Submitted 11 months ago by Jezebelley@lemmy.zip to technology@lemmy.world
the overkill that comes from running a full smartphone operating system on a product as simple as a smart display, has inspired Amazon to move to an in-house OS called “Vega.”
The Linux-based, web-forward operating system would replace Android on Amazon’s TVs and rely on React Native to develop apps in Javascript
So they’re trading Google’s locked down Linux distro for their own locked down Linux distro, but with JavaScript.
I thought android was already linux, but with javascript
No, it’s got Java in between.
It is, anyone surprised by the comment above doesn’t understand that
I just threw up a little in my mouth.
Hey Amazon, I was a HUGE advocate for you. I help setup countless older family/friends devices for them. I told them that FireTVs were the devices to have.
I have moved 100% to roku. The reason for this that you’re UI is ads 1st and apps 2nd. If you’re redesigning I beg and plead that you take a good look at what Roku is going right. You could do it better and fully whip them out (I hope not because competition is good).
I’m with you Tandy. The ads on Roku are very reasonable. The question is then, how long before it goes to sh*t?
I’ve used an adblocker to block the ad that takes up 1/3 of the homescreen on Roku, but even then, it turns into a huge empty frame. ⍨
Roku devices are packed with ads, too.
I acknowledge that these devices are subsidized by ads. However, roku shows you ads but they are off to the side and don’t impact the experience of using the device.
FireTV devices are so aggressive with their ads and terrible UI that I’m fully off them (I actually still have 1).
webOS was so far ahead of its time.
yay, an OS in JavaScript, how neat /s
Amazon has been using “forked” versions of Android
Weell no. Android is certification for AOSP builds with some ridiculous requirements regarding Google Apps. Amazons build doesn’t care for that. Rather, it is a fork of AOSP and has nothing to do with Android.
I’m not understanding what you’re calling bullshit on.
They say Amazon forked Android to skip out on Google, despite the base of everything Android (AOSP) – from which Amazon also builds their OS – being without “Google” to begin with.
This sounds fishy. Very fishy. The Chrome team making another OS kind of fishy.
Perhaps but since it’s Linux based I wonder if there will be a way to hack in Flatpak support
This is what I care about. I use a fire TV stick because it’s android. I have needed to side load apps several times (HBO dispute)
It would be funny if they made it to stop sideloading just for the community to make a dedicated user repository.
Android is Linux-based.
Only on paper, in reality it holds very little in common with Linux
Fire TV has been a horrible experience for a while and is only getting worse with them adding more and more apps. I have yet to use a Fire TV that is not a laggy piece of garbage. Honestly, whenever someone I know is looking for a TV I urge them to stay away from Fire TV at all costs.
Tried this multiple ways over time and it’s a crap shoot. Started with mythTV box. Worked for a while but was clunky and remote was always a problem. Migrated to a dvr called moxie which was a early days dvr product from aaris. After moxie finally gave in and picked up a Tivo 4k setup and one mini 1080. Now days use plex server htpc and a pi with a couple chromecasts. Pros and cons with all. Nothing does everything perfectly.
Well that’s the death of Android TV then. With Nvidia killing future Shields and now Amazon. There is no more big names making Android TV devices other than the built in Android TV in actual TVs which is a bummer because that shit gets outdated faster than the TV dies.
Nvidia killing future Shields
What are you talking about? Shield is still getting better support than most older Android devices.
And a lot of TVs have Android built in, not to mention plenty of third party devices like Xiaomi TV Stick.
Google still sell their own Android TV dongles (Chromecast), and big TV manufacturers still sell it as a smart TV OS (notably Sony).
Fire OS isn’t Android TV anyway; as the article says, it’s built out of an old fork of AOSP, and has no tie in to Google’s services. I don’t see that Amazon moving Fire products to a different base makes the slightest difference to the rival Android TV.
It’s not an “old fork;” it’s regularly upleveled.
Really wish smart TV’s running AndroidTV/GoogleTV could do framerate matching like external devices can, though.
What do the TV devices that Google sells run on?
Google’s not a big brand /s
I’m pretty happy with my Nvidia Shield. Costs more, but works great.
Welp. When my current Kindle Fire dies, I will not be replacing it if I can’t get Play Books and Nook Books on it as well.
Walmart has a $20 Android TV streaming device that should make a good substitute. The Verge gave it an 8/10. Works great for Stremio and other Android TV apps.
Phew, I almost bought one of these because the price was tempting.
Oh no! How will I get a cheap media adapter to sideload plex into!
Bluefruit@lemmy.world 11 months ago
May i recommend just buying a small form factor pc and hooking it up to your tv instead?
Smart tvs and things like this suck anyways. Super slow and bloated with crao i dont need or want.
Bishma@discuss.tchncs.de 11 months ago
I gave up on HTPCs after a decade or more of trying because I never found a good way to control it that was practical for everyone in the house. I ended up with a Roku Ultra (even though me feelings toward Roku are luke warm) because it has a simple remote, or can be controlled/automated by home assistant, or can be controlled from Alexa (via a custom skill I wrote), or it can be screen casted to, or it could be controlled by a Harmony Hub (RIP Harmony).
But separate smart box together with a dumb TV is the the way to go.
transientpunk@sh.itjust.works 11 months ago
I put Kodi on a raspberry pi, and my TV supported CEC, so I was able to use the TV remote to seamlessly control Kodi. It was as close to a native interface as I could wish for. And that was all the way back in 2016
Terevos@lemm.ee 11 months ago
Harmony was how I controlled my HTPCs. But once I moved from MythTV to Plex, I just started using Roku or Google TV frontends. They just worked so much more reliably and were super cheap.
Bluefruit@lemmy.world 11 months ago
Valid point, not everyone likes to use a mouse and keyboard for watching shows in the livingroom.
My tv is “smart” but ive never setup any internet for it effectively making it dumb.
Illogicalbit@lemmy.world 11 months ago
You could not have described my exact scenario any better. I’m in the same boat.
FlyingSquid@lemmy.world 11 months ago
Amazon’s lowest-end “smart” TV is $119. It’s really hard to compete with that. They aren’t making money on the hardware, they’re making it on the advertising.
Bluefruit@lemmy.world 11 months ago
You can find small form factor used office pcs for around that price rn.
www.amazon.com/…/ref=mp_s_a_1_8_maf_1?crid=2KBF8M…
There is something to be said about being plug and play though. I understand the appeal.
kaitco@lemmy.world 11 months ago
Yeah, but if you hook up a refurbished laptop that costs like $100, you could still use that via the HDMI rather than the Fire TV “part”.
Take their cheap hardware and then not use what they hope you’ll use it for.
Zavorra@lemmy.world 11 months ago
You would have problems with widevine and other similar DRM sh!t
Bluefruit@lemmy.world 11 months ago
Im not familiar with issues like that. Ive been using my pc to stream things an watch tv shows without issue. I am using windows atm though so that may be why. Not sure if this is an issue on Linux or if you’re refering to a different OS.
gamermanh@lemmy.dbzer0.com 11 months ago
Nah, sticking my GTV into my big ass cheap dumb TV I got on sale at a Fry’s while they were going out of business. Im even considering buying another big ass dumb TV soon from my local big box store.
Pros: remote that functions with the TV, ability to side load forever (Google aint gonna kill android on their sticks), pretty much plug and play, is way cheaper than a small streaming box, works natively with my NAS library
Never had an issue with it being slow other than Peacocks absolutely dog shit app, which also doesn’t work right on my phone so I’m guessing the issue isn’t the TV.
Smartification devices rule on dumb TVs, Amazons has always been bottom tier one though
Bluefruit@lemmy.world 11 months ago
I do understand the appeal but as a power user i just like having control. Last i used a fire stick it was slow and annoying to use but things may have changed since then.
Me personally i find a pc for streaming and whatever else i wanna do just makes more sense but to each thier own.
ubermeisters@lemmy.world 11 months ago
Believe it or not they still make dumb tvs too. Just not in stores.
lorez@lemm.ee 11 months ago
I just hooked up my desktop PC which is on another floor to the TV, 30 mt HDMI cable, shielded. I control it via Unified Remote on my Android phone. It’s perfect.