So we are at a time now where streaming is the main platform choice for most homes. We have all been using standard android boxes for last 6 or 7 years. Although they are still good and will work, they will be phased out for ATV devices.

Many of you have heard me refer to Android TV OS ( ATV)  boxes in past year and want to explain what this is and how we are at a turning point in regards to streaming devices / operating systems. This is 3nd year I've been dealing with actual Android TV boxes and they are now exploding in popularity right now due to Googles footprint in the home streaming industry and commitment to revolutionize how we stream.

So we now have 3 major companies competing for your business, Fire TV (Amazon) and Android/Google TV (Google). Roku would be in 3rd. You could say I'm biased towards Android/Google TV OS, mainly because they can do so much more they Fire TV and the electronic specs are double and triple that of Amazon sticks, have usb ports, fibre optical and can be hardwired.

With these 2 competeing operating systems now taking over, they are both putting alot of money into coming out on top, especially in 2022. Both are easy to use and more interactive with all todays apps and smart devices.

If you purchase a Google certified Android TV device or even a Fire TV device,  you do not need to buy a "Smart Tv" or "Android Tv" as these devices turn any tv into a full out Android or Fire TV, giving you more RAM/ROM then comes built in tv itself. So adding external device is always gonna be cheaper then paying for those features to be built into new tv, not to mention the better performance you will get.

Android TV OS devices such as Mecool or Nvidia are so much more interactive then a traditional Android box. They have Google assistant, Google Home, Chromcast, Bluetooth voice remote, access to Google TV Playstore which is not the same as normal Playstore and access to Google Games Portal. You can run apps like Disney, Apple TV, Discovery+, Crave, CBC, Sportsnet, CBC Gem, Steam, Amazon, Fitness, Cooking apps ect right on your device. They have 5000+ major network and custom apps to choose from. Broken up into categories: Entertainment,  Lifestyle,  Sports, News, Kids, Productivity and Music. Within these categories you can find tons of free to use apps, tools, screensavers ect to customize your streaming setup.

This new Android TV OS platform will be the standard for next 7+ years and will make ordinary Android boxes obsolete. This is why I am mainly now only selling the Mecool line of Android, as they are the only Google Certified Android TV OS box you can buy and at 4G RAM with S905X4 processor,  they dont come any faster! Buying and actual Sony Android TV or Nvidia shield would be other ways to get in on this type of streaming platform. The nice thing is the home screen/operating system is going to look the same on any Android TV device, as its now a standard layout.

Monitor your security cams on tv,  adjust your Nest thermostat, play your Steam games,  check your Ring doorbell just an example of the realm of additions to Android TV OS.

If your looking for something just to run Netflix and Amazon Prime,  your $39 firesticks will do that and are easy to use but not ideal for much more. 1G Ram and 4G storage - get what you pay for. No usb ports , no hardwire capabilities out of box. Fire TV has there own appstore,  but I would still say Google has much more to offer and better app selection. 2021 Firestick just released its first 2G Ram stick Oct.7th, still way behind Android devices.

So the normal android boxes most of us have, although they will still work with most programs I put out on my TechTime, some of the new Google certified apps will not run on them. So if you plan on upgrading to a new streaming device in the future,  would be wise to get something which uses new operating platform in order to get the most out of your device. Yes you will pay a little bit more( +$30/40)  as Google Certified devices are only made by a few manufacturers, but the benefits are well worth it!  Sidenote - based on prices I see some of these guys selling junk cloned Android boxes for, you would be doing your homework to make sure its a genuine Android TV OS box before you buy!

Only Google Certified Android TV devices:

Mecool line of Android box ( 4G Standard)
Nvidia Shield ( up to 3G) Better for Gaming
Sony or Westinghouse Android TV ( 2-3G)
Google TV Cast (1G) Cheapest Option

The 10,000 Android box models being sold on Amazon ect, 98% are cloned Chinese products and will never be Google Certified..just an fyi!
Always make sure your streaming device is running Amlogic processor...Allwinner, H6 and Rockchip are pure junk.

Pictures show screenshots of the Android TV OS, whether its on a Mecool,  Nvidia or Sony TV it will be laid out as in pics.