What Are Android TV Boxes?

Android TV Boxes are the next up and coming gadgets for people who are fed up with cable and smart TV prices. There are similar boxes on the market that you may recognize: Apple TV and Roku are the most popular. But until recently, there were no Android TV boxes on the market. Now there are. With Google TV as the frontrunner, the Android TV box is gaining momentum.

So what, exactly, is an Android TV box? Simply put, it is a device, usually in the shape of a very small box (Around 14 cm wide and 4 cm tall), that streams media content on your television. These boxes are inexpensive options for people who do not want to pay for subscription services or have to buy a PlayStation, Xbox or similar, which were some of the first and most popular ways to stream media to a television. People can use their box to stream Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Instant, Video, and many other streaming services.

But what makes these boxes different is that, rather than being a box that has a self-contained Wi-Fi connection, it can connect to your Android phone, tablet or iPhone as its primary method of streaming. What does this mean? For one, there is not another device to learn to use. Using an Android based box is often as simple as using your smartphone like you always do. Plus you have access to all of your favourite apps and games.

Many media centres cost a substantial amount of money, but an Android TV Box with XBMC competes on the same level for a fraction of the price. XBMC is an award winning platform that you can install on many devices. What makes the XBMC platform different is that you are able to play media files that are stored locally on your device or an attached USB flash drive or hard drive as well as streaming them from the internet. Meaning that all of those movies and songs you have downloaded can also be streamed to your television too. One of the best features of the XBMC platform is the add-ons. There is an add-on for everything you love to do on the internet. Love Reddit? Now you can stream it on your television. Love your movies, TV shows and sports, you can watch all of these on XBMC. This kind of open source platform means that they sky is the limit when it comes to add-ons with new ones being released every day XBMC is something to be watched.

So if you are thinking about buying a box and ditching cable and your subscription service, make sure to consider buying an Android TV box. It offers an affordable and a lot more flexible platform than its current competitors.