android tv
Latest
Peloton's workout app is now available on Android TV
Peloton might be best known for its connected exercise equipment (and that questionable TV ad), but it also produces a range of instructor-led workouts that can be done at home with no equipment at all. And from today, you'll be able to access them directly through Android TV -- perfect timing considering none of us can get out to the gym right now.
Google's next Chromecast Ultra may be an Android TV dongle
Google's Chromecast has evolved over the years, but the devices you can find in stores are still, at their heart, little more than conduits for whatever comes from your phone or PC. It looks like Google might be planning a more ambitious replacement, though. A source speaking to 9to5Google says that the next Chromecast Ultra will be an honest-to-goodness Android TV dongle. You could run apps like Netflix and Hulu (complete with 4K HDR support )rather than relying on apps with Cast support. The new Ultra reportedly resembles the current-generation standard Chromecast, but with a "softer, rounder" aesthetic -- and, as you might guess, a dedicated remote.
March Madness app streams two games side-by-side on Android TV and Fire TV
It's nearly time for the best weekend in sports all year: the start of March Madness. Ahead of the 2020 NCAA basketball tournament, Turner is updating its arsenal of streaming apps for this year's action on the hardwood. And the most notable change is one I've been waiting on for a long time: multiview streaming is no longer exclusive to Apple TV.
Sony sets prices for (most of) its latest 4K LED TVs
You didn't have to wait too long for Sony to start pricing some of its 2020 Android TVs. The electronics giant has started taking pre-orders for its 'entry' X800H 4K LED TVs and their higher-end X950H counterparts. Only two of the flagship X950H models have been listed so far. The relatively small 49-inch set starts at $1,200, while the room-filling 85-inch set will cost you a substantial $5,000. Either set carries some of Sony's nicer tech, including the current-gen Picture Processor X1 Ultimate and local dimming LED backlighting. You can also expect common features like Google Assistant, AirPlay 2 and HomeKit support. Details for other X950H sizes are coming at a "later date," Sony said.
Sony's 8K and OLED TVs adapt their sound to your room
Sony is coming to CES with its customary TV lineup revamp, and this year the focus is as much on sound as it is picture quality. Its newly unveiled Z8H 8K LED (shown above), A9S 4K OLED, A8H 4K OLED, X950H 4K LED (pictured below) and X900H 4K LED sets bring an Ambient Optimization feature that fine-tunes the picture and sound to your viewing space, including an Acoustic Audio Calibration feature that supposedly delivers the "full sound potential" of your TV during the initial setup process. And if you spring for the top-of-the-line Z8H, you'll get a Frame Tweeter that vibrates the frame of the TV itself to generate sound -- if you can't hook up dedicated speakers, this should be more immersive than what you'd normally get from built-in audio.
Verizon is giving away Android TV boxes to home 5G subscribers
You probably didn't notice it, but Verizon (Engadget's parent company) has a dedicated media player of its own. The carrier quietly released a Stream TV device meant to court 5G Home subscribers who've figuratively and literally cut the television cord. It's really a straightforward Android TV device with support for 4K video, Chromecast streaming and a Google Assistant-capable voice remote. Naturally, Verizon is hoping that you'll use this to take advantage of its Disney+ deal, tack YouTube TV on to your bill or stream with one of Yahoo's apps.
Sony confirms that it has not rolled out the Apple TV app to its TVs (updated)
When the redesigned Apple TV app arrived in May, it was compatible with Samsung smart TVs, as well as the expected Apple products. Apple promised that the app would eventually work on more platforms, and in the past weeks, it's arrived on Roku and Amazon's Fire TV Stick devices. 9to5Mac reported that the Apple TV app is available on some Sony smart TVs -- but Sony has confirmed that the app was never released and that the screenshot in the 9to5Mac report is not from a Sony television.
Latest NVIDIA Shield TV Pro leak shows a bigger, better remote
After multiple leaks, including two trips through the FCC, we've known for a while now that NVIDIA plans to update its venerable Shield TV Android set-top box. Thanks to an Amazon listing that was first spotted by Android TV Rumors and has since been pulled, we now also know the "Shield TV Pro" will add Dolby Vision HDR.
TiVo wants to make a comeback with $50 Android TV dongle
In TiVo's heyday the company was synonymous with recording TV shows via your remote control, so you didn't have to rush home to catch "your show" or attempt to record it on the VCR. But that was two decades ago, and things have changed. Now, the company has a plan to become relevant again. According to CNN, TiVo is launching a new service called TiVo Plus and banking on a $50 Android TV stick.
Google brings its Data Saver feature to Android TVs
Android TV might have struggled against Roku, Apple TV and Amazon Fire TV in the US, but it's a popular option in India. As data is expensive in the country, Google has historically offered a number of data management features not available elsewhere like the ability to save YouTube videos to watch later. Android has had a Data Saver feature since 2016 and now, with the increase of people using mobile data for Android TV in India, Google is expanding its Data Saver feature to Android TVs too.
Hulu's live TV service is coming to Android TV
You don't have to make do with on-demand video if you watch Hulu on an Android TV device. Hulu is rolling out support for its Live TV service to Google-powered devices in early August, including TV sets from Sony and Hisense as well as set-tops like NVIDIA's Shield and Xiaomi's Mi Box. You'll also get Hulu's latest interface as part of the launch.
AT&T is launching yet another streaming TV service this fall
In case DirecTV Now, HBO Max and Watch TV weren't enough, AT&T has one more streaming service in the works. The telecom used its second quarter earnings to reveal that it will start testing an AT&T TV service in "select markets" during the third quarter, with wider availability in the fall. The company didn't describe how it would work in a statement, but promised more details in the "coming weeks."
AirTV Mini delivers streaming and local TV in a dongle
A couple years ago Dish revealed AirTV, an Android TV-powered set-top box. The company has been relatively quiet since then, but today, it launched the AirTV Mini. The new device is a 4K HDR-compatible streaming stick that brings users Sling TV, Netflix and over-the-air (OTA) channels, as well as other apps built for Android TVs.
Amazon Prime Video finally works with Chromecast and Android TV
Here's proof that Google and Amazon have truly buried the hatchet: Prime Video is finally available on Mountain View's streaming devices. The two tech giants ended their streaming video spat in April, paving the way for their services to become available on each other's hardware products. That means you can now cast Good Omens or The Man in the High Castle from the Prime Video app to screens bigger than your phone or laptop using Chromecast devices (or Chromecast built-in) or play the shows through the application on an Android-powered smart TV.
Roku continues to dominate TV streaming in the US
It's no secret that Roku has many devotees, but how big is its lead in the TV streaming world, really? Quite large, according to Strategy Analytics -- and importantly, growing. The analyst firm's latest sales research indicates that Roku is expanding its dominance in the US, with over 41 million active media streaming devices (about 15.2 percent of the market) under its belt. That's a 36 percent advantage over the next-closest platform, Sony's PlayStation line.
Android TV will benefit once Assistant is linked to live TV guide data
Remember Android TV? Google does, and not just so it can throw some unexpected advertisements on it. During the opening day of I/O 2019, Google revealed that over 80 percent of Android TV devices are already running version 7 or higher, and the company expects to have more that 60 percent on 8+ / Oreo by the end of the year -- even if it didn't discuss any upgrades on the way to software based on P or even Q. It's also counting over 1,000 streaming content providers on the platform these days, with more than 5,000 compatible apps.
What to expect at Google I/O 2019
May has begun, and that means the latest iteration of Google's I/O developer conference is right around the bend. Usually, that translates to a deluge of new software, AI breakthroughs and web technology. And we're still expecting plenty of that at this year's show. This time around, however, there's a bit of a twist: Google confirmed during its latest financial results call that it will make hardware announcements at I/O, breaking a device drought from the past few years. But what does it plan to reveal, exactly? Here's a primer on what to expect so that you're prepared for whatever appears onstage on May 7th.
Google surprises Android TV owners with unwanted advertisements
Updates that add features like additional HDR support or fix weird issues are one good thing about smart TVs, but as many of us have experienced, there can be a downside. Software updates delivered months or years after a TV is purchased could change the interface for the worse, or add "features" that are really just revenue-generating opportunities. A "pilot program" popping up on Android TVs (which include most of Sony's lineup from the past few years, even the expensive models) combines both of those issues by adding a row of Sponsored content that no one asked for. That no one apparently includes Sony, which posted a new support page noting that the change is managed by Google. Even though owners of their TVs purchased displays without the ads and didn't anticipate they'd show up, there's no way to simply disable them -- instead Sony suggests creating a new Restricted profile that will only list the apps users opt into showing.
Engadget giveaway: Win a Shield TV Gaming Edition courtesy of Plex!
This week's giveaway, courtesy of Plex, could put a sleek multimedia machine in your home. Plex's popular grid-view software helps you organize and navigate your files, while giving you access to them on-the-go. The NVIDIA Shield is a cord-cutting Android TV device with 4K HDR output, Google Assistant and GeForce Now game streaming on board. When paired with a Plex Pass, antenna and tuner you can harness OTA live TV with DVR capabilities, putting those shows seamlessly alongside your own library for easy access. Plex lets you access all this content through its app from a computer, mobile device and even supported systems like Sonos or Amazon's Alexa, wherever you go. You can even subscribe to Tidal x Plex to incorporate the streaming service's music into your own collection. All you need to do is head to the Rafflecopter widget below for up to five chances at winning. Two readers will each receive a Plex Lifetime Pass and NVIDIA Shield TV Gaming Edition. Good luck! Winners: Congratulations to Neal V. of Tampa, FL and Gus N. of West Haven, CT!
Sony fixes bug that prevented Kodi installs on its TVs
The furor over Sony TVs allegedly blocking Kodi appears to be over. Sony told Engadget it's rolling out a firmware update for some of its Android-powered sets that fixes a bug preventing Kodi from installing. While it didn't say just what the fix entailed, it had previously mentioned that it had incorrectly flagged Kodi as a "kernel object" -- Kodi would go on to specify that a "certain letter combination" in its package ID sparked the confusion.
