Setup the Google Play Store. If you haven’t done so already, enable Apps from Unknown Sources within the Fire TV’s settings. Launch the Google Play Store. Unfortunately, the Fire TV cannot launch the app directly because it is a system app. You’ll need to use an app like FireStarter that is capable of launching system apps. Is there any way to get Google photos app working on fire tv stick 4k? I tried with Kodi google drive addon and it shows the photos alright but cant see any videos:/. I also tried casting from google photos app but the output is awful and basically useless. PFolio is the best photo gallery, auto uploader, and slideshow app for Google Photos and Picasa. Select from a dozen slideshow animations and transitions to display beautiful slideshows. Use the Auto Upload to automatically backup your pictures to Google Photos. The app works great for Picasa webalbums users as all of your web albums from.
- Google Photos On Fire Tv
- How To Use Amazon Fire Stick
- How To Install Google Photos On Amazon Fire Stick
There are many reasons to ditch Google Photos in favor of Amazon Photos. The latter offers better options and more advanced features. This is especially true if you have already subscribed to Amazon Prime/Amazon Drive, as the service comes included.
However, migrating from Google Photos to Amazon Photos is a bit tricky and going to take some time. Unfortunately, Google Photos no longer allows sync with Google Drive, so the sync and upload workarounds no longer work.
You can still get your photos from Google Drive to Amazon Prime, but it will take some work. Having higher quality images and the additional storage space will make it worth it. Not to mention, if you ever get locked out of your Google account, your favorite pictures will be saved in Amazon photos.
Amazon Photos Benefits
Amazon Photos excels when it comes to storage limits. Where Google Photos allows you to have free storage for photos of up to 16 megapixels, Amazon Prime members can upload an unlimited number of full-resolution photos to the app. This is especially handy for photographers and graphic designers, who would be able to store an unlimited number of RAW files on Amazon Photos, instead of having them automatically converted to JPEG by Google Photos.
Amazon Photos also offers Family Vault and Amazon Prints. Family Vault allows you to add up to 5 family members to your Photos account, meaning that they also gain access to Amazon Photos with no charge. Amazon Prints offers many useful options for printing your photos on various items. Compared to Google Photos’ 1-person sharing and two print options, Amazon is the clear winner here.
Downloading from Google Photos
Like we mentioned earlier, this isn’t the easiest or fastest workaround, but it is the one available right now. The instructions will differ slightly if you’re using your phone, or your computer.
From Your Computer
It’s probably best to use your computer because you’ll need the storage space for a minute. If you have a higher storage phone or tablet, it may be possible to use that.
- Open Google Photos on your computer and sign in.
- Click on ‘Photos’ located on the left-hand side of the window
- Hover your cursor over a photo you’d like to download
- Click the white checkmark (it will turn blue)
- Scroll through your photos clicking each one you’d like to move to Amazon Prime Photos
- Once you’ve selected the desire photos click the three vertical lines in the upper right-hand corner
- Click on ‘Download’
From here, you’ll follow your computer’s lead to store the content on your computer.
From Your Smartphone or Tablet
Sign in to the Google Photos app and follow the verification instructions. From here, follow these instructions:
- Tap on ‘Photos’ located on the lower left-hand side
- Long-press one of your photos
- Tap each photo so that the hollow circle turns into a blue checkmark
- After you’ve tapped each one select the three vertical dots in the upper right-hand corner
- Tap ‘Save to Device’
Note: Only select the photos that are not already saved to your device, otherwise you will not see the ‘Save to Device’ option.
The Google photos app does have a nifty scroll option that allows you to go back to a certain month or year. If you remember when you first purchased your phone, going back to that date makes this easier.
Backup to Amazon Prime Photos
The next step is going to be putting all of your photos in Amazon Prime.
Sign Up and Configure Prime Photos
First of all, take note that the best way to get Amazon Photos is to become an Amazon Prime subscriber, as this comes with much better options than subscribing to Amazon Drive. If you aren’t a Prime member, sign in to your Amazon account and upgrade your membership.
Once you’ve set up your Family Vault (not required, but definitely recommended), consider turning the Add Uploads to Family Vault option on.
Prime Photos App
Download and install the Prime Photos app on your device. If you want Prime Drive to back up your phone’s photos and videos automatically, go to Settings and turn the auto-save option on by navigating to Auto-Save and activating the sliders next to Photos and Videos.
Upload to Amazon Drive
Download and install the Amazon Drive desktop app and back up all the desired photos and videos.
You can either keep Google Photos as a backup option or you can delete it once you’ve verified that all your pictures are safely in Amazon Prime.
The Final Steps
Now that your photos are secure, you’ll have to clean up the mess left behind. Depending on the reason for transferring content away from Google Photos, you may want to disable or delete the application.
Turn Off Back up & Sync on Google Photos
This is the last step that involves the Google Photos app. If you want to keep the app, go to settings, and turn the Backup & sync option off.
If you no longer need the Google Photos app, feel free to delete it now. It is recommended that you keep it installed until you’re done moving photos, though.
Delete the Photos from Your Computer or Phone
Don’t forget to delete the content from your computer to free the space back up. You can transfer it to an external hard drive, or delete it entirely. Whether you’re using a Mac or a PC, head over to your downloads and remove the files.
Workarounds
Although it isn’t simple at all, this seems to be the simplest way to migrate your photos from Google to Amazon. If you’re using an Android phone there are Android Beam and Wifi Direct options used for transferring data.
If you have the time and the know-how to use these options, you could transfer content directly from Google Photos on one Android device to another. Unfortunately, only so much content can travel at a time, so you’d spend more time sending five or ten photos at a time.
The same thing goes for iPhones with AirDrop, even if Google Photos gave you the option, you could only send a few at a time.
Easier workarounds will appear at some point that will make this process easier. Until then, downloading to your device then uploading to Amazon Prime Photos is the best option.
Now that Chromecast with Google TV finally made right the holy mess that has been the original Chromecast, it finally has the chops to tough it out with other Smart TV boxes such as Amazon’s Fire TV stick.
The latest iteration of the Chromecast boasts a voice remote powered by Google Assistant and an actual interface, unlike previous Chromecasts. Why Google would avail the Android TV OS with Chromecast built-in to all and sundry all the while peddling their customers an empty shell (also called a Chromecast) of a streaming box is anybody’s guess.
But anyway, all is forgiven. Now that the Chromecast is no different from other Android TV boxes, let the games begin. We have pitted it against the modest Amazon Fire TV stick and the results are in.
Design
Chromecast with Google TV went with a palm-sized pebble design with a short HDMI cable attached along with a USB C port. The big G logo is engraved in the center keeping in line with previous Chromecast devices.
As for the Amazon Fire TV stick, it went quite literal with this one. It looks like an over large flash drive but instead of a Type A connector, you get HDMI in all its glory. And you don’t get to store anything on it either, as its not its intended purpose.
Design-wise, it’s too close to call. Given its clunky shape, the Fire TV stick comes with a separate HDMI extender. The stick will undoubtedly decommission other HDMI ports that are often crammed into a small area on the TV unless you plug in the HDMI extender first. That said the flash drive shape offers more durability than the cable on the Chromecast that could sustain damage and ruin the role setup.
The Fire TV stick one-ups the Chromecast when it comes to power usage. The Chromecast with Google TV is more power-hungry than its predecessors and hence draws power straight from a socket. The Fire TV stick is minimalistic enough that juice from a TV USB port is enough to power it up without issue. I did get a message that installing Fire OS updates might require connection to a socket but it still went ahead and installed just fine.
Winner: Tie
Boot-Time
Boot time We noticed that on boot up, the Chromecast with Google TV identifies as Chromecast Go. From what know of Android’s Go apps, they run on devices with entry-level specs. And true to form, the Chromecast took a whopping 50.6 seconds to boot up as we fiddled our fingers in anticipation. Of the Android TV boxes I have used and reviewed, the Chromecast is the slowest.
The Fire TV stick fared much better in comparison. At 35.83 seconds, the Fire TV stick loads faster, has a better animation booting up with accompanying sound, and populates its apps quickly enough to be impressive. Only the Roku Streaming Stick loads faster of the TV boxes I had on hand.
Winner: Amazon Fire TV stick
Setup & Ease of Use
When it comes to setup, the Chromecast takes this one hands-down. The Fire TV stick stands no chance against the sheer scale of Google/Android’s ecosystem. Armed with the Google Home app, setting new devices is simply a breeze. I didn’t have to go clickity-clack on the remote to set up my password, set up my Amazon account, and what-not. On a smartphone, everything is much more streamlined and cuts down the setup process by more than half.
Perhaps owing to my clumsiness, but I got two Amazon accounts locked while trying to add my VISA card. It was only on the second try and a strong mug of African tea that the powers that be deemed my information good enough to let me in. These are third-world sign-in problems we face when we live outside the US.
Also, it’s quite galling that Amazon has to email me every time I download an app. I would love to unsubscribe from these notifications but also have a fear my money might be deducted without my knowledge. Thank you Amazon for sending me a zero-charged transaction order for downloading YouTube.
Winner: Chromecast with Google TV
Performance
After the boot time beat down, the scales are evened out almost immediately thereafter. The Chromecast’s boot-time struggles don’t impede its buttery smooth performance one bit.
On paper, Chromecast with Google TV does have more souped-up specs than the Fire TV stick. What with the 2GB RAM to the Fire TV stick’s 1GB and Bluetooth and an IR blaster where the Fire TV stick has just Bluetooth. Also, the 1080p picture output doesn’t do the Fire TV stick any favors either.
However, much as the Fire TV stick has only 1GB of RAM, that’s actually DDR4 RAM which is 3x as fast as DDR3. Also, Chromecast with Google TV has Bluetooth and an IR blaster. You can scroll navigate just fine using Bluetooth, but to control volume, you need to be in the TV’s line of sight for the IR blaster. It’s quite confusing, really.
Performance-wise, both streamers are bang for the buck. We will call this a tie, mostly because the Fire TV stick is cheaper and still able to hold its own against the godfather of Android TV boxes.
Winner: Tie
Related: Chromecast with Google TV Review: As good as it gets
Content
Firstly, when it comes to content, looking at numbers alone doesn’t give you the full picture. Most content, as a matter of fact, comes from a handful of streaming apps i.e Netflix, YouTube, Prime Video, Hulu, HBO/HBO Max, Disney+, and Apple TV to mention a few.
Secondly, both Chromecast with Google TV and the Fire TV stick run Android TV albeit renamed to Google TV and Fire TV OS. Save a few titles that might be AWOL on the Fire TV stick (e.g DStv and Showmax in Africa), you will find most of the popular streaming services on both devices.
From my short time checking out the Fire TV stick, I am getting a niggling suspicion it’s primarily a platform for Amazon. Every search result circles back to Amazon content. When I search for something with Alexa, the results push Amazon apps like Prime Video and Amazon Photos. Google for its part is more liberal with how it dishes out its content.
The Fire TV OS lacks Google’s algorithms that give excellent suggestions on what to watch based on what you have added to your lists or watched. A viewer has to be deliberate to get what they want for the most part.
Winner: Chromecast with Google TV
Picture quality
The Fire TV stick is at a disadvantage when it comes to picture quality. As it supports only 1080p at 60fps, it’s nowhere near what Chromecast with Google TV’s 4K UHD at 60fps with Dolby Vision HDR. In consolation, the Fire TV stick does support HDR 10, HDR10+, and broadcast HLG. For a more beefed-up contender refer to Fire TV stick 4K.
But that’s on paper. If you have yourself a modest 1080p TV screen, either choice should suffice. Lots of viewers who can’t afford to stream 4K without buffering will downgrade to 1080p and the world will continue to spin on its axis. Chromecast with Google TV takes this round, but I am not complaining about the Fire Tv stick’s output either.
Winner: Chromecast with Google TV
Remote Control
Both Chromecast with Google TV and the Fire TV stick have simplified remote controls from the usual fare. As is custom with streaming boxes, the remotes do the bare minimum and hence have fewer buttons than you would find on a TV remote or a set-top box. Chromecast with Google TV takes this a step further by getting rid of the Next /Pause /Play /Forward /Rewind buttons that you’ll find on the Fire TV stick remote. The directional pad ably serves all these commands.
The Chromecast with Google TV remote has dedicated buttons for YouTube and Netflix which the Fire TV remote doesn’t. That said, I don’t actually use those buttons. My focus is usually on the TV and I often find myself using the directional pad to get where I need to go.
Both remote controls have a mic for voice commands powered by Alexa and Google Assistant. The voice recognition is top-notch on both devices, although we noticed that Alexa shamelessly pushes Prime Video content over other streaming apps.
Winner: Tie
Casting
The whole premise of Chromecast is casting, if the name didn’t give it away. Chromecast with Google TV taps into Google and Android’s ecosystem to allow you cast all manner of content from various devices onto the TV. If not via the Cast feature on your smartphone, lots of apps support Chromecast as long as you see the cast logo when on the same network.
Unfortunately, the Fire TV stick doesn’t enjoy the same privileges. I can neither use Miracast nor Chromecast to cast onto the Fire TV, which sucks in a major sort of way. My consolation before when I had the Roku Streaming stick was that at least Miracast can make do in the absence of Chromecast. The absence of casting support is another level of purgatory.
Winner: Chromecast with Google TV
Google Photos On Fire Tv
Verdict
At the end of the day, these are both excellent Android TV boxes. Nevertheless, there will be winners and losers. Chromecast with Google TV thrashes the Fire TV stick 4 to 1 on Ease of Use, Content, Picture quality, and Casting. The Fire TV takes one for Boot time and ties in Design, Remote Control, and Performance.
How To Use Amazon Fire Stick
Price and where to buy
The Fire TV stick offers a comparable viewing experience at only $29.99 on Amazon. The few years on the block have worked in its favor you can chance deals and discounts here and there. An extra 10 bucks get you the Fire TV stick 4K at $39.99 on Amazon which is more than Chromecast’s equal. Chromecast with Google TV goes for a little bit extra at$49.99 on Target.