While some may scoff at the idea of watching TV while away on vacation, it can be comforting to have the opportunity to unwind while watching your usual content.
A lot of accommodation has a smart TV these days, but some still don’t, like the popular forest-based holiday village I stayed at recently. Plus, even if a smart TV is provided, there can be downsides to logging into your streaming accounts on it.
After facing some barriers on previous vacations, I now make sure to pack my Amazon Fire TV Stick HD, so all I need is a Wi-Fi connection to access my content when away from home.
The Amazon Fire TV Stick HD has a list price of just $34.99 / £39.99, but it’s often available for even less, thanks to Amazon’s limited-time deals.
For instance, the price regularly drops to $20 in the US, and is currently subject to an early Prime Big Deal Days discount, so right now you can get the Amazon Fire TV Stick HD at Amazon US for just $17.99.
It’s a similar story over in the UK, too, with the price occasionally dropping below £30. Right now though, a tempting 50% discount means you can get the Amazon Fire TV Stick HD for just £19.99.
At these kinds of prices, the Amazon Fire TV Stick HD is well worth purchasing, whether you plan to use it at home or just for the times you go away.
So, if you appreciate having access to your comfort films on your travels, or are worried about your trip clashing with the next season of your favorite show dropping, here are four reasons why an Amazon Fire TV Stick makes a fantastic travel companion.
Perfect portability
An Amazon Fire TV Stick negates the need to transport a laptop, charger, or HDMI cable in order to guarantee access to streaming services.
It’s pleasingly light at around 90g all in, and comprises just two separate components, once it’s assembled. This meant I could just stick it in my case, inside a cute little bag my lovely mum made me, but it would fare just as well packed amongst clothing.
No faffing with passwords
I’d already set up the Fire TV Stick and signed into my favorite streaming services at home, so it was just a quick process of connecting to the resort Wi-Fi and, hey presto, I had everything I needed for a relaxing evening.
Sure, we can log on using our phones now, but the process isn’t always straightforward if the account belongs to someone else in your household, or for those who don’t consider themselves a tech whizz.
Even going down the “sign-on using your remote” route can be a pain for those who struggle to remember their passwords, or if you sensibly use secure passwords that are long-winded or use special characters. If your passwords elude you regularly, I’d suggest checking out some of the best password managers, which can prove very convenient.
Beware the consequences
Now, this isn’t something I’ve done personally, or so I hope, but I’ve switched on many Airbnb or hotel TVs to find that someone has left themselves signed in to Netflix, Disney+, or what have you.
This could not only lead to some irritating repercussions, which I'll touch on in a moment, but could potentially pose a security risk, too.
While this could be easily remedied with a smartphone, this solution may not be apparent to some people and could prove stressful. Or, if the penny doesn’t drop, and future guests have terrible taste in shows, the algorithm will soon turn against you. And heaven forbid you be accused of watching a series without your partner or flatmate.
Get your game face on
According to Amazon, you can get access to games via Amazon Luna or with Xbox Game Pass, too. So if you don’t want to miss a gaming sesh with your friends, or need something to keep the kids entertained, this might prove a useful feature.
Make sure to check out the small print first, though, as the storage capacity of a Fire TV Stick isn’t equipped for game downloads, so you’ll need a Game Pass Ultimate subscription to stream any Xbox games other than Fortnite.
On the plus side, Amazon Prime members in the US can play Fortnite, XDefiant, and a rotating selection of games via Amazon Luna for free using a compatible controller. This may also be the case in the UK, but I’d recommend double-checking before buying.
Streamlined control
On a previous visit to the same holiday village I’ve just visited, I’d had to surrender my MacBook so we could stream content to the TV via the HDMI cable, which was thankfully supplied. The cable was super short, and there was no surface in reach, so my MacBook had to take its chances on the floor.
Having to resort to this streaming method also meant needing to get up from the couch to pause or find new content from the floor. Fortunately, I’m already a master of the cat loaf position, but it was still inconvenient, and my dodgy joints were not impressed.
I was fully prepared this time around, and using my Amazon Fire TV Stick HD meant I only needed to move for the essential things, like getting snacks or one of the best wireless chargers I’d packed for the trip.
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