Android TV | AFTVnews

Google is reskinning Android TV to look more like Google TV from the 2020 Chromecast

Posted by Elias Saba on February 3, 2021 — 10 Comments

Google is releasing an update to Android TV that makes it look a lot more like the new Google TV interface found on the 2020 Chromecast. This update essentially reskins the existing Home screen of Android TV now have a tabbed navigation menu and a large banner at the top for featured content. While this update isn’t going to bring all the new features of the Google TV interface to Android TV devices, it does add some new capabilities, like a new Discover menu for finding popular and trending content. Read more ›

Posted in Article Tagged with: Android TV, Google TV

Sony’s 2021 TVs will run Google TV and Roku was the best-selling smart TV platform in 2020

Posted by Elias Saba on January 8, 2021 — 4 Comments

While Amazon and Roku are neck and neck for stand-alone streaming media player dominance, the same is nowhere near true for smart TVs, where Fire TV Edition TVs lag way behind Roku, which says it was the best-selling platform for smart TVs in 2020. Meanwhile, Sony continues to be all-in with Android TV for its smart TV platform of choice and has revealed that its 2021 TVs will run the new Google TV interface which is currently only available on the Chromecast with Google TV. Read more ›

Posted in Article Tagged with: Android TV, Google TV, Roku, Sony

HBO Max app is coming to Roku and Apple TV app is coming to Chromecast/Android TV

Posted by Elias Saba on December 16, 2020 — 2 Comments

‘Tis the season for streaming services to make deals with streaming device manufacturers. Roku has announced that they’ve finally made an agreement with HBO to bring the HBO Max app to Roku devices. The app will arrive in the Roku Channel Store tomorrow, Dec 17. Similarly, Google has announced that an Apple TV app will be coming to the Chromecast with Google TV “early next year.” They also said that “more devices powered by Android TV” will be getting the app “in the future.” Now, if only Amazon would cut a deal with NBC to bring the Peacock TV app to Fire TV devices.

Posted in Article Tagged with: Android TV, App, Apple TV App, Google Chromecast, Google TV, HBO Max, Roku

How to Sideload apps on the 2020 Chromecast with Google TV using Downloader

Posted by Elias Saba on October 8, 2020 — 18 Comments

Google’s new 2020 Chromecast with Google TV has changed a lot about the underlying Android TV operating system that it runs on, but what hasn’t changed too much is the ability to sideload apps. Sideloading, which is the process of installing APK app files from a source other than the Google Play Store, is possible on the new Chromecast, but Google makes you jump through a few more steps than was previously necessary on Android TV. Here is a step-by-step guide for how to sideload apps using Downloader on the Chromecast with Google TV. Read more ›

Posted in Article Tagged with: Android TV, Google Chromecast, Google TV, Guide, Sideload

Downloader app and Sideloading work on the 2020 Chromecast with Google TV

Posted by Elias Saba on October 8, 2020 — 4 Comments

For those wondering the new 2020 Google Chromecast with Google TV does support sideloading apps and my Downloader app. There was a small bug in Downloader that partially prevented file access on the Chromecast, due to privacy changes made in Android 10, but I’ve already fixed it and the updated version (v1.4.2) is already live in Google’s appstore. Read more ›

Posted in Article Tagged with: Android TV, Downloader, Google Chromecast, Google TV, Sideload

Android TV benchmarks compared to every Fire TV — 2020 Chromecast, Shield TV, Tivo Stream 4K, and Mi Box

Posted by Elias Saba on October 8, 2020 — 31 Comments

After benchmarking every Fire TV model ever released last week and posting the results, several of you asked for a similar post comparing Android TV devices. Now that the new 2020 Chromecast with Google TV has arrived, here’s a benchmark comparison of the Chromecast, two generations of Nvidia Shield TVs, the Tivo Stream 4K, and the Mi Box (for good measure) compared to every Fire TV, Fire TV Stick, and Fire TV Cube model. Read more ›

Posted in Article Tagged with: Android TV, Benchmark, Google Chromecast, Google TV, Mii Box, NVIDIA Shield TV, Tivo, Tivo Stream 4K

Google announces new Chromecast running Android TV rebranded as Google TV

Posted by Elias Saba on September 30, 2020 — 35 Comments

Google has just announced the new Chromecast (2020) with Google TV, their first true competitor to Amazon’s Fire TV line of streaming media players. Unlike past Chromecast models that required a mobile phone to use, this new Chromecast comes with a remote and runs Android TV, which has a completely redesigned interface that Google is branding as Google TV. Like past Chromecasts and the Fire TV 3, the new Chromecast is a pendant-style device that hangs off of its permanently attached HDMI cable. It supports 4K video at 60fps, Dolby Vision, Dolby Atmos, and costs $49.99. Read more ›

Posted in Article Tagged with: Android TV, Announcement, Google, Google Chromecast, Google TV

Google begins displaying Sponsored Ads on Android TV home screen

Posted by Elias Saba on April 5, 2019 — 27 Comments

Televisions and streaming media players running Android TV have begun displaying sponsored ads on their home screens. The ads were spotted by Zatz Not Funny, among many others, and first reported on by XDA Developers. The ads have been seen on the NVIDIA Shield TV, Mi Box, and Sony televisions. Google has confirmed that this is a “pilot program” that they themselves are running. Unlike the Apps Spotlight row that began appearing on devices a little while ago, this new sponsored ad row cannot be turned off unless you lock the device down by creating a restricted profile.

Posted in Article Tagged with: Android TV, Google

JBL Link Bar soundbar with built-in Android TV will be released in Spring 2019 for $400

Posted by Elias Saba on January 7, 2019 — 3 Comments

The JBL Link Bar, which was announced last May at Google I/O, is an interesting device that puts a full-fledged Android TV media player into a soundbar. Despite rumors of a Fall 2018 release, the company wasn’t able to release the $399.95 soundbar and optional $299.95 subwoofer before the year ended. JBL has now announced at CES 2019 that the Link Bar will be available some time this Spring. The 100-watt soundbar will double as a Google Assistant smart speaker, thanks to its far-field microphones, and house 3 HDMI ports for input switching.

Posted in Article Tagged with: Android TV, CES, CES 2019, JBL

Sony is actively blocking Kodi on their Bravia televisions running Android TV

Posted by Elias Saba on January 6, 2019 — 39 Comments

Sony has blacklisted the media center app Kodi on some models of their Bravia televisions that run Google’s Android TV operating system, according to a tweet on Kodi’s official Twitter account which CordCuttersNews has spotted. By blacklisting Kodi’s package name, they’re blocking the perfectly legal app from running on their TVs. Read more ›

Posted in Article Tagged with: Android TV, Kodi, Sony

Google is reskinning Android TV to look more like Google TV from the 2020 Chromecast

Sony’s 2021 TVs will run Google TV and Roku was the best-selling smart TV platform in 2020

HBO Max app is coming to Roku and Apple TV app is coming to Chromecast/Android TV

How to Sideload apps on the 2020 Chromecast with Google TV using Downloader

Downloader app and Sideloading work on the 2020 Chromecast with Google TV

Android TV benchmarks compared to every Fire TV — 2020 Chromecast, Shield TV, Tivo Stream 4K, and Mi Box

Google announces new Chromecast running Android TV rebranded as Google TV

Google begins displaying Sponsored Ads on Android TV home screen

JBL Link Bar soundbar with built-in Android TV will be released in Spring 2019 for $400

Sony is actively blocking Kodi on their Bravia televisions running Android TV

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