There’s a very easy way to improve your Fire TV Stick experience with Amazon now selling a new accessory called the Alexa Voice Remote Pro. This £35 add-on includes a number of features that Sky users have enjoyed for some time, with owners getting upgrades, including fully backlit keys, making it easier to see what’s been pressed when the lights are low.
With a simple touch of the remote, things light up like a Christmas tree, and once you see it in action, you really won’t want to go back to soft buttons that stay black. Sky first introduced a backlit remote to its Glass TV last year with the recently launched Sky Stream box, which is also now getting this upgrade.
Along with this boost of glow-in-the-dark buttons, there’s also an easy way to keep track of things if that compact channel switcher disappears behind the couch. Just ask Alexa where the remote is and you’ll hear a loud beep so you can find it again.
This helpful audio cue is another feature that’s been available on Sky for a few years now, and it’s nice to see it finally appear on the Fire TV Stick.
As the name suggests, the Alexa Voice Remote Pro can also be used to find content, pause TV and launch apps using Amazon’s conversational assistant. All owners have to do is press the Alexa button located right in the middle of the device and bark their orders at the TV, making finding things like popular shows or movie stars much faster.
There are some other nice bonus goodies to this accessory, including two buttons that can be customized to launch favorite apps or channels with just one touch. This will save endless time scrolling through menus to find the things you look at the most.
A dedicated headphone button also offers a hassle-free way to pair your wireless headphones.
Express.co.uk tried out the new Alexa Voice Remote Pro and there’s a lot to like, especially as the design is more compact than some other controllers that come with Fire TV products.
The backlit buttons are not only useful but add a sense of quality to this remote, plus there are the usual hot buttons that offer quick access to apps including Netflix and Prime Video.
At £35, it’s actually more expensive than the Fire TV Stick Lite, but considering how much the controller gets used every day, it seems like pretty good value.
It’s a shame it doesn’t offer a built-in rechargeable battery, as you’ll still have to rummage through drawers for two of those AAAs. It also doesn’t feel as premium as the Siri remote that comes with the latest Apple TV 4K.
However, if you love your Fire TV Stick and are looking for a pre-Christmas stocking stuffer, the Pro Remote is definitely worth a look.
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