When you jump from a “goofy” television to a Smart TV, the viewing options multiply exponentially. We go from the typical four channels that we see open to a whole world of possibilities. What are the best applications for Android TV? What services should we install on a smart TV to get the most out of it?
Here are some ideas of all those apps compatible with Smart TVs that we can install to turn our TV into a personalized entertainment center. Let’s go there!
Top 10 apps to get the most out of your Smart TV
To make this list a little more interesting, we are going to put aside all those apps that we all already know very well, such as Netflix or Spotify, to focus on things a little less obvious –relatively- and a little more interesting.
KODI
Many people use Kodi on their smart TV or Android TV Box as a streaming and local media player. However, we are facing a very powerful application that allows us to do almost everything thanks to its add-ons. In this way we can install Retroplayer, a function for Kodi with which we can install various emulators of classic consoles (NES, Mega Drive, Super Nintendo, MAME, Dreamcast, etc.). From here we just have to add the corresponding ROMs from a pendrive, connect a gamepad to the TV via Bluetooth and start rooting it. You can see the complete installation tutorial in THIS POST. In addition to that, with Kodi we can also play videos that we have hosted on the PC remotely, configure IPTV lists, subtitle service and much more.
ART TV
Many have not yet learned that there is life beyond traditional streaming platforms like HBO, Prime Video, and company. ARTE TV is a content-on-demand service focused on various artistic disciplines where we can find everything from music concerts, to documentaries such as “The history of graffiti”, pop culture and the like, but also videos on science, politics and history. All this free, without registration and with a quality well above the usual average.
Keep
If you have some room in the living room to stretch out your duvet, you might want to take a look at Keep. We are facing an app to do exercises at home that is most practical, since being compatible with Android TV we can display it on the TV and save ourselves the trouble of constantly checking the mobile phone (typical with most mobile training apps ). It has countless programs and routines to work different parts of the body, it is free, and it enjoys a very excellent evaluation by the community.
TuneIn Radio
TuneIn Radio is like Spotify on radio stations. It is an excellent platform to listen to music in streaming, but not only that, since the content is divided into several themes where we can find podcasts, news channels, sports stations and local radios. It is also great to discover new radio programs from the trends section or listen to stations from other countries in the world.
FITE
Video streaming service compatible with smart TVs focused on lovers of boxing, MMA and professional wrestling. The platform broadcasts content live and on demand, with some paid events and a good handful of battles and videos completely free. It can be a good option as a semi-free alternative to other premium DAZN platforms, with some very interesting shows and matches.
Steam link
If you are a pro gamer and you have a good Internet connection, this is another of the apps that cannot be missed on our smart TV. With Steam Link we can link our Android TV with the PC and play our Steam games directly from the TV. The service works wonderfully, but yes, we must ensure that we have a stable and muscular wifi signal.
TED
Who does not know by now the famous TED talks? We are not going to say that it takes a scholar to let you participate in one of these conferences, but it is certainly a meeting point where you can listen and learn from some of the most fascinating minds on the planet. The application has more than 3,000 “inspiring” talks, includes subtitles (almost all content is in English) and a classification by topics ranging from health or business, to education, science, technology, psychology or personal growth, among others.
Sideload Launcher
The bad thing about having a smart TV is that not all Android applications are compatible with the device. With Sideload Launcher we skip that restriction, since with this tool we can install any application or APK from the Google Play Store, although in principle it was only designed to work on mobile phones.
Concerts Arena
Concerts Arena is an application for Android TV where we can see live music and historical concerts from bands like Rage Against the Machine, Smashing Pumpkins, The Clash, Dire Straits, Blondie and artists like Lou Reed, Jamiroquai or Bob Marley. The platform works as a YouTube content curator, as all videos are hosted on YouTube. A highly recommended application for lifelong music lovers.
Red Bull TV
Another free streaming platform with loads of content focused primarily on sports like surfing, climbing, BMX, rally competitions, esports, motocross, and other adventure sports. In addition to that there are also live broadcasts of festivals like Primavera Sound and Lollapalooza, as well as small documentaries and programs focused on music and gaming. As we say the application is free, although we must register or log in with a Facebook or Google account.
Final WordS:
Those are the best Android Applications for Your Smart TV we ever seen. Go and install the app and enjoy your smart TV. Do you know of any other Smart TV app worth it? If so, do not hesitate to stop by the comments area.