latest
Google TV needs to get better, and it needs to do it now
Ditching Android 9.0's UI design sure would go a long way
Since the Google Play Movies & TV app’s discontinuation in late 2023, the heat has been on Google TV to fill the gap with a polished new app providing a quality service for enjoying movies and TV shows. As an up-to-date version of Android TV, Google TV is a decent hub platform for all your streaming services, whether you use an external Chromecast dongle or a Smart TV. However, there are some things the app could improve on, especially concerning presentation, convenience, and user agency.
Best VPN for Google TV in 2024
Watch the latest shows around the globe right at home with the best Google TV VPNs
An easy way to get all your favorite streaming services in one spot is with a Google TV box. It allows you to access Netflix, Amazon Prime, Disney+, and more with a press of a button. It won't provide access to all the latest movies and TV shows, though, as these streaming platforms have geo-restrictions in place, meaning you can only watch what's available in your region. That can be a drag, but a VPN can resolve the predicament.
Android TVs are a popular choice for many TV buyers, thanks to their customization options and selection of apps. If you're considering purchasing an Android TV box, learn how to maximize its potential. We put together a list of tips and tricks to help you make the most of your device.
Android TV gets a new row of shortcuts to showcase Google's pet projects
Because the Live and Shop tabs weren't already visible enough
Most of the streaming boxes and smart TVs in the Android ecosystem are running Google TV these days, but Android TV is still alive and kicking — in fact, Google TV is more like an OEM skin on top of Android TV, akin to Samsung's One UI 6.1 running on its Android 14 code base. Still, Google seems intent on blurring the lines between its TV UIs, with Android TV devices like the Nvidia Shield TV now sporting a home screen layout you might think was pulled straight from the Chromecast with Google TV at first glance. Now, the Android TV launcher is set to get even Googlier.
Best Google and Android TV boxes in 2024
Or more accurately, the best Android TV boxes, dongles, and tubes
Streaming services are everywhere these days, and entertainment platforms like Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, and Disney+ continue to make cord-cutting a viable alternative to traditional paid-cable subscriptions. And if you’ve been thinking about investing in a streaming device for one of the many TVs in your home, one of our favorite names in the business is Google/Android.
What’s the difference between Google TV and Android TV?
The lowdown on Google's two smart TV platforms
Google made an imprint on the tech world. The tech giant owns the world's most popular search engine and builds the most successful smartphones, smartwatches, and smart home devices. Its proprietary operating system, Android, powers most non-Apple phones. Google has the market under lockdown, even influencing home entertainment with the introduction of Google TV in 2020. Google's other operating system, Android TV, has powered smart TVs and the best streaming devices for some time. But what's the difference between Google and Android TV?
Reminder: Google Play Movies & TV for Android TV dies in one week
Next Wednesday, your content will be moved to other Google apps
Google regularly kills off apps because of overlapping functionality with other existing services. The Google Play Music app was axed in 2020, and in exactly one week’s time, the Play Movies & TV app will meet the same fate on Android TV. However, this step will play a big role in decluttering the Android TV UI because Google has many apps where you can rent or purchase movies and TV shows to watch later. Google will kill the service for good on January 17, but your content won’t be impacted. Here’s why.
PS Remote Play now works on your Chromecast with Google TV
Sony's PlayStation-streaming app comes to Android TV
If you’re big into PlayStation, you likely relish the option to play on any display in your home via PS Remote Play. However, it hasn’t always been easy to do so, given the lack of integration between popular streaming devices and the Sony gaming console. Now, a new update will help you cast your games to other devices equipped with Google's operating system for TVs and media dongles.
Xgimi's latest Android TV projector is its brightest and most advanced yet
Dolby Vision support upgrades the Horizon Ultra's 4K output to new HDR heights
There's arguably no quicker or easier way to give your home an entertainment overhaul than adding an Android TV projector. Just plug it in, point it at a big, blank wall, and you've got a jumbo-sized screen packed with all your favorite streaming services. Models from Xgimi have ranged from battery powered portable projectors like the Halo+ to the massive and stunning ultra-short-throw Aura 4K. This week the company introduces a new long-throw option, the Horizon Ultra, pairing extra-bright output with HDR Dolby Vision support.
This new AR attachment puts Android TV on your face
Rokid's AR glasses have an interesting new way to watch movies and TV
AR glasses tend to be thought of as a luxury item only available to the wealthy or well-off, as seen with the pricier Google Glass ($999) and Microsoft HoloLens ($3,500). The market is fairly open to affordable versions of AR glasses since many consumers can't justify dropping over a grand on a luxury device. Rokid, a Chinese tech startup, has filled this void with its affordable AR glasses, and now the company is taking things a step further with an Android TV attachment.
The Roku Channel brings its free streaming content to Google TV and Android TV
Watch Weird: The Al Yankovich Story and thousands more shows and movies
Roku devices have long been a convenient way to access your favorite streaming services, and back in 2017, the company launched one of its own: The Roku Channel. With an ever-increasing library of free ad-supported shows, movies and live TV channels, part of Roku's evolving strategy has been to release its app on smart TVs and some of the best streaming devices around, bringing The Roku Channel to new audiences. Today, that group finally expands to include Google TV and Android TV.
No one can buy Google's latest Android TV reference device
Google is developing Android TV 14 on custom hardware it won't share
Developing apps for Android can be a challenge, but Google has traditionally done what it can to make life easier for creators, giving them access to resources like the Android Studio development environment. In addition to Studio's software emulator, devs working on Android TV have even had access to dedicated testing hardware: the ADT series. Google is currently working on Android TV 14 with the help of the new ADT-4 box, but this time it won't similarly be making that hardware available to external developers.
Android TV makes renting movies easier without switching apps
A new 'Shop' tab is invading your screen
Renting or purchasing movies on Android TV is currently a convoluted process. Depending on your device, you have to go through either Play Movies & TV or the Google TV app If you're looking for a first-party way to watch movies without having to subscribe to a streaming service. Google is now streamlining how you can discover content to buy or rent by introducing a new "Shop" tab to Android TV.
Google scraps Android TV 13, releases Android TV 14 beta
Android TV 14 could let you receive call notifications from compatible apps on your TV
Android runs on a vast majority of devices with varying form factors. Besides smartphones, tablets, cars, and watches, the OS also powers the best Android TV boxes and televisions. In May 2022, Google dropped the first beta of Android TV 13, which back then was based on the latest upcoming version of Android. The final build of the OS was released in December, a few months after Android 13's public release. Following a similar pattern, the company has silently launched the first beta of Android TV 14 alongside Android 14 beta 3, which dropped with the finalized APIs.
Not too long ago, setting up your TV was a simple affair involving a handful of cables and perhaps a visit from the cable company. But with the growing ubiquity of smart TVs and the massive growth in popularity of streaming services, setting up your TV today also involves logging in to your Wi-Fi and Netflix accounts. Although Samsung's Tizen operating system dominates the smart TV space, Android TV is on its heels. Let's look at how to get that up and running, so you can bask in the best the online entertainment world offers on the big screen in your living room.
Vimeo is retiring its Android TV app in favor of casting
Support will come to an end later this month
Many different platforms that host video content have found a home on streaming devices that make it easy to watch whatever you want, whenever you want. While some apps have gotten increasingly better over the years, others have gone in the opposite direction. Vimeo has just become a prime example of the latter, as the video hosting service will retire its Android TV app by the end of the month.
Which streaming services are the best value right now?
There are plenty of economical options for in-home entertainment
Gone are the days when we relied on a cable connection to watch our favorite movies, TV shows, and sports events. On-demand streaming services are slowly replacing cable TV. They have apps on phones, smart TVs, and the best streaming devices to offer live channels, news, and entertainment without a pricey cable subscription.
Beautiful Android TV apps are easier to make than ever with Google's latest tools
Compose for TV brings Material You to the big screen with less code
Android TV powers some of the best streaming boxes in 2023, like the Chromecast with Google TV and the Nvidia Shield TV Pro. But Google’s TV operating system has far fewer purpose-built apps than the mobile version of Android, and the apps that are made with the living room in mind tend to lack a unified UX. Thankfully, that could be changing soon with new Android TV developer tools announced at Google I/O.
Xgimi's latest MoGo portable Android TV projectors introduce some slick new image alignment tricks
The MoGo 2 Pro does automatic keystone correction without stopping playback
The versatility of portable projectors can be a bit of a double-edged sword. While it's great fun being able to move them around wherever you like and turn any blank wall into a giant video screen, that can also mean a lot of time spent tweaking the picture each time you relocate. This past January at CES, Xgimi showed off its latest projector lineup, including models introducing its new Smart ISA (Intelligent Screen Adaptation) 2.0 system for greatly streamlining that setup process. Now it's nearly time for the first projector with this tech to arrive, as Xgimi shares details on the release of the MoGo 2 and MoGo 2 Pro.
Advertising takes many forms, and some of them are acceptable, but most are ugly and unwanted. Even the best streaming devices carry operating system-level ads. We don’t mind seeing promoted content like movies and TV shows, even if they aren’t tailored to our watch history. But when the same space is used for advertising physical products, the TV resembles a billboard you willingly paid for. Ads on Google TV caught our attention late in January, but they only seem to grow worse as time passes.