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Fall 2018 has been a great season for Amazon. Not only did the company introduce a variety of new Echo speakers and a new DVR system back in September, but now they have unveiled the latest version of their media streaming device.


The 4K Fire TV Stick, complete with an Alexa voice remote, is an exciting addition to Amazon's already stellar collection of TV sticks. In addition to supporting 4K streaming, it comes equipped to handle Dolby Vision HDR, HDR10, HDR10+ UHD video streaming and Dolby Atmos surround sound. This is all thanks to the quad-core 1.7GHz processor, which is packed neatly beside the 802.11ac Wi-Fi chip that will deliver optimal internet connection to your device.

As for security, little is known about the Fire TV Stick 4K. Past Fire Sticks haven't been too bad, though there are some gaps that leave users open to risks. Fortunately, there are a number of Amazon Fire Stick VPN options you can easily install, such as ExpressVPN, Cyberghost and NordVPN. These will add an extra layer of security for you Fire TV Stick and ensure no one gets a look in on your device.

With the Fire TV Stick 4K remote control, it's clearly a big improvement on past models. The Alexa Voice Remote, as it is being called, combines infrared (IR) and Bluetooth 4.2 so it can control all of your home entertainment equipment, from your TV and cable to your Fire TV Stick. There are buttons dedicated solely to power, volume and mute as well as, which is handy. Of course, the microphone remains a big feature in the remote, enabling you to work with Amazon's Alexa voice assistant.

Interestingly, it seems that the Fire TV Stick 4K and it's remote are not only the newest additions to the Fire Stick catalogue, but they will also be replacing the Amazon Fire TV with 4K Ultra HD. Despite only having been introduced last year, a spokesperson told Variety: "We have sold through the earlier Fire TV 4K edition inventory and we do not plan to replenish supply at this time."

Clearly, Amazon are attempting to create something similar to Roku's smaller, more compact streaming devices - though, if we're being honest, they probably needed to focus on creating an interface more like what Roku devices offer more than anything. Speaking of interfaces, the new 4K Fire TV Stick will stick Prime Video and Amazon partners at the top so it's best if you have a Prime account. Also, since Google and Amazon still aren't getting on, you'll have to download a browser like Silk or Firefox to use YouTube and other apps by Google. There's a total of 8GB in internal storage for apps, though, so this shouldn't be too taxing.

The Fire TV Stick 4K is already available for pre-order as of October 10, with shipping beginning on October 31. It currently costs $49.99, just $10 more than the standard 1080p Fire TV Stick. The Alexa Voice Remote is available to buy separately for an additional $29.99, though it will be included with Fire TV Cube purchases and is backwards-compatible.