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Monday 4 deceMber 2017 TECHNOLOGY
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Gift Guide: Choosing a streaming device without overpaying

By ANICK JESDANUN Assistant. Even if you’re
AP Technology Writer not a gamer, it’s nice not
NEW YORK (AP) — Why to have to press a micro-
watch video on a phone or phone button on a remote
a tablet when you can get to ask Google to pause or
a device for as little as $30 start video from the begin-
to stream shows on a big- ning.
screen TV? APPLE TV
Apple, Google, Amazon Though an iPhone isn’t re-
and Roku are all compet- quired, Apple TV will be
ing to be your gateway to most useful with one. The
online video. Which device basic device is $149; a ver-
you need will largely de- sion with 4K and HDR costs
pend on what services you $30 more. You’re paying
watch and what kind of TV for the experience — in
you have. particular, integration and
Of course, the device alone syncing with other Apple
won’t be enough. You’ll gadgets. For instance, you
probably want at least one This photo provided by Nvidia shows the Nvidia Shield streaming TV system. can type passwords on an
subscription to a video ser- Associated Press iPhone instead of navigat-
vice such as Netflix or Hulu, The device has Amazon’s with volume buttons and Nvidia’s Shield device is ing a keyboard on the TV
which charge monthly Alexa voice assistant built- voice search — though one notable example of an character by character.
fees. Others, such as Wat- in, giving you weather, we’re talking basic queries Android TV device, though Siri offers similar playback
chESPN, require a cable TV sports scores, stock quotes related to shows and apps, it’s pricey, starting at $179. controls and informa-
subscription. Plenty of oth- and playback controls with not playback controls or in- It comes with 4K and HDR. tion queries as Alexa and
ers — YouTube, for instance selected apps — ask Alexa formation such as weather. You get voice searches Google Assistant. The
— offer video for free with to forward 30 seconds, for The $70 Streaming Stick Plus through Google Assistant touchpad on the remote
ads, although their selec- instance. adds 4K and HDR. Bells and — playback controls with offers faster forwarding and
tions can be limited. Amazon’s $40 Fire TV Stick is whistles in the $100 Ultra some apps, weather and rewinding than rivals.
Here’s a holiday buying good for regular, high-defi- include a remote that will data you might never think And while all streaming
guide for the TV-streamers nition TV sets. emit a sound to help you to ask a TV, such as flight devices offer more than
in your life. If you have a higher-resolu- find it in your couch cush- status. just video, Apple TV goes
STREAMING BUILT-IN tion 4K TV, you’ll want the ion. Shield is powerful and de- much further in offering
Smart TVs, game consoles regular Fire TV for $70. There The Ultra’s remote has a signed with gamers in mind; an iPhone-like experience
and the TiVo digital video isn’t a lot of 4K video yet, headphone jack, so you one feature allows screen on a big screen. You can
recorder all have stream- but the price difference is can watch TV without wak- sharing of game play. A browse Ikea’s catalog or
ing capabilities built in. If small compared with what ing up roommates. For package that includes a order food from Grubhub,
all you watch is Netflix and 4K TVs cost. The regular Fire cheaper models, you can game controller costs $20 for instance. Apple TV is
Hulu, you’ll be fine with TV also offers high-dynam- get that through Roku’s more. The controller gives the only device to sup-
those. But apps for individ- ic range, which has bet- smartphone app. (With Fire you a headphone jack for port iTunes, but there’s no
ual channels such as The ter contrast and produces TV and Apple TV, you can private listening and hands- Google Play. Amazon is ex-
CW and FX won’t work with brighter whites and darker pair wireless headphones.) free queries with Google pected by the end of the
every device. blacks. Again, HDR video is GOOGLE year.q
The exceptions are TVs that slowly coming. Google’s Chromecast is
run Roku or Amazon soft- Fire TV doesn’t offer apps cheap but trickier to use,
ware or that have Google’s for iTunes or Google Play as you have to start video
Chromecast technology video. Fire TV’s remote on your phone and then
built in. They tend to have also lacks volume controls, switch the stream to the
wider app selections, so something that’s becom- TV. An entry-level stream-
you might not need a ing standard on streaming ing device from Amazon
streaming device at all. devices. or Roku might be a better
ROKU choice now that those pric-
AMAZON FIRE TV Roku has one of the most es have come down.
Although Amazon has got- complete channel libraries Separately, Google offers
ten better about promoting — more than 5,000, many its Android TV software for
rival services, its Fire TV de- you’ve never heard of. But other makers of streaming
vice is best seen as a com- there’s no iTunes. devices. Google’s YouTube
panion to the company’s Roku’s Express sells for just and Play services often get
$99-a-year Prime loyalty $30. The $50 Streaming prominent billing in search
program. Video available Stick gets you a remote results. Again, no iTunes. This Wednesday, Sept. 27, 2017, file photo shows an Amazon Fire
through Prime is prominent. TV streaming device displayed with its remote.