Apple is working on a new product that combines its HomePod smart speaker with the Apple TV. The upcoming device would include a camera for video conferencing and control over smart home equipment, Bloomberg reported, citing people familiar with Apple's internal developments. It would also include the same functionality we've seen from Apple's existing products: streaming video and audio, gaming capabilities, and Siri support. Apple is also said to be working on another product that would combine an iPad with a HomePod speaker. Similar products have been released by Amazon and Google recently, such as the Echo Show 10 or the Google Nest Hub.

This undated image provided by Amazon.com, Inc. shows an Amazon Fire TV Cube. This year could be the year of the streaming service. Netflix, Amazon Prime, and Hulu have comfortably held the top three spots for streaming services, but this year they're going to see some serious brands looking to take a bite out of the streaming pie. IMDb, AT&T, Disney, Apple, and Warner have all announced or hinted at plans to launch streaming services in 2019.

Cutting cable TV is certainly a forward-thinking move, but controlling your streaming TV device by voice is even more futuristic. Using voice commands can be a lot faster than fiddling with a remote, and with smart speakers such as the Amazon Echo and Google Home, you don't even need to use your hands. Still, not all streaming devices are on the same level when it comes to voice control. In the interest of sorting it all out, here's a rundown of everything you can and can't do, sorted by streaming platform: Not every Roku player has voice controls built into its remote, but for those that do, you can hit the microphone button to control playback, launch apps, search for things to watch, and launch music from Pandora, iHeartRadio, or TuneIn. Roku's biggest limitation is its inability to launch specific TV shows, movies, or live channels with voice alone.

Black Friday is one of the best times of the year to buy a new streaming device for your TV, with discounts available on Roku players, Amazon Fire TV devices, Chromecast, and more. Still, not all of these deals are worth the money, especially if your current streaming device is in good working order. Let's take a closer look: Roku has a few device deals going on Black Friday, some better than others. Most folks should avoid the Roku SE, a $20 streaming device that will be available only in Walmart brick-and-mortar stores. This device is nearly identical to the $30 Roku Express, with the same processing power and 1080p HD video support, but it has a white finish instead of black and different shortcut buttons.

If you're thinking of buying the Amazon Fire TV Cube because you're delighted by the idea of having an Amazon Echo and a Fire TV device mashed into one device, let me stop you right there. Alexa on a TV interface demands a level of conversation like no other streaming TV product I've used before. After a few nights of using the Cube, I began to hate the sound of my own voice. Maybe you'll still be delighted by the Cube at first if you buy one. Maybe if you have kids, they'll love shouting at the TV to get their cartoon fix. But there's a good chance you'll end up doing what I did: going back to the fuddy-duddy Fire TV remote, because that's the easiest way to scroll through multiple media options.

NEW YORK – Alexa for couch potatoes is coming: Amazon's new streaming TV device will let users shout out when they want to turn on the TV, flip channels or search for sitcoms -- all without pushing any buttons. The Fire TV Cube is not entirely hands-free yet, however. Some apps or streaming services may require viewers to pick up the included remote to rewind or stop a show. Inc. says it's working with those services to integrate voice commands. Amazon's other voice-controlled Fire TV devices require a push of the remote's mic button or a separate Echo device with Amazon's Alexa voice assistant.

A recently published FCC filing shows a Google-branded HDMI dongle that's running Android TV. The device is listed with the model number "SN5B6AD" and it is described as a "4K ATV Stick." The mysterious device is listed as being manufactured by "Shenzen SEI Robotics Co. Ltd." The dongle itself features Google's signature "G" logo and it's accompanied by its own remote. The device appears to have a design that closely resembles a next-generation Chromecast, but it's running the Android TV operating system.

Last year's CES was a surprisingly fruitful event for cord-cutting. At the tech industry's biggest trade show, companies like Tablo and Mohu announced radical new uses for over-the-air antennas, while bigger companies including Amazon and Roku made their own splashy announcements. The story was different at CES 2018. Several of those companies didn't show up at the trade show at all, while others only brought vague promises of future products with nothing to demo. Although this year's CES wasn't totally bereft of news and product launches, it wasn't the showcase for novel cord-cutting solutions that last year's show appeared to be.

Google is using YouTube as leverage over Amazon to try and force the world's largest retailer to sell its Home smart speakers, Chromecasts and Nest products. Google has pulled official support for YouTube from Amazon's Echo Show and Fire TV devices, meaning that owners can no longer access the video site through a YouTube app. The quarrel originally became public in September when Google pulled YouTube access from the new Echo Show for "violating terms of service" saying that Amazon's implementation of YouTube blocked what Google considered critical features. Now it appears to revolve around Amazon's unwillingness to sell certain Google products. Google said in a statement: "We've been trying to reach agreement with Amazon to give consumers access to each other's products and services. "But Amazon doesn't carry Google products like Chromecast and Google Home, doesn't make Prime Video available for Google Cast users, and last month stopped selling some of Nest's latest products.

Why watch video on a phone or a tablet when you can get a device for as little as $30 to stream shows on a big-screen TV? Apple, Google, Amazon, Roku and dozens of others are all competing to be your gateway to online video. Which device you need will largely depend on what services you watch and what kind of TV you have. The days when watching TV was a choice between a handful of channels are long gone. Now, there are a dizzying array of streaming devices on the market, with all of the big manufacturers battling for control of the living room - so how do you choose what to buy? Of course, the device alone won't be enough.