The Roku Express HD and Fire TV Stick are both on sale this week on Amazon for under $30, so it’s a great time to snag one if you’re looking for an entry-level streaming stick.
Everyone knows that a “smart TV” isn’t really a smart TV unless it’s powered by either Roku, Fire TV, or Apple software. Televisions from Samsung, Sony, LG, and others run some apps and they’re fine if all you want to do is stream Netflix. But no TV maker will ever support all the apps and games you want with their proprietary smart TV software. That means regardless of whether you buy a “smart TV” or just a regular TV, you’ll need to make it even smarter by adding a streaming media player like a Fire TV Stick, Roku device, or an Apple TV.
Of course, there is a very important exception that everyone should know about. Some vendors sell televisions that ditch the proprietary platforms and instead have Fire TV software or Roku software built right in.
