A dedicated anime channel and smart TVs with built-in Amazon Fire TV highlight the latest developments with Amazon’s streaming services.
Are you a streamer who loves to watch Japanese animation? Now, you can get a whole channel dedicated to this genre with Amazon’s Anime Strike. The service costs $4.99 per month and comes with 1,000 movie and TV show titles that include The Great Passage, Scum’s Wish and Blue Exorcist: Kyoto Saga. Amazon’s anime channel also features classic anime films such as Akira and Vampire Hunter D, among others.
The only way to know if Anime Strike is the right add-on channel for your Amazon plan is to try it. Fortunately, the folks at Amazon have made it easy for anime fans to know if they want this extra service in their homes. Streamers who’d like to try out Anime Strike can sign up for one of two free-trial options. There’s a 30-day free trial, with Anime Strike costing $99 a year after that. Amazon also has a free seven-day trial, with the service costing $4.99 per month to stream once the trial ends.
Smart TVs With Built-In Fire TV
A new line of 4K Ultra HD Smart TVs with built-in Amazon Fire TV were announced at CES. These new TVs are made by Element Electronics, Seiki, and Westinghouse, and will feature support for a voice remote with Amazon Alexa. This is designed to offer a selection of streaming and over-the-air content in one location that includes access to more than 7,000 channels and apps. There’s even the possibility for live TV broadcasts when used in conjunction with an HD antenna, which is sold separately.
The addition of Alexa’s remote voice search and content control provides these TVs with an easy-to-use format for streamers, said Amazon Fire TV execs. It will allow users to launch apps simply by saying “open (app name) now.” It also works for external devices such as video games. These TVs also allow users to control playback in Amazon Video by speaking commands such as “rewind 20 seconds” or “play next episode,” for example. These new smart TVs with built-in Fire TV are expected to be available later in the year.
Amazon is on the Move
The improvements that Amazon continues to make with its Amazon Prime Video streaming services are impressive. Anime Strike is a great idea, and its success will likely spawn other niche streaming channels available through Amazon’s ever-growing and impressive programming umbrella. And the new Fire TV-friendly TVs coming later this year sound exciting, too. All of these developments and the more that are sure to come will continue to add value to Amazon’s streaming services in 2017 and beyond.
Speaking of Amazon, here is everything coming to Amazon Prime Video this month:
January 1:
Blood Diamond
13 Hours: Secret Soldiers of Benghazi
Across the Universe
Happy Feet
Rent
Hellboy
Radio
Stardust
American History X
Norm of the North
Are We There Yet
Are We Done Yet
Maid in Manhattan
January 3-13:
She’s All That
The Infiltrator
We’re Going on a Bear Hunt, Season 1
Sneaky Pete, Season 1
Just Add Magic, Season 1
January 17-30:
Red Rock, Season 2
The A-Word, Season 1
Where to Invade Next
The Choice
America Divided, Season 1
Z: The Beginning of Everything, Season 1
Dirty Grandpa
Mercy Street, Season 2
Swiss Army Man
