Netflix has discontinued its lowest-cost ad-free subscription plan, priced at $11.99/month, for new customers since last year. During the recent earnings call, company executives announced plans to retire this older subscription tier for existing customers in some countries this year. Canada and the UK will be the first to lose this plan in the second quarter, followed by other countries later. When Netflix discontinued the plan for new customers, Canada was the first affected, followed by the US and UK about a month later. It’s likely that customers in most regions on the older plan will soon need to switch their subscriptions.
The current cheapest ad-free plan, known as the “Standard” plan, is priced at $15.49 per month. There is also an ad-supported version of the same plan available at $6.99 per month. However, Netflix has cautioned investors about potential price increases in 2024. Given that the ad-supported plan has maintained its $6.99 price since its launch in 2022, there’s a high likelihood of a price hike this year.
In this post, you will learn how to Install Downloader and how to sideload apps on FireStick. The instructions provided in this guide apply to all Fire TV OS devices, including FireStick 4K, 4K Max, FireStick Lite, Fire TVs, All New FireStick 4K, All New FireStick 4K Max, and more.
We start with a quick introduction to the app, followed by the steps to install it and then how to sideload apps. In the end, we also learn how to install the app on the FireStick devices on which Downloader is unavailable on the Amazon Store. Keep reading!
Downloader is arguably one of the best sideloading applications for Fire TVs and FireSticks. It helps you install unofficial/third-party apps not hosted by the Amazon App Store.
Downloader works via side loading. Therefore, all you need is the URL of the app, and you can install it without hassle. Enter the link in the search field and press Install when the file results appear.
Moreover, Downloader also comes with a built-in web browser. You can use the browser to download files or surf the internet. The app also features a simple and user-friendly layout. So, you won’t regret getting Downloader to sideload some fantastic apps.
Governments and ISPs constantly monitor your online activity, and accessing copyrighted content on your Fire TV Stick could lead to serious trouble. Currently, your IP is visible to everyone. I strongly recommend getting the best FireStick VPN to mask your IP address and securely stream your favorites.
I personally use ExpressVPN, the fastest and most secure VPN available. Not only is it easy to install on any device, it comes with a risk-free 30-day money-back guarantee. Plus, if you’re not 100% satisfied, you can always get a refund. ExpressVPN is currently also offering a whopping 3 extra months free on their annual plan!
The Downloader app is officially available on the Amazon Store. You don’t have to sideload it onto your device. Here is how you can install the app:
1. Go to the Fire TV / Stick home screen if you are not already there. Use your remote to navigate to Find > Search on the menu bar in the middle of the screen.
2. Now type in Downloader (without the quotes) using the onscreen keypad. You should see the app suggestions on the list as you begin typing. When you see Downloader on the list, select and click it.
3. You should now see Downloader under the APPS & GAMES section. Go ahead and click it.
4. Click the ‘Get‘ or ‘Download‘ button to download and install the app. You should have the app in no more than a couple of minutes.
Once the app is installed, you can access it from the Your Apps & Channels section.
The default setting of FireStick doesn’t allow you to install third-party apps as a security measure. Therefore, you won’t be able to sideload applications using Downloader until you make a few tweaks.
To install APKs via Downloader, you’ll need to allow FireStick to install apps from unknown or third-party sources. Please follow these steps:
1. Launch your FireStick home screen and navigate to the Settings icon.
2. Scroll down to the My Fire TV tile and click on it.
3. Click on Developer Options.
4. Select Install unknown apps.
Note: Some versions of FireStick may have the option Apps from Unknown Sources instead of Install Unknown Apps. Select Apps from Unknown Sources, turn it ON, and skip step 5 below in that scenario.
5. Navigate to Downloader and select it to turn it ON.
Your FireStick is now prepared to install various third-party apps using Downloader.
While the primary activities on Fire TVs are undoubtedly watching movies and TV shows, these streaming devices have always doubled as powerful music players. In the early days, before the series of home screen interface overhauls, the original Fire TV interface featured a dedicated “Music” tab for tracking and exploring the current playlist, albums, and playlists. However, this tab was removed with the first major Fire TV interface update. Despite the simultaneous launch of the Amazon Music app, certain functionalities of the “Music” tab were lost. Amazon is now restoring these functionalities with the introduction of an entirely new built-in music and audio interface for Fire TV devices.
The newly introduced audio hub on Fire TV is named “Music & More,” providing users the ability to browse and play music, radio stations, and podcasts. Accessible either by vocal command (“Open music and more”) or by selecting the “Music & More” tile in the Fire TV’s “Find” tab, this audio hub closely resembles the familiar Fire TV interface.
The upper section of the “Music & More” screen features a rotating banner showcasing various audio recommendations. Below that, navigation tabs include For You, Music & Radio, and Podcasts, each offering a variety of suggested content from Amazon Music. Integration with other music services like Spotify and Pandora is mentioned, but it may take time for third-party content to appear in the Fire TV’s new music interface.
One notable feature is the “Recently Played” row at the top of the “For You” tab, listing recently played Amazon Music tracks. However, there seems to be a separation between content played through Alexa and the new interface, potentially causing some confusion. Content played through Alexa may eventually appear in the new music interface, but it doesn’t happen immediately.
A previously overlooked feature of Fire TVs is their ability to play music in the background even after exiting the app. The “Music & More” screen reintroduces this capability, displaying a “Now Playing” tab that lists the currently playing audio and its source. This tab functions similarly to the notification interface on phones or tablets, allowing easy navigation back to the appropriate app.
While some may argue that Fire TV already has Alexa and standalone apps for playing audio, the addition of the “Music & More” screen fills a long-existing gap. This feature not only brings back the ability to see what audio is playing in the background but also serves as a promising starting point for aggregating more third-party audio content, despite its current focus on Amazon services.
Learn how to set up recordings in the TiviMate app to save them on an external USB drive connected to a 2nd-gen Fire TV Stick 4K or 2nd-gen Fire TV Stick 4K Max running Fire OS 8. Due to the stricter file access permissions in Android 11, the base for Fire OS 8, some apps like TiviMate face limitations in accessing external USB storage. Therefore, this guide uses the system picker Files app to grant necessary access. While specific to TiviMate, the process outlined here is generally applicable for granting most apps access to external USB storage drives.
To follow these instructions, you’ll either need the ability to run ADB commands from an external device, such as a computer or Android Phone, or have a keyboard connected directly to your Fire TV. This can be done via Bluetooth or through a USB hub connected with an OTG cable, allowing simultaneous connection of the USB keyboard and USB drive. Completing this guide is not feasible using only a remote, a mouse, or by entering ADB commands via the ‘Remote ADB’ app on your Fire TV. Ensure your external ADB connection is set up or connect a keyboard at this point.
1. Begin by clearing the data of the Fire TV’s pre-installed ‘Files’ app. Navigate to Settings > Applications > Manage Installed Applications, select the ‘Files’ app from the list, opt for ‘Clear data,’ and confirm by selecting ‘Ok.’ This step ensures the system picker opens in its default state, simplifying navigation.
2. Access TiviMate and proceed to Recording Settings by going to the main Recordings page and selecting the gear icon in the upper right corner.
Within the menu, select ‘Recordings folder.’
Choose the ‘Select folder’ option.
Opt for ‘System picker’ on the right-hand side.
Follow this guide for instructions on navigating within the System Picker Files app to designate a directory on external USB storage.
The ‘Folder path’ field should now be populated, commencing with ‘content://com.android.externalstorage.documents…’ Ensure you press ‘OK’ to save the new folder setting, completing the process.”
Amazon’s recent introduction of fullscreen autoplaying ads on Fire TV devices has irked many users. Although completely disabling these ads isn’t straightforward, here are ten methods to either evade or minimize the annoyance caused by these ads :
1. Disable Video and Audio Ads: In Fire TV Settings, navigate to Preferences > Featured Content and turn off both “Allow Video Autoplay” and “Allow Audio Autoplay” to transform the ads into silent images.
2. Double Tap “Home”: Develop the habit of double-tapping the Home button on your remote to wake or power on your TV. This action bypasses the ad and swiftly loads the regular home screen. Ensure HDMI-CEC support is enabled on both your TV and Fire TV under Settings > Display & Sounds.
3. Say “Alexa, go Home”: When using voice commands to wake or turn on your Fire TV, saying “Go Home” often brings up the home screen without displaying the ad, especially with a Fire TV Cube.
4. Use a Custom Launcher/Home Screen: Installing a custom launcher to replace the Fire TV home screen is a workaround, although this process is challenging due to Amazon’s attempts to block such changes.
5. Use App Shortcut Buttons: Utilize app shortcut buttons on your remote to access preferred services directly, avoiding the autoplaying ads on the home screen.
6. Use a Pro Remote: If you have an Alexa Voice Remote Pro, customize one of the buttons to launch the Apps Shortcut or set it for the voice command “Go Home” to bypass ads.
7. Disable Sleep: Prevent the Fire TV from going to sleep to reduce the frequency of fullscreen autoplaying ads by using a shell command via ADB.
8. Default to Last Input (Fire TV Smart TV Only): On Fire TV Smart TVs, change settings to power on the TV to the last used input instead of the home screen to evade ads.
9. Disable WiFi (Fire TV Smart TV Only): Transform your Fire TV Smart TV into a non-smart TV by disabling WiFi or logging out of your Amazon account, suitable for users utilizing external input devices.
10. Consider Alternatives: If ads become unbearable, explore alternative devices such as Chromecast HD, Onn Streaming Stick, Chromecast 4K, Onn 4K Streaming Box, Shield TV, Shield TV Pro, Apple TV, or Roku models.”
Walmart has recently introduced its second-generation Onn Streaming Stick for 2023, succeeding the initial stick launched in 2021. Alongside, the retailer updated its first 4K streamer earlier this year with the new 2nd-gen Onn 4K Box. However, the latter disappointed many due to its underwhelming performance compared to the 2021 model it replaced. Here’s a breakdown of benchmark scores for both of Walmart’s new 2023 streaming devices, evaluating their performance against predecessors and rival devices including Amazon Firesticks, Google Chromecasts, Nvidia Shield TVs, and other streaming devices operating on Fire OS, Android TV, and Google TV.
While synthetic benchmark results offer insights, they may not fully represent real-world performance. Yet, these benchmarks provide a measure of raw performance capabilities, enabling comparisons between devices. Each benchmark was run thrice on the new Onn devices, with the average of the top two scores considered for each device. All devices had their operating systems and system apps updated to the latest versions.
Assessing overall performance using the Geekbench benchmark revealed promising results for the 2023 Onn Stick, surpassing its 2021 predecessor significantly. With a multi-core score of 1,830, the 2023 Onn Stick proves approximately 20% more powerful than its 2021 counterpart. This places the new stick on par with the 2022 Chromecast HD, given their similar hardware. Despite being the top-performing 1080p device running Google/Android TV, the 2023 Onn Stick falls short in comparison to the Fire TV Stick Lite, which boasts about 16% more power.
However, the story shifts with the 2023 Onn 4K Box, as benchmark scores affirm its lower performance compared to the 2021 Onn 4K Box. Specifically, the 2021 model scored about 18% higher in this benchmark. Despite this, opting for the 2023 Onn 4K Box over the 2023 Onn Stick might still be advisable, considering it’s approximately 10% more powerful and equipped with more RAM. Yet, both the Chromecast 4K and 2nd-gen Fire TV Stick 4K outshine the 2023 Onn 4K Box by about 20% and prove superior choices.
Switching to GPU performance, crucial for gaming and app interface rendering, the GFXBench test showcases that while Walmart’s new Onn streaming devices don’t match Nvidia Shield TVs in gaming performance, they hold their ground against other Google/Android TV streamers. Impressively, the 2023 Onn Stick scored about 28% higher than its predecessor and even outperformed the Chromecast HD by 3%. Nevertheless, like CPU scores, the 2023 Onn Stick’s GPU performance falls short of the Fire TV Stick Lite, which scores approximately 10% higher.
Similarly, the 2023 Onn 4K Box trails behind its 2021 predecessor in GPU performance, albeit marginally. Both Onn 4K Boxes and the Chromecast 4K perform similarly in this regard. For exceptional gaming performance in a compact device, the 2nd-gen Fire TV Stick 4K Max stands out, being nearly 70% more powerful than the 2023 Onn 4K Box in GPU performance.
Considering the remarkably low prices—around $15 for the 2023 Onn Streaming Stick and $20 for the 2023 Onn 4K Box—both devices offer decent performance. While the new Onn 4K Box regrettably falls short compared to its predecessor, the Onn Stick presents a positive outcome. For your primary streaming needs, investing a bit more in devices like the Chromecast 4K, Fire TV Stick 4K, or Fire TV Stick 4K Max from the upper echelon of these benchmarks is advisable. However, for those curious about Google TV or seeking a budget-friendly upgrade for seldom-used TVs, Walmart’s 2023 Onn streaming devices are a worthwhile consideration due to their affordability.”
