The Apple TV and Roku have been around and managed to prove themselves as top contenders for the best streaming box title. The Android TV also wants to prove that it’s worthy, and we are going to take a few minutes to see if it really is. Let’s see how the Android TV compares against the Apple TV and Roku streaming boxes.
User Interface
You could say that the Android TV is off to a good start, as it comes with a very good looking user interface that displays what content is playable, using large thumbnails. Below them are icons for applications. Many believe that this is above the Roku interface and just as good as the one provided by Apple TV.
Features
There are some really nice features that Android TV brings to the table. Some of them might be familiar to you from Chromecast, but they are available on Android TV as well in a different form. For example, Android TV will come with streaming capabilities for services like YouTube and Netflix.
Moreover, you will have the possibility to stream content directly from your smartphone, similar to how Chromecast lets you stream a tab from your Google Chrome web browser. Android TV will also have a feature that will let you use photos from your handset as a screensaver, so in case you will leave the TV on for a long time, like when hosting a party, you can opt for having pictures from your phone act as a screensaver and who knows, maybe even influence the mood of the party.
You won’t even need to have your Android TV and smartphone connected to the same WiFi network, as Android TV streams from all connections. Google also came out with a controller for Android TV, like Amazon did for their Amazon Fire TV. This empowers developers to come up with games for the Android TV and enhance the overall entertainment experience that the Android TV is capable of providing. Also, the controller can be used to navigate through menus, but the smartphone will be your main navigation tool.
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