Freeview successor finally launches Fire TV Stick rival with bonus exclusive free channels not found on Sky
Telly lovers have been begging for the technology to be packed into a plug-in gadget instead of having to buy a brand new TV.
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Soon you'll be able to plug in and play Freely instead of buying a whole new TV
Credit: Freely
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The new device will serve as a new rival to the mighty Fire TV Stick
Credit: Getty
Freely, which launched last year, has only been available built into brand new TVs so far.
The advantages over the existing Freeview service is you don't need an aerial to view some of the channels.
Instead, you can use broadband and Wi-Fi to beam live channels into your house.
Freely is run by Freeview's owner Everyone TV, which itself is jointly owned by the BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and 5.
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BBC Director-General
Tim Davie
hinted that the technology could be turned into a
"We are considering a streaming media device,"
Freely's first "plug-in and stream" gadget will launch later this year, Everyone TV said.
TV platform maker Netgem is the first company signed up to produce a Freely-powered gadget.
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The exact price hasn't been shared yet but bosses said it'll be "affordable".
"Freely was created to make free TV work for everyone," said Jonathan Thompson, CEO, Everyone TV.
RECENT CHANNEL ADDITIONS ON FREELY
The Chase
Saturday Night Every Night
4Reality
4Homes
4Life
5 GPs Behind Closed Doors
5 Bargain
5 The Yorkshire Vet
5 History
5 Crime
Milkshake!
5 Police Interceptors
5 Cops
5 Trucking Hell
5 A&E
5 Dogs Behaving (Very) Badly
Image credit: Everyone TV
"Expanding to 'plug-in and stream' devices is an important and natural next step to ensure even more homes can enjoy the full Freely experience without the need for a TV upgrade or paid subscription.
"In partnership with Netgem, we're launching streaming devices to make it easier than ever for UK audiences to enjoy the nation's favourite TV, for free, on the TV you already have."
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There are more than 40 live channels that can be streamed via Freely at the moment.
But the firm has promised more new and exclusive channels will launch this year.
WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE BEFORE WE REPLACE FREEVIEW
Analysis by Jamie Harris, Assistant Technology and Science Editor at The Sun
DTT - digital terrestrial television - is the system used for Freeview broadcasts today.
About 18million homes still use it as their main way of watching TV.
Before we even begin to think about switching it off, we have to make sure no one is left behind.
So any internet-based alternative - Freely or otherwise - needs to be just as easy to install and use.
Then there's the matter of broadband.
The UK needs to have reliable broadband everywhere so everyone has access.
Emphasis on reliable - no one wants buffering mid-way through a live football match.
So not only will broadband need to be pretty much everywhere it will need to be fast enough to handle demand all the time.
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The Irish Sun
30-07-2025
- The Irish Sun
Freeview successor finally launches Fire TV Stick rival with bonus exclusive free channels not found on Sky
FREEVIEW'S successor Freely will finally be made available as a Fire Stick-like dongle to plug into TVs with a mass of free channels. Telly lovers have been begging for the technology to be packed into a plug-in gadget instead of having to buy a brand new TV. Advertisement 2 Soon you'll be able to plug in and play Freely instead of buying a whole new TV Credit: Freely 2 The new device will serve as a new rival to the mighty Fire TV Stick Credit: Getty Freely, which launched last year, has only been available built into brand new TVs so far. The advantages over the existing Freeview service is you don't need an aerial to view some of the channels. Instead, you can use broadband and Wi-Fi to beam live channels into your house. Freely is run by Freeview's owner Everyone TV, which itself is jointly owned by the BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and 5. Advertisement Read more about FIre Sticks BBC Director-General Tim Davie hinted that the technology could be turned into a "We are considering a streaming media device," Freely's first "plug-in and stream" gadget will launch later this year, Everyone TV said. TV platform maker Netgem is the first company signed up to produce a Freely-powered gadget. Advertisement Most read in Tech The exact price hasn't been shared yet but bosses said it'll be "affordable". "Freely was created to make free TV work for everyone," said Jonathan Thompson, CEO, Everyone TV. RECENT CHANNEL ADDITIONS ON FREELY The Chase Saturday Night Every Night 4Reality 4Homes 4Life 5 GPs Behind Closed Doors 5 Bargain 5 The Yorkshire Vet 5 History 5 Crime Milkshake! 5 Police Interceptors 5 Cops 5 Trucking Hell 5 A&E 5 Dogs Behaving (Very) Badly Image credit: Everyone TV "Expanding to 'plug-in and stream' devices is an important and natural next step to ensure even more homes can enjoy the full Freely experience without the need for a TV upgrade or paid subscription. "In partnership with Netgem, we're launching streaming devices to make it easier than ever for UK audiences to enjoy the nation's favourite TV, for free, on the TV you already have." Advertisement There are more than 40 live channels that can be streamed via Freely at the moment. But the firm has promised more new and exclusive channels will launch this year. WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE BEFORE WE REPLACE FREEVIEW Analysis by Jamie Harris, Assistant Technology and Science Editor at The Sun DTT - digital terrestrial television - is the system used for Freeview broadcasts today. About 18million homes still use it as their main way of watching TV. Before we even begin to think about switching it off, we have to make sure no one is left behind. So any internet-based alternative - Freely or otherwise - needs to be just as easy to install and use. Then there's the matter of broadband. The UK needs to have reliable broadband everywhere so everyone has access. Emphasis on reliable - no one wants buffering mid-way through a live football match. So not only will broadband need to be pretty much everywhere it will need to be fast enough to handle demand all the time.
The Irish Sun
21-07-2025
- The Irish Sun
I instantly saved my nan £720 by logging in to her TV & broadband account – check your family's services NOW
CHECK your elderly relatives' accounts as they could be wasting hundreds on their internet bills. Many of the best offers are available online instantly which may leave those less tech-savvy missing out, as I found out with my own nan this weekend. Advertisement 2 I couldn't believe how much my nan's broadband now cost Credit: Alamy This won't be the case for every elderly person, in fact I know plenty of seniors who are very well-versed with their phone and other gadgets. But my own nanny, who just celebrated her 79th birthday, isn't quite so confident with the tech. And quite severe So, when I went to visit this weekend she told me the shocking amount she was paying for her TV, broadband and phone services. Advertisement Read more about broadband For the basic Virgin Media package, 132Mbps speed broadband and a phone line with free calls for weekends, she was paying £63. "It's gone up again," she told me. It's a situation Brits have become all too familiar with. Most of us tend to look online for a new deal or give them a call. Advertisement Most read in Tech While the latter is probably preferred by my nan that's still a bit of a daunting process for her. So, I asked her if I could take a look. Are you owed cash from an outage? The first hurdle was getting into the account online, seeing as she couldn't remember the password but not to worry as a quick reset sorted that out. I was expecting to have to talk to an agent via the web chat - or worse, call up. Advertisement Instead, to my surprise, there was an alert saying that her current contract had expired and that she should renew. I assumed there might be some unwanted extras but no. Virgin Media were offering the same products for £33 instead of the £63 she was now paying. With a 24 month contract, that's a huge £720 saving across the entire period which is substantial. Advertisement Now, we could have probably saved more by changing to a new broadband provider and switching my nan over to Freeview. But she's familiar with the Virgin box she has and the less change for her the better. She was really chuffed that I saved her so much money with such ease. So, if you have elderly family or relatives who are less tech savvy it's well worth checking in on their accounts as you could save them a heap. Advertisement 2 Log into your family's broadband accounts now to see if they have a hidden offer Credit: Alamy How to save on broadband and TV bills HERE'S how to save money on your broadband and TV bills: Audit your subscriptions If you've got multiple subscriptions to various on-demand services, such as Amazon Prime, Netflix, and Sky consider whether you need them all. Could you even just get by with Freeview, which couldn't cost you anything extra each month for TV. Also make sure you're not paying for Netflix twice via Sky and directly. Haggle for a discount If you want to stay with your provider, check prices elsewhere to set a benchmark and then call its customer services and threaten to leave unless it price matches or lowers your bill. Switch and save If you don't want to stay with your current provider check if you can cancel your contract penalty free and switch to a cheaper provider. A comparison site, such as
The Irish Sun
20-07-2025
- The Irish Sun
I've tried BEST Fire TV Stick money can buy – and it has three clever Amazon tricks that could save you £100s a year
WHEN it comes to telly, few gadgets are as well known as the Amazon Fire Stick. And I've been trying out the best version of this blockbuster device: the Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max . It's a supreme plug-in streamer that I reckon could even save you hundreds of pounds a year. 9 The Sun's tech editor Sean Keach has been trying out the Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max Credit: Sean Keach / The Sun 9 It's the top-of-the-range Fire Stick Credit: Sean Keach / The Sun If you're new to the Fire Stick game, this is a small black bar that plugs into the back of your telly. It goes into the HDMI port. Your TV almost certainly several of those. And it'll give it a brand new interface chock full of apps, games, and some clever Amazon features too. Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max – £69.99 The idea is that no matter what TV you have – even if it's old and a bit rubbish – you can get a new and "smart" experience on the cheap. Read more on Amazon And at £69.99 (or potentially less if you read on...), this device is way cheaper than upgrading to a newer TV. Of course Amazon Fire TV Sticks can be snapped up for far less, with the HD model coming in at just £39.99. So what makes this so good? Why am I here raving about it to you? AMAZON FIRE TV STICK 4K MAX – WHAT IS IT? Let's start with the basics. You plug it in, and you're pretty much good to go in a matter of seconds. Most read in Tech It's a fairly easy system to navigate. If you've ever used a phone or telly (and let's be honest, you probably have) then it's the same thing. You've got a list of apps that you can open, and they'll serve up content. There's a frankly enormous selection of apps available via the Amazon Appstore. But you get some bits pre-installed, like Netflix, YouTube, Disney+, and (of course) Amazon Prime Video. These are all official and legal apps – no "dodgy" Fire Sticks here. Amazon Fire Stick trick lets you find lost remote instantly using hidden 'ringer' There's also a Live tab packed with loads of live TV channels. These are totally free to watch. The only catch is that you'll have to sit through ads. But if you fancy effectively unlimited Hell's Kitchen, Mythbusters, or Baywatch , you're in luck. The big advantage for this device over the cheapest Amazon Fire Stick is the 4K quality. 9 You control the Fire Stick with this handy Alexa-enabled voice remote (but you can use the buttons if you'd prefer not to chat with your telly) Credit: Sean Keach / The Sun You'll be able to watch Ultra HD Netflix or Amazon Prime Video content in its full native resolution. So all of that extra detail is captured and displayed (as long as you have a 4K telly too). There is a slightly cheaper Fire Stick 4K (the one without the "Max" branding) that costs a tenner less. There are a few minor differences, including a slightly more advanced Wi-Fi system that you don't really need to worry about, and an "Ambient Experience" that shows artwork on your telly. They're both fine to have, but they're not the big winners. Instead, look out for the doubled storage on the Max (16GB versus 8GB) so you can download more apps. 9 The interface is easy to navigate – and guides you on how to use features as you go Credit: Sean Keach / The Sun And note that the processor is also faster on the Max, which makes it ultra-speedy. A slow telly is immensely frustrating. Don't put yourself through that. WHAT I'M MOST IMPRESSED BY One of the best things about the Amazon Fire TV Stick platform generally is the vast array of apps on offer. You can get pretty much everything on here. But there are some great options that save you money . For a start, you've got so much free telly on offer that you'd struggle to get through it all. You could quite easily watch TV forever without paying a penny. So if you fancy binning all of your TV subscriptions, you won't have to go without telly. That'll save you hundreds of quid right off the bat. But earlier this week, I also revealed how you could quite easily enjoy For £14.99 a month you can get Xbox Cloud Gaming , which is basically a "Netflix for games". 9 Loads of popular apps are available on the Fire Stick Credit: Sean Keach / The Sun So instead of having a console render the gaming visuals, they're beamed to you over the internet instead. You can play a massive library of over 350 games without owning a console. You just need a Fire Stick, decent internet, and a wireless games controller – like an Xbox or PlayStation joypad. It's a great way to make a saving, because you don't need to fork out for a console. But there's an even cheaper option that I'm also pretty impressed by. AMAZON FIRE TV STICK 4K MAX – THE OFFICIAL SPECS Here's a quick look... Picture Resolution: 4K Ultra HD Video Formats: Dolby Vision / HDR / HDR10 / HDR10+ / HLG Audio: Dolby Atmos Bundled Remote: Alexa Voice Remote Enhanced Storage: 16GB Memory: 2GB Wi-Fi: Wi-Fi 6E Picture-In-Picture Live View: Yes Ambient Experience: Yes Picture Credit: Amazon Amazon has its own Xbox Cloud Gaming rival called Luna. And if you pay the £8.99-a-month Luna+ fee, you get more than 100 games to play. It's massively cheaper than buying a console, and you can cancel at any time. That's harder to do with a console. It works extremely well, and the visuals are stunning – because they're being rendered by powerful Amazon computers. 9 You'll be able to unlock seemingly endless live telly too Credit: Sean Keach / The Sun Better yet, if you've got Amazon Prime then you get some games for free – even if you're not paying for Luna+. That includes Fortnite, which is a smash-hit shooter game that almost needs no introduction. So that's a third way this could slash your bills . If you can enjoy the free games you're getting with Prime, you don't need to pay for Luna+ at all. Are there any downsides? Honestly, it's pretty good for the price. I think the iPad , or Apple Watch. But that magical Apple box starts at £149, so it should be better. Not everyone needs a £149 plug-in streamer. But I think Amazon's 4K Max device is a great middle-ground between your smart TV or a bottom-end Fire Stick and a top-end gadget like the Apple TV 4K. 9 If you have a Bluetooth controller (like this Amazon Luna joypad) then you can play top-tier video games on the Fire Stick without even owning a console Credit: Sean Keach / The Sun SHOULD YOU BUY IT? Whether it's the gadget for you really depends on your budget – and home set up. If you haven't got a 4K telly or you're not paying for any 4K content subscriptions (if you've got the basic Netflix plan, for instance), then buying a 4K Stick is arguably overkill – unless you're looking for future-proofing. But 4K TVs are much cheaper to come by these days, so keep that in mind. If you're an Apple fan that wants to splash out, the Apple TV 4K is still my top pick for a streaming gadget. I'm impressed by it. For the price, this is good value for money – and it's got several ways to slash your entertainment bills too. It's fairly small and doesn't need a tangle of wires. The remote is neat and easy to use, and looks good on the coffee table. It also gives you access to the Alexa voice assistant, which is handy for asking about the weather or demanding a movie. And the set-up is no-nonsense. I'd only downgrade to the cheapest Fire Stick if I was sticking it in a spare room on a non-4K TV. Otherwise, this feels like the Fire Stick to go for. The other thing to watch out for is pricing. 9 Amazon has a special gaming service called Luna for playing video games over the internet Credit: Sean Keach / The Sun As I mentioned, this gadget normally costs £69.99 – but it doesn't always. Amazon often discounts its own products. Just plug the gadget into CamelCamelCamel (a tracker that monitors Amazon prices over time) to see for yourself. There are several points where it's been on sale for as low as £50, and even £44.99. The average retail price is £58.74. So this gadget is even better value for money if you can pick it up in a sale. There's no guarantee, but keeping your eyes peeled around Black Friday 2025 (that's November 28) could be a good idea. The Sun says: The Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max is the perfect mid-range streaming gadget – and the best of the Amazon "sticks". It can save you money, and delivers 4K visuals across your favourite apps. 5/5 Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max – £69.99 Check The Sun's guide to Fire Stick 4K vs Fire Stick 4K Max. 9 The Fire Stick takes up very little space at the back of your telly Credit: Sean Keach / The Sun All prices in this article were correct at the time of writing, but may have since changed. Always do your own research before making any purchase. Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max – Pros and Cons Pros Extremely easy to set up and use Huge selection of content – and loads of free content too Viable alternative to a games console Takes up almost no space Great value for money Cons Slower than an Apple TV Better value if you wait for a sale
