New UI Rolling Out for Fire TV, Smart TVs and Soundbars
New Fire TV Sticks and the Fire TV Sticks Lite and other Fire TV devices received the new UI (User Interface) upgrade in the beginning of this year. Now remaining Amazon devices like their Smart TVs and Soundbars are getting this new UI as well.
Here Are the Highlights of What the New Amazon UI Offers
1. Easier to Find Content - Amazon made it easier to find content on their streaming devices. We spend a lot of time looking for streaming content. Any time you make it easier to find content this means we search less, with more time available for watching TV content. They added personalized recommendations which should make shows and movies that fit your viewing profile much easier to find.
2. Redesigned Home Screen - The Home Screen is the first thing users see when they access their Fire TV. They changed the Home Screen so all your favorite apps and channels are easy to find. A newly designed Main Menu, you can now scroll over an app to see featured content and quick link directly to play the show.
Also, on the Main Menu there are new shortcuts to access often used features like Live TV, Library, Search, and any of your favorite streaming TV apps you want to add there as well.
3. Enhanced Search Function - They have added Filters to make it easier to find content based on Generes. You can browse for Movies and Shows, Sports, Free Content (W/Ads), and more.
4. User Profiles - This is great for a family who all share the Fire TV. Now you can add up to 6 individual profiles. Now personalized recommendations are unique to each profile. So your suggestions won't be filled with children's shows. And your 4 years old won't have their profile filled with content containing sex, drugs and Rock-and-roll.
You can further lock down your child's profile with Amazon Kids to make sure they only can access content for their age range.
5. New Video Calling - Now users can use a Logitech USB Web Cam Camera w/ Microphone & Mounting Bracket attached to a Fire TV Cube to make video calls simple. It can be done right from your TV now, using your voice and Alexa. In the future, the webcam will also support Zoom calls. But Amazon has not yet announced a timeline for this Zoom feature.
6. Upgraded Alexa Controls - Amazon also updated Alexa with new voice commands. Now you can use trigger words like “Alexa, go to News” or “Alexa, go to Live TV” and it will let you quickly jump into that category. They also linked user profiles to an individual voice. So now when you say "Alexa, switch to my profile it does so with no button presses on your remote needed.
