by "Textured Soy Protein" (texturedsoyprotein)
Published 02/21/2017 at 13:22
by "Textured Soy Protein" (texturedsoyprotein)
Published 02/21/2017 at 13:22
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Amazon is oh-so passive aggressive when it comes to Google products and streaming video. I’ve been meaning to get a Chromecast because Android screen mirroring on my Rokus only exists in theory. Lo and behold, Amazon doesn’t sell the Chromecast.
This is on top of intentionally limiting their Instant Video app on Android to only SD video even though you can watch HD just fine using the exact same app on a Fire device, or iOS.
They think they’re going to encourage people to buy Fire devices instead of Google, but I’m sticking with my Android phone & tablet, Rokus, and Chromecast, and if I want to buy a movie I’m not doing it through Amazon because I want to watch it on all of my screens in full quality.
Screw you, Bezos!
(P.S. Don’t worry, I’ll keep buying supplements and kitty litter from you.)
"For Sweden" (rallybeetle)
02/21/2017 at 13:28, STARS: 1
Amazon owes you nothing, let alone a Chomecast.
I also can’t buy an Amazon stick from the Google Store.
"benjrblant" (benjblant)
02/21/2017 at 13:36, STARS: 0
This happened some time ago, amazon felt the need to ban sales of chromecast from their website because it “might confuse consumers” or some other BS about that.
http://lifehacker.com/amazon-banning-the-chromecast-is-unbelievably-stupid-1734105137
"benjrblant" (benjblant)
02/21/2017 at 13:37, STARS: 0
Google store sells devices that run Google’s operating systems. Google isn’t in the online retail domination business.
Amazon sells everything.
"ceanderson920" (ceanderson9290)
02/21/2017 at 13:38, STARS: 0
I have a fire tv box, and it works great! I would have rather gotten the Apple Tv but then I couldn’t watch the grand tour or other prime shows like Man in the High castle.
"For Sweden" (rallybeetle)
02/21/2017 at 13:38, STARS: 0
Obviously they don’t sell everything
"benjrblant" (benjblant)
02/21/2017 at 13:39, STARS: 0
https://www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/display.html?nodeId=200277040
"benjrblant" (benjblant)
02/21/2017 at 13:40, STARS: 0
Though, it is comical, and very Amazon of them to sell a counterfit chromecast instead of the real one.
"For Sweden" (rallybeetle)
02/21/2017 at 13:41, STARS: 0
It’s not sold by Amazon, Amazon just ships it.
"benjrblant" (benjblant)
02/21/2017 at 13:44, STARS: 0
True. I should have said facilitate or allow sales of.
7 comments in, and I feel that at this point I should note that I have nothing against either of these two companies and buy their products/ products from their online stores quite frequently.
"McMike" (mcmike)
02/21/2017 at 13:54, STARS: 2
My Mother (tech illiterate) wanted to get my 7 year old nephew (son of tech illiterate sister) an Echo Dot for his birthday. I warned them that it would take some setup and an app download/Amazon account. I warned them that it needs to be configured, and settings changed/adjusted as their time with it evolves (glossy stare), and that if they were not careful, they could order all sorts of things if they weren’t careful (more glossy stares). I think I said that this isn’t a Speak&Spell or a Teddy Ruxpin... hell, it isn’t even Siri, since it’s connected to a store and a payment method by default.
They ignored my warnings, and got it anyways. I hooked it up and they were off and running. The kids spent no time waiting to argue over who got to ask Alexa the next question, or trying to figure out who could yell the loudest in over to have themselves heard.
Questions were your typical sort. Date, time, weather (location not set) what’s her favorite color, what’s 37th president, etc...
It took my 10 year old niece about 10 questions before she figured out that she could re-order items that have already been purchased.
This is going to be great.
Before I left her house, I added flanel shirts and birth control to my sister’s shopping list. :)
"BKosher84" (bkosher84)
02/21/2017 at 14:03, STARS: 0
Don’t open that can of worms.
"Textured Soy Protein" (texturedsoyprotein)
02/21/2017 at 14:03, STARS: 0
I have Rokus because they work with Netflix, Amazon, Google Play & a bunch of other channels. Fire TV sucks in comparison. But Roku screen mirroring is a joke compared to say, AirPlay on an Apple TV. Hence the desire for a Chromecast, which I certainly don’t care about having to buy somewhere else.
The main thing that irritates me is Amazon intentionally limiting their video app on Android devices. It is literally the exact same app as Fire devices. You have to get it through the Amazon app store, not Google Play. If you install it on an Android device it only plays SD video, but a Fire device which runs Android underneath, the exact same app plays in HD.
So if I start watching something on the Roku in the living room, and decide to lie in bed with a tablet (our upstairs tv is intentionally in the guest room not our bedroom) and continue watching that thing, every other video service I use works fine across Roku and Android. But Amazon, nooooo, you only get to watch HD on a Fire device, or Apple, because I guess Amazon doesn’t view them as direct competition like they do Google.
It’s dumb.
"Textured Soy Protein" (texturedsoyprotein)
02/21/2017 at 14:05, STARS: 0
I’ve yet to find a compelling reason to get an Echo. I don’t have home automation gizmos, and literally everything that you can talk to Alexa for is simple enough to do on a phone. Never have I thought, “oh my gosh it’s so hard to open the Amazon app and re-order kitty litter.”
"Textured Soy Protein" (texturedsoyprotein)
02/21/2017 at 14:08, STARS: 1
I chose Roku over Fire for many assorted reasons. Amazon works great on Roku. Problem is it’s intentionally limited garbage on Android because Amazon thinks if they block their app from playing HD video on Android, people with Android tablets will throw those tablets in the trash and buy Fire tablets. I like Android tablets, I hate Fire tablets. If I was more attached to watching HD Amazon content on a tablet I would sooner get an iPad than a Fire.
"Textured Soy Protein" (texturedsoyprotein)
02/21/2017 at 14:09, STARS: 2
“It might confuse consumers into buying content on Google Play which doesn’t work on our Fire devices, because we don’t want it to.”
"TysMagic" (twjeffery)
02/21/2017 at 14:11, STARS: 0
So my wife supports my Amazon habit and even bot me a dot for Christmas. Shortly after I bought two more so I could have one in each of the places we spend most of our time. I already had some home automation things, but I needed more. She called me incredibly lazy when I walk in the door and tell Alexa to turn on the TV and lights...but dammit I love it. Most importantly, we connected it to iheartradio so we can listen to Delilah and her love song selections at night.
Would be interested in knowing if others thank their dot after she does what you ask or if that’s just us being weird nice to robots that can’t appreciate thanks.
"McMike" (mcmike)
02/21/2017 at 14:21, STARS: 0
Same here. I think ordering items from your phone/computer is plenty convenient.
"Textured Soy Protein" (texturedsoyprotein)
02/21/2017 at 14:23, STARS: 0
I have a Harmony remote that when I press one button flips all the assorted bits of my tv setup on and sets the right inputs. Oh, I have to pick up the remote before I press the button. Life is hard.
My phone is connected to the stereo by bluetooth, and another button on the Harmony remote flips the tv off and switches the receiver to bluetooth mode. I could use it to play Delilah on iHeartRadio through the app, with a couple taps or swipes. That is of course assuming I became a totally different person who listens to Delilah.
"I Will Always Be The Honey Badger" (iwillalwaysbethehoneybadger)
02/21/2017 at 14:29, STARS: 0
I have a Roku 3 hooked to an older LCD tv and the screen mirroring with my Samsung Galaxy S4 works perfectly for the most part. If I’m playing a game the mirroring might lag a bit but I’ve used it a lot to watch movies from either the phones native videos app or VLC player, and for that it’s awesome.
Edit-streaming live usually works, too. Mostly use it to watch hockey through the CBC’s app on Saturday night.
"Textured Soy Protein" (texturedsoyprotein)
02/21/2017 at 14:34, STARS: 0
I have a Roku 4 and the latest-model Roku 2. When I open the “cast” menu on my Android devices, it shows the Rokus intermittently. On my tablet I can at least get as far as getting the “connecting” screen to show on the Roku but it fails every time. Nothing at all with my phone.
It’s not as much a fault of Roku as it is that Android devices are often abandoning Miracast support for Google Cast. Miracast was more common on older devices like your S4, before Google came out with Chromecast and built Google Cast into Android.
Some manufacturers add Miracast on top of the basic Google Cast support built into Android but many don’t. Since Miracast isn’t a core part of Android it’s up to each device maker to do so. I wish there was a simple Miracast app you could add to your Android device, because then I wouldn’t be adding a Chromecast.
"I Will Always Be The Honey Badger" (iwillalwaysbethehoneybadger)
02/21/2017 at 16:06, STARS: 0
That makes sense. I typically stay 2 steps behind on my tech upgrades.
"TysMagic" (twjeffery)
02/21/2017 at 17:33, STARS: 0
but you could do all that...with your voice
"dropthatclutch" (dropthatclutch)
02/21/2017 at 21:13, STARS: 0
They also don’t sell Apple TV so Apple doesn’t offer the Amazon Prime Video app for Apple TV. Vicious cycle.