Amazon Echo Show, since they both have screens. Want to see a quick update on the news before you run to work, just say “Alexa, show me my flash briefing” and boom, you’ll have a quick rundown of stories you need to know about.
Other Alexa skills work too, like finding restaurants, ordering a Lyft, and more. You can either use the included remote or an Echo device to control this new TV.
Available in three sizes: 43-inch, 50-inch, and 55-inch, pricing starts at $329.99 shipped for the 43-inch model and goes up to $579.99 shipped for the 55-inch version. Delivery is estimated to be around June 22nd, so you’re under a month away from being able to receive this new TV.
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Not all smart TVs live up to the hype. Wouldn’t you agree?
For quite some time, Fire TV has been making your not-so-smart TV a seamless, content-forward, entertainment experience that brings your favorite shows and movies to the biggest screen in your home. Just plug a Fire TV device into your TV and it’s is magically transformed into something that’s well…smart. But what if it was all built-in from the beginning? Say hello to the next generation of Fire TV Edition Smart TVs from Toshiba. Starting today you can pre-order the all-new Toshiba 4K Ultra HD Smart LED TV — Fire TV Edition.
I have the exciting job of getting to play with new Fire TV products before they’re released (it’s a hard job, but someone’s got to do it) and I’ve been dying to tell you all about this one! When I first started playing around with my new Toshiba TV, I was thrilled at how easy it was to discover new shows, and stream my favorites. I immediately started binging American Vandal on Netflix. I hope they find the culprit because I would love to get a custom piece of his “art.” My new TV quickly became the center of my living room and my go to for all things entertainment.
This TV has also become a big part of my morning routine. I always start my day with a cup of coffee and the news, a habit I got from my parents. By attaching an HD antenna, I was able to watch my local news stations live. Plus, all my live and streaming channels show up on one unified home screen, so I don’t have to constantly flip between inputs. When I’m in a rush and don’t have time to watch live news, I just say, “Alexa, show my flash briefing,” and a quick news brief gives me everything I need to know.
If all of that wasn’t enough, the Toshiba remote comes with Alexa built-in. I use Alexa for changing the channel, searching titles, and launching apps, but my favorite Alexa functionality includes: ordering a Lyft, checking the weather, and finding restaurants nearby. Better yet, I can go hands-free by pairing my TV with any Echo device. No more cheeto-dusted fingers all over my volume buttons or searching frantically between the couch cushions for a lost remote.
Examples of things Alexa can help you out with:
- “Alexa, tune to NBC.”
- “Alexa, play ‘The Handmaid’s Tale.’”
- “Alexa, rewind 30 seconds.”
- “Alexa, open channel guide.”
- “Alexa, open Netflix.”
- “Alexa, switch to Blu-ray.”
- “Alexa, play classical music.”
- “Alexa, dim the living room lights.”
- “Alexa, find Mexican restaurants.”
I am excited to share that you can now pre-order the brand-new Toshiba — Fire TV Edition smart TV and get an experience that’ll actually deliver on the smart promise, in addition to delivering incredible 4K picture quality and value. Learn more here.
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