A Smart Home Hub: The Shield TV Pro, Amazon, LG, Roku, the LG C3, and other 4K Streaming Sticks

The Shield TV Pro is the same as the Shield TV but comes with extra onboard storage andRAM so you can download and play more demanding games. It can also run as a Plex media server and offers two USB ports, so you can use it as a smart home hub.

Amazon’s latest streaming stick is faster than its predecessor with Wi-Fi 6E and double the storage. It also now displays widgets and artwork when idle while continuing to offer a terrific selection of streaming apps and Alexa integration.

The LG C3 offers more processing power than its predecessor and several new picture modes. It continues to offer a 120Hz refresh rate and low input lag as well, along with support for Nvidia G-Sync and AMD FreeSync variable refresh rate tech.

Conventional wisdom says that if you want the very lowest prices on a 4K TV, you wait until Black Friday / Cyber Monday in November, but Amazon’s Prime Day can offer some solid discounts during the dog days of summer.

And what you plug into your TV is just as important, especially since many modern TVs have terrible built-in audio that sounds tinny or leaves spoken dialogue difficult to hear and app interfaces that are slow and annoying to use. Thankfully, some of these shortcomings can be countered by a decent soundbar or a streaming device from the likes of Amazon, Roku, and others.

Paperwhite, Scribe, Fire TV Stick and Other Favorite E-Readers for Streaming and Writing with Amazon Prime for Kids’ and Adults

When I tried the first ebook, I became Team Paperback, and you can’t pry it from my fingers. The Paperwhite is the best of the Kindle lineup and our favorite e-reader overall. You have to pay $20 more to get rid of lockscreen ads, but they don’t interfere with reading if you don’t want to spend more. There are two main versions—this base Paperwhite and a Signature Edition (8/10, WIRED Recommends), which comes with 32 gigs of storage over 16, wireless charging, and an auto-adjusting backlight. There’s also a kids’ version that has a case, a year subscription to Amazon Kids+, and a two-year replacement guarantee. The Paperwhite hasn’t been updated since 2021 and we aren’t sure when a new one might be coming, but mine is still performing as it did on day one. We believe it is safe to buy one.

The Paperwhite is a good choice for reading. The Scribe (8/10, WIRED Recommends), with its 10.2-inch screen, is made for writing and drawing too. There’s no lag in writing and reading thanks to the Kindle, it’s a book at heart. It was obvious that the professional artists wanted something better, but it felt natural to use. The pen with the eraser on one end costs $30 more than the pen without it. You can’t write directly on book pages, since Kindle opts for sticky notes, and it isn’t waterproof.

Generally, we prefer Roku streaming devices, but if you tend to watch a ton of Amazon Prime content, get the Fire TV Stick 4K Max. Anyone can use it, of course, but it obviously heavily promotes Prime content. It has enough storage for all your games and streaming applications. Pull up your security camera feed and request help with the kitchen tasks like ordering a pizza.

If you just need a device for watching movies or playing games, but don’t want a lot of money, the Fire HD 8 is the best price. It hasn’t been updated in years, and it doesn’t have a better screen than the Fire HD 10. It has HD 10 features like stereo sound and a 12 hour battery life, but that doesn’t mean it’s perfect.