Today, we announced a new Amazon Fire TV web app kit for Brightcove, a company that offers cloud services for delivering and monetizing video across connected devices. Brightcove has over 5,500 customers in over 70 countries. Read the full press release here.

The Brightcove-specific web app kit for Amazon Fire TV is a new HTML5 template available to Brightcove Video Cloud customers that optimizes the delivery of Brightcove Video Cloud customers' content directly to Amazon Fire TV. The kit enables content owners to leverage their existing Brightcove-based workflows for Amazon Fire TV. For Brightcove customers, the template provides a way to seamlessly pull in content that’s hosted and organized in Video Cloud and use the Brightcove Player. Because of the integration with the Brightcove Player, customers can run ads against their content on Amazon Fire TV using the Google IMA3 advertising plugin and also capture analytics about video consumption on Amazon Fire TV in Video Cloud. Learn more about Brightcove and Amazon Fire TV.

RLJ Entertainment is an example of a Brightcove customer that is eager to leverage the new template across its multiple properties. Titus Bicknell, Chief Digital Officer at RLJ Entertainment said:

"We're excited about the reach and high-quality experience we'll be able to provide our audience on Amazon Fire TV. As we look to launch our Acorn TV (British TV), UMC (Urban Movie Channel), and AcaciaTV (Fitness) apps, the new template will greatly simplify the release of our current and future niche channels.”

Quickly Publish a Fire TV App

It’s easy for Brightcove customers to get started using the sample project on GitHub. The Brightcove example is in the src/projects/brightcove directory. You can quickly get this project up and running on Fire TV by creating a zip package with the sample Brightcove app that can be found in out/brightcove/ directory. This is just a standard zip, but the index.html must be at the top level of the zip directory - so that there if you unzip the package there is no folder.

Once you’re up and running, you can test your app on Fire TV or in a browser, customize your project, and add additional features. Read the Brightcove documentation on GitHub here.

Ready to get started?

Download the Fire TV web app starter kit GitHub project and learn how to support Brightcove.

• Learn more about developing for Amazon Fire TV
• Learn more about Amazon Fire TV and Brightcove
• Brightcove press release

Today, Amazon introduced the Dash Button and Dash Replenishment Service–new services designed to eliminate those moments you realize you forgot to order a frequently-used household item–things like laundry detergent, dog food, diapers, trash bags, and coffee. The Dash Button brings Amazon’s 1-Click ordering right into the home–when you’re running low, just press the button and an order is automatically placed. We’re working with popular brands like Bounty, Gatorade, Huggies, Clorox, Tide, and others to make the Dash Button available for popular products.

We’re also making the service that powers the Dash Button, the Dash Replenishment Service (DRS), available for device manufacturers to build into their products. We are inviting developers, makers, and manufacturers to request information about a limited participation beta for DRS. DRS enables connected devices to order physical goods from Amazon when supplies are running low—like a coffee maker that orders more coffee beans. By using DRS, device makers are able to leverage Amazon's authentication and payment systems, customer service, and fulfillment network—giving their customers access to Amazon's low prices, great selection, and reliable delivery.

How Dash Replenishment Service Works

Dash Replenishment Service can be integrated with devices in two ways. Device makers can either build a physical button into their hardware to reorder consumables or they can measure consumable usage so that reordering happens automatically. For example, an automatic pet food dispenser made with built-in sensors can measure the amount of pet food remaining in its container and place an order before running out. Device makers can start using DRS with as few as 10 lines of code.

The limited participation beta will be publicly available this fall. There are two ways to get started: apply to participate in the beta, or sign up to be notified when our self-service APIs are ready. Click here to choose an option.

-Emily

Today, Amazon announced that we are bringing our fastest-selling Amazon device – Fire TV Stick – to the UK, Germany, and Austria. The Fire TV Stick joins Amazon Fire TV, the #1-selling streaming media box on Amazon in the UK and Germany. Fire TV Stick is also now available in Austria. Fire TV Stick is the most powerful streaming stick available, with a dual-core processor and 1 GB of memory. The device has 4x the storage and 2x the memory of Chromecast plus it’s designed for gaming.

Fire TV Stick is available for pre-order starting today in the UK and Germany—it will start shipping April 15th. Learn more at www.amazon.co.uk/firetvstick and www.amazon.de/firetvstick.

Fire TV Stick delivers easy access to a vast selection of content, including the most popular streaming and catch-up services such as Prime Instant Video, Netflix, BBC iPlayer, BBC News, BBC Sport, ARD Mediathek, ZDF Mediathek, Sky News, Curzon Home Cinema, STV Crossy Road, Hill Climb Racing and Flappy Birds Family and more. The number of video services and games available on Amazon Fire TV in Europe has doubled in just seven months, with more services and games being added every week.

For developers, Amazon Fire TV can help you increase your customer base by putting your Android or HTML5 app or game in the living room, in front of people who enjoy entertainment and may not have seen your apps before. Additionally, developers can use the same development environments that they already use for Android development. Plus, they can write their apps or games in Android Java, or as a web app using the Web App Starter Kit or using one of a number of supported development frameworks (for example: Unity). With this expansion to customers in the UK and Germany, you’ll be able to reach even more customers on Fire TV Stick. 

Here’s what reviewers in the U.S. are saying about Fire TV Stick:

“The streaming TV gadget is faster, with more memory and storage than the competition. It also comes with a remote control, and the app even lets you speak to search for shows.” – CNN Money

“Turn any TV into a smart TV by plugging this tiny device in to your TV's HDMI port to quickly and easily stream content. Consider it the final nail in the coffins of DVDs, CDs, and other plastic bric-a-brac clogging up your entertainment center.” – Entertainment Weekly

“…the interface, speed of the device and its integration with stuff like Amazon Music and Amazon's photo stuff makes it a really compelling offering. In my limited time with the Amazon Streaming Stick, I've found it to be faster than both the Chromecast and the Roku Streaming Stick.” – Mashable 

New Features for Fire TV

After announcements earlier today that Amazon is bringing Fire TV Stick to the UK, Germany and Austria, Amazon has now announced new features for the best-selling Amazon Fire TV —including expandable USB storage, private listening and support for captive portal web authentication to enable use in hotels. These features will be delivered as part of a free, over-the-air software update in the coming weeks. Learn more here.

Recent Fire TV News

• Amazon Fire TV Selection Up 5x Since Launch
• Introducing the Web App Starter Kit
• How to Build Fire TV Controller Support Into Your App Using Unity
• Making Games for the Amazon Appstore (Part 5 of series)
• Amazon Announces New Features for Amazon Fire TV and Fire TV Stick
• Amazon Fire TV Stick Now Available in UK
• Amazon Fire TV Stick Now Available in Germany

Getting Started

Build something new or bring your existing app or game to Fire TV from PC, console, web or mobile. To get started, you can build with Android or use HTML5. 

• Android: Android developers can use existing tools and frameworks including Unity to develop apps and games for the 10-foot experience. Sample code, documentation and guidelines are available to help you make the most of your apps.
• HTML5: HTML5 developers can leverage the Amazon WebView to develop apps and games. Developers have the option to build HTML5 web apps, Cordova apps using the Fire OS port, or hybrid apps. 
• Web App Starter Kit: Get up to speed quickly with the Web App Starter Kit for Fire TV. You can find this project on its Github project page.  

Meet Us in Person

The Fire TV team will be attending and speaking at a number of upcoming events worldwide. Please visit our events page to learn more.

• NABShow, Las Vegas, April 13-16: Stop by and visit Amazon Fire TV in the Amazon Web Services booth at NAB (#SL9016 - South Lower Hall).
• International Games Week Berlin, April 21-26: Experience Fire TV at our gaming area within Quo Vadis. Join evangelist Paul Cutsinger for his talk, "Why is that game more fun than yours? The top 50 deconstructed."
• TV Connect, London, April 29: Technical evangelist Simon Howard will lead a how-to session on building great apps for Fire TV on at 12:10 on April 29^th.
• Streaming Media East, New York, May 12: Join us at Streaming Media East for a session on building media apps for Fire TV with Russell Beattie, Lab126 Technical Evangelist and Justin Webster, Executive Director of Product Development & Operations for The Wall Street Journal Digital Network. The session is titled “How To: Bringing Media Channels to Amazon Fire TV” and will take place on May 12^th from 10:30-11:30 am EST.

Today, Blackberry announced their 10.3.1 OS update. As part of this update, Amazon Appstore will now be available on Android Runtime Blackberry devices that update to 10.3.1. The Amazon Appstore has never been available on a broader range of devices and platforms. Developers can reach millions of Android customers via the Amazon shopping app and on Blackberry and Fire devices. Amazon Appstore is preloaded on Fire devices, Blackberry 10 and millions of other Android devices, including HTC, LG, Motorola, and Samsung phones to name a few, as well as Gemini and Acer tablets.

Publishing your app on BlackBerry devices via the Amazon Appstore is easy. If you’re an existing Amazon Appstore developer, you've previously chosen to distribute your app or game on "Non-Amazon Devices" and your app is compatible with BlackBerry devices, you don’t have to do anything - your app is already available on BlackBerry devices.

If you’re an existing BlackBerry developer but new to the Amazon Appstore, click here to register for a free developer account. Learn how to migrate your Blackberry App to the Amazon Appstore on our blog.

Today, Amazon announced the availability of Fire phone, Amazon’s first smartphone, in the UK and Germany. Fire phone is currently available in the US and will ship on September 30, 2014 in Germany and the UK. 

Fire is the only smartphone with Dynamic Perspective and Firefly. Dynamic Perspective is an entirely new sensor system that responds to the way a customer holds, views and moves the phone. The Dynamic Perspective SDK gives developers access to algorithms that identify the X, Y and Z coordinates of the head, enabling a whole new class of apps and games. Firefly quickly recognizes things in the real world—web and email addresses, phone numbers, QR and bar codes, movies, music, and millions of products, and lets the user take action in seconds—all with the simple press of the Firefly button. With the Firefly SDK, developers can extend the use of the Firefly button to enable new actions their users can take based on what they identify. For more information on the Fire phone SDKs, click here.

Getting Started

• If you’re ready to get your app on Fire phone now, you can test your app today.
• Learn how to quickly add Dynamic Perspective to your existing Unity games.
• Check out our design best practices for Dynamic Perspective.
• Add Dynamic Perspective to your HTML5 games.

Optimizing Your Apps

Have an Android app already but not sure where to start with Fire phone?  We offer plenty of tips and tricks to get your app quickly up and running on Fire phone.

A great way to get started is by using the app widget in Fire phone’s enhanced carousel, which enables you to expose content from your app directly on the home screen. Our enhanced carousel is not just limited to launching an app anymore. You can create app widgets that display actionable content below your app’s icon on the carousel. This experience makes your application more visible and accessible to your users. Users can immediately jump to any area within your app that you define or get important information they care about without having to open your app directly. Learn more.

Resources

• Order Fire from Amazon in the UK or Germany
• Create a developer account on the Amazon Appstore
• Dynamic Perspective SDK for Fire Phone
• Firefly SDK for Fire Phone
• Setting Up Fire Development Environment
• Getting Started Developing Apps for Fire Phone
• Specifications and Design Guidelines for Fire Phone
• Implementing Foundation Controls for Fire Phone
• Developing for the Home Screen on Fire Phone
• Amazon Apps & Services Blog