Amazon Teases Faster New Fire TV Stick – Pre-Order the Newest Device Now

Looking for a faster, slimmer streaming stick? Amazon is now allowing pre-orders on its brand new Fire TV Stick HD. The device costs $34.99 at launch, and Amazon says it’s the best device they’ve ever made. The new Fire TV Stick releases April 29.

Like the smallest streaming devices, you can power this little stick with the USB port on your TV – no more running a power cord from the back of your screen.

Amazon promises the new device is 30% faster than the last-generation HD stick, which means it turns on and opens apps more quickly.

Users with the device can access Alexa+, an AI-assistant who can help you find your next title to watch, share information about the actors on screen, and control smart home devices.

The new user interface should help you navigate through apps and titles even faster, helping you find an old favorite or discover something new. When you browse movies, for example, you’ll see titles from all the apps you use. The new system allows you to pin 20 apps to the home screen instead of the old limit (6).

This new operating system ditches Android for the Linux-based Vega OS. Some users are upset about this change because the new devices can’t “side load” apps from other developers. You’ll only be able to load apps from Amazon’s official App Store.

News of the new Fire Stick comes the same day as rival Roku celebrated 100 million households using their popular streaming devices.