Amazon has a little update for the original Fire TV Stick - it's bundling the new Fire TV Alexa Voice remote with the original stick from now on.

The new Alexa Voice remote - which now features power, volume and mute buttons - was already being supplied with the recently-launched Fire TV Stick 4K and is also available separately at a 50 percent discount until 28 January. The new Alexa Voice Remote is compatible with the Fire TV Stick (2nd Gen), Fire TV Stick 4K as we said as well as the 2017 Fire TV (3rd Gen, the one that looks like a diamond).

The big advantage of the new buttons is that you can now use the remote to control your compatible TV, soundbar and receiver. This worked spectacularly well when we set up the Fire TV 4K with a Q Acoustics M3 soundbar; Amazon's device library is clearly very extensive. 

The new remote is on the right, here: 

Naturally, you're also able to ask Alexa to do basically anything you like including smart home control, adding to your shopping list and, of course, search for shows and control what your Fire TV is doing (moving a few minutes through a programme is particularly effective).

The new remote is not compatible with the first generation Fire TV.