If you thought Amazon already had an Alexa gadget for every use case, think again, as today the Amazon Fire TV Blaster was announced.

The little black box measures just 2.2-inches tall, 1.5-inches wide, and costs $34.99. It's works in a similar way to universal remotes, but Amazon's take is to enable existing TVs, soundbars, cable or satellite boxes, and receivers to be controlled hands-free using Alexa. So if you own an older TV that isn't smart, the Fire TV Blaster can add some of that functionality, including turning the power on or off, adjusting the volume, or switching the input.

Don't let the low price of the Blaster fool you, though, as it can't be used alone. Amazon refers to it as a companion device, which requires, "both a compatible Fire TV streaming device and any Echo smart speaker or smart display" in order to work. It won't work with Fire TV Edition televisions or soundbars, and in order to function correctly it needs to sit 1-2 feet away from the device you want to control and with the LED facing where you typically sit.

Included in the box is the Fire TV Blaster, an IR extender cable, power adapter, and USB cable. If you need a TV Stick and Echo to make it work, Amazon is offering a bundle including the Blaster, a Fire TV Stick 4K, and an Echo Dot for $79.99, which is a saving of $54.98 over the cost of buying the three devices separately.

The Blaster seems to make the most sense for anyone who already owns a Fire TV Stick and Echo, but is still relying on an older TV for their entertainment. Even then, I think the market is going to be quite limited and will surely diminish as more of the gadgets we buy have voice control and smart features as standard. It does fill a niche, though, and Amazon clearly thinks it's big enough to cater to.

If you want a Fire TV Blaster, Amazon opened pre-orders today in the US, Canada, the UK, and Germany with the device set to release on Dec. 11.