New York: Amazon.com Inc unveiled a video streaming device dubbed Fire TV that can pipe video directly to television and offers a more prominent showcase for the e-commerce giant's slate of original programming. It is priced at $99.
The company says the Amazon Fire TV device has better speed, performance and search functions than other streaming services such as Apple TV and Google Chromecast. The device competes directly with Apple TV and Roku 3.
The device runs Google's Android operating system. In addition to Amazon streaming video, Fire TV will also have content from Netflix, Hulu and others, Amazon executive Peter Larsen said at an event in New York.
"It's the easiest place to watch Netflix," Larsen said. "You can watch 'Alpha House' and you can watch 'House of Cards'."
The Kindle TV has a feature that can predict what the user will watch and cue it up instantly, Larsen said. There is also a microphone in the remote for voice-activated search.
The announcement comes as the online retailer faces increasing pressure to boost its bottom line after years of furious growth. As more Americans shop online, Amazon has spent heavily to expand its business into new areas - from movie streaming to e-readers and groceries - often at the expense of its profit.
Meanwhile, Amazon.com Inc. has invested heavily on making TV shows and movies available to customers who pay $99 a year for Amazon Prime. Amazon recently boosted the annual fee to $99 from $79 annually. Members benefit from two-day shipping of certain items and access to videos including original series like "Betas" and "Alpha House."
(With inputs from Reuters and AP)
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