re: Amazon FireTV Stick, $19 for Prime members ($39 now) - 11/23 deals for $24

That is correct. This is a wifi-enabled, app-driven device that plugs into your TV and offers more than the vast majority of smart tvs in terms of quality and diversity of apps as well as interface fluidity/ease of use. Maybe the bleeding edge TVs are different, but in general, smart tv offerings are usually not very good in terms of interface, and if a specific app isn't supported at time of purchase, it likely never will be. These devices typically receive updates for several years which include new channels/apps and a more refined interface.