15 best Android applications for your Smart TV
Do you have an Android smart TV and don’t know which apps to install? Here are a few tips to get the most out of it.
When you make the jump from a “dumb” TV to a Smart TV, the viewing options multiply exponentially. We go from the typical four channels that we watch on free-to-air 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 15 best apps to get the most out of your Smart TV
To make this list a little more interesting, we are going to leave aside all those apps that we all already know very well, such as Netflix or Spotify, to focus on things that are 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 looking at a very powerful application that allows us to do almost everything thanks to its add-ons . 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 playing. You can see the complete installation tutorial in THIS POST .
KODI | Download on Google Play
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.
File Commander
This is an essential tool if you plan to do anything beyond installing apps from the Google Play Store on your Smart TV. File Commander is one of the best file explorers compatible with Android TV, as it not only allows us to access the files we have in the TV’s internal memory: we can also access files stored in the cloud and any other device that is connected to the same network as our Smart TV.
It also has other features such as an integrated video/audio player, the ability to hide confidential documents with a password, a recycle bin to recover accidentally deleted files, a converter to over 1,200 formats, and more.
File Commander | Download on Google Play
ART TV
Many people are still unaware that there is life beyond traditional streaming platforms such as HBO, Prime Video and the like. ARTE TV is an on-demand content service focused on various artistic disciplines where we can find everything from music concerts, documentaries such as “The History of Graffiti”, pop culture and the like, but also videos about science, politics and history. All of this is free, without registration and with a quality far above the usual average.
TV ART | Download on Google Play
Pluto TV
Speaking of alternative streaming platforms, Pluto TV is another of those apps that cannot be missing from our Smart TV. It is a free service with live and on-demand television with a multitude of thematic channels.
From cooking channels, to 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 such as Spain the offer is limited to about 50 channels. Without a doubt, one of the best apps to watch free live TV .
Pluto TV | Download on Google Play
PLEX
If we talk about live online television we cannot forget about PLEX either. Recently, the famous multimedia player has gone from being an excellent transmitter of local content via 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 (especially if you have a PC that you can use as a server to send multimedia content to your smart TV).
PLEX | Download on Google Play
Send Files to TV
This is a tool that can come in handy if you need to install an app in APK format, or simply need to send a certain file to the internal memory of the Smart TV. Thanks to this application you can send any file wirelessly to your TV in a really simple way.
Simply install the app on your mobile phone and television, and then choose a folder where the downloaded files will be saved.
Send Files to TV | Download on Google Play
Keep – Exercise Trainer
If you have some space in your living room to stretch your legs, you might want to take a look at Keep. This is a very practical app for doing exercises at home , since it is compatible with Android TV and you can display it on your TV and avoid the hassle of constantly checking your phone (which is 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 rating from the community.
Keep – Exercise Trainer | Download on Google Play
TuneIn Radio
TuneIn Radio is like the Spotify of radio stations . It is an excellent platform for listening to streaming music, but not only that, since the content is divided into several themes where we can find podcasts, news channels, sports stations and local radio stations. It is also great for discovering new radio programs from the trends section or listening to stations from other countries around the world.
TuneIn Radio | Download on Google Play
ADB App Control
If you have a Smart TV with Android operating system and the manufacturer has flooded it with applications that you cannot uninstall, take a look at ADB App Control. It is a tool that will help you eliminate all that bloatware through a graphical interface that is very easy to manage. All this without the need for root or special permissions.
ADB App Control is compatible with televisions with Android TV 8.0 or higher, and is available both in APK format from its official website and from the Google Play Store.
ADB App Control | Download on Google Play
steam link
If you are a pro gamer and you have a good Internet connection, this is another of the apps that cannot be missing from 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 make sure that we have a stable and strong Wi-Fi signal.
Steam Link | Download on Google Play
NVIDIA GeForce NOW
If you want to go even one step further, take a look at 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 thing 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 encounter waiting 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 controller you only need a good Internet connection to start playing your AAA games on the TV.
NVIDIA GeForce NOW | Download on Google Play
TED
Who doesn’t know the famous TED talks by now? 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 undoubtedly 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 (practically 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.
TED | Download on Google Play
Sideload Launcher
The downside of having a smart TV is that not all Android apps are compatible with the device. With Sideload Launcher we can bypass this restriction, since with this tool we can install any application or APK from the Google Play Store, even though it was originally designed only to work on mobile phones.
Sideload Launcher | Download on Google Play
Red Bull TV
Another free streaming platform with a ton of content focused mainly on sports like surfing, climbing, BMX, rally competitions, esports, motocross and other adventure sports. Besides that there are also live streams of festivals like Primavera Sound and Lollapalooza, as well as short documentaries and shows focused on music and gaming. As we said, the app is free, although you have to register or log in with a Facebook or Google account.
Red Bull TV | Download on Google Play
RTVE Play
If you live in Spain, this is an app that you should definitely have on your Smart TV. Not only does it allow you to watch all the Spanish Television channels live online, but it also gives you free access to its entire catalogue of series and films on demand. Did you miss the film that was broadcast on Saturday night, or the episode of your favourite series? You can watch it whenever you want on RTVE Play.
For a few months now, they have also had several thematic TV channels dedicated to cinema (and series) where they broadcast films uninterruptedly, and you can also access a lot of original content that they only publish on the platform, such as some very interesting documentaries and series.
RTVE Play | Download on Google Play
Do you know any other app for Smart TV that is worth checking out? If so, feel free to drop by the comments section.