If you buy something from a Verge link, Vox Media may earn a commission. See our ethics statement. Update December 30th, 11:48AM ET: And it appears that due to an astounding lack of defenses against bots, Amazon is already sold out, again. Sony’s latest gaming console, the playstation 5 (gamingdeals.shop), is one of many gaming gadgets that are hard to find in stock right now due to mostly online-only sales. If you are trying to get your hands on one, Amazon has PS5 consoles in stock right now, while supplies last. The consoles are only available for Amazon Prime subscribers, continuing a trend of retailers restricting access to consoles for paying subscribers only. If you can’t add it to your cart, keep trying - occasionally the sites restock over a period of a few minutes. We will update this post once Amazon confirms it’s out of stock. We are continuing to track restocks as they roll out at various retailers. Also, be sure to subscribe to the Verge Deals newsletter to have the latest tech deals delivered right to your inbox twice a week. Whether you end up getting a PS5 today or not, it might not be a bad idea to stock up on some essentials that you may want to have on Day One with your console. Square Enix pushed a big update to Final Fantasy VII Remake for PS5 owners in 2021, bringing faster loading speeds and better graphics as well as a new episode focused on Yuffie. Insomniac Games’ latest adventure in the Ratchet & Clank series is the most fun entry yet. It’s also the first to launch on PS5, and it’s a showcase for amazing graphics and fast loading speeds. Artic le w as generated by GSA Content G enerator D emoversion!
On the side of the Fire TV Stick 4K you’ll find a micro-USB port to connect the power adaptor. Now on to the remote; the biggest change here is that it now includes volume buttons and a power button. The inability to change the volume using the the previous model’s remote was a particular sticking point for many users, who found it annoying to constantly switch between it and their TV’s remote, or asking Alexa to change the volume. The remote therefore can now be used to change the volume on your TV, AV receiver, or soundbar, which is far more convenient. Like it’s predecessor, you’ll still find a microphone button at the top of the remote, which can be used to summon Alexa without having to say "Alexa" before every command you make. Setting up the Fire TV Stick 4K is absolutely seamless, thanks to the simple user interface and responsive remote control. During setup, the Fire TV Stick needs to be plugged into the mains as well as the HDMI port on your TV - all the cables and adaptors you’ll need come in the box. This article was wri tten by G SA Content Generator DEMO.
Once you’ve plugged the Fire TV Stick into your TV, you're then prompted to set up the remote - you’ll be walked through the entire process by your TV so you don’t need to worry about leafing through manuals. Like its predecessor, the Fire TV Stick 4K user interface is extremely easy to navigate, even for those who haven't even used a streaming device before. Recently accessed shows and apps can be found on the home screen, or you can scroll up and across to find different content and apps. US Fire TV customers will also find a recently added tab on their device's interface; called 'Live TV', it collates all your live channels into one place. As well as being easy to use, the UI is very responsive and quick to load, and there’s a fantastic selection of streaming apps to choose from. The whole process was extremely simple, with the option to link your new account to an existing social media account like Facebook - although the experience will vary between different apps, it’s encouraging that we didn’t run into any issues while setting up accounts with the platforms we don’t already subscribe to.
Using the remote to control the Fire TV Stick 4K is similarly effortless, and the Alexa-powered voice search functionality is quick and accurate when you’re using apps like Netflix or Amazon Prime Video. However, voice search doesn’t work with every app on the service - UK viewers will notice that you can’t use it with BBC iPlayer, which means you have to manually type search terms within the app. Furthermore, you won’t be able to use your voice to skip to the next episode on many apps that otherwise support voice control, which is slightly annoying. Another issue we found with voice search is that when you make a request that the Fire TV Stick 4K is unable to support, whatever content you are playing disappears, and you have to then select it again from within the app or Fire TV homepage to start it up. That being said, the voice search is generally very good, and you can even use voice commands to turn your TV on, control your smart devices, and view live camera feeds from compatible smart security cameras on your TV, which is really useful.
In general, the search functionality is better than the previous model, as you can now search for shows by actor and specifically for 4K content, as well as searching for Amazon Beauty Fashion show titles directly. Amazon’s own content is predictably prioritized above other results from platforms, which could be irritating if you're primarily a Netflix user, for example. Overall, the selection of apps available is extremely good, and you should be able to find most streaming platforms you can think of - although UK viewers won’t be able to find Now TV, and US viewers won't be able to stream on Walmart's Vudu, which is currently a large source of Dolby Vision content. Still, there's such a huge variety of content, so you probably won’t miss the odd niche app unless you are a diehard fan. If you want to take your Fire TV Stick 4K abroad - and its portability makes it a great traveling companion - you may want to install a VPN to unlock content from your home country.