When you make the leap from a “goofy” TV to a Smart TV, the viewing options multiply exponentially. We go from the typical four channels that we see in the open to a whole world of possibilities. What are the best apps for Android TV ? What services should we install on a smart TV to get the most out of it?
Below we offer you 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!
The 12 best applications to fully exploit 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 well enough like 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 local and streaming 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 giving it a go. You can see the complete installation tutorial in THIS POST .
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Kodi
Developer: Kodi Foundation
Price: Free
In addition to that, with Kodi we can also play videos that we have hosted on the PC remotely, configure IPTV lists , subtitles service and much more.
ART TV
Many are still unaware that there is life beyond traditional streaming platforms like HBO, Prime Video, and co. ARTE TV is an on-demand content service focused on various artistic disciplines where we can find music concerts, documentaries such as “The history of graffiti,” pop culture and the like, but also videos about science, politics and history. All this free, without registration and with a quality well above the usual average.
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ART TV
Developer: ART
Price: Free
Pluto TV
Speaking of alternative streaming platforms, Pluto TV is another one of those apps that cannot be missing from our Smart TV. It is a free service with live television and on demand with a multitude of thematic channels.
From kitchen channels, through movie channels, series, MTV, there is even a specific channel dedicated to SpongeBob SquarePants. The content broadcast differs from one country to another: in the US they broadcast more than 100 channels, and in other places like Spain the offer is limited to about 50 channels. In any case, an app that is quite worth it.
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Pluto TV – Movies and series
Developer: Pluto, Inc.
Price: Free
PLEX
If we talk about live online television we cannot forget PLEX either. Recently the famous multimedia player has gone from being an excellent transmitter of local content over DLNA to adding a section with a multitude of live TV channels .
Like Pluto TV, the service is completely free and is perfectly adapted to Android TV. In short, another of those apps that never hurts to have around.
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Free streaming movies, live TV and more
Developer: Plex, Inc.
Price: Free
Keep
If you have some space in the living room to stretch the booties, you may want to take a look at Keep. We are facing an app to do exercises at home that is the most practical, since being compatible with Android TV we can display it on the TV and save ourselves the hassle of constantly checking the mobile (typical with most mobile training apps ). It has an infinite number of programs and routines to work different parts of the body, it is free, and it enjoys an excellent evaluation by the community.
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Keep – Home Fitness Trainer
Developer: Calorie Technology HK Company Limited
Price: Free
TuneIn Radio
TuneIn Radio is like the Spotify of radio stations . It is an excellent platform to listen to music in streaming, but not only that, since the content is divided into several topics 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.
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TuneIn Radio: news, music, podcasts, fm radio
Developer: TuneIn Inc
Price: Free
FITE
Smart TV compatible streaming video service focused on boxing, MMA and professional wrestling lovers . The platform broadcasts content live and on demand, with some paid events and a good handful of fights and videos completely free. It can be a good option as a semi-free alternative to other premium DAZN-type platforms, with some very interesting shows and fights.
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FITE – Boxing, Wrestling, MMA and more
Developer: Flipps Media Inc.
Price: Free
Steam Link
If you are a pro gamer and 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 great, but yes, we must make sure that we have a stable and muscular Wi-Fi signal.
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Steam Link
Developer: Valve Corporation
Price: Free
NVIDIA GeForce NOW
If you want to go one step further, check out NVIDIA’s streaming game service. It is a platform that allows you to play hundreds and hundreds of titles from Steam, Ubisoft Connect, Epic Games and Origin from the cloud. The good news is that you don’t have to buy the games again to play them, you just have to link your Steam account (or any other store) and GeForce NOW will sync the game to add it to your GeForce NOW library.
There is a premium subscription, but you can also play with GeForce NOW with the free plan, although you will find queues and sessions with a maximum time of one hour. The platform also has a specific app for Android TV, so if you already have a bluetooth remote, you only need a good Internet connection to start playing your AAA games on the TV.
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NVIDIA GeForce NOW
Developer: NVIDIA
Price: Free
TED
Who does not know by now the famous TED talks? We are not going to say that you need to be a scholar to be allowed to 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 3000 “inspiring” talks , includes subtitles (practically all the content is in English) and a classification by topics ranging from health or business, through education, science, technology, psychology or personal growth, among others.
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TED
Developer: TED Conferences LLC
Price: Free
Sideload Launcher
The downside of having a smart TV is that not all Android applications are compatible with the device. With Sideload Launcher we skip this restriction, since with this tool we can install any application or APK from the Google Play Store, although in principle it has only been designed to work on mobile phones.
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Sideload Launcher – Android TV
Developer: Chainfire
Price: Free
Red bull tv
Another free streaming platform with loads of content mainly focused on sports like surfing, rock climbing, BMX, rally competitions, esports, motocross and other adventure sports. In addition to that, there are also live broadcasts of festivals such as 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.
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Red Bull TV: Movies, TV Series, Direct
Developer: Red Bull
Price: Free
Do you know any other Smart TV app that is worth it? If so, do not hesitate to stop by the comments area.
