I get stressed out every time I turn on my television. A giant tech company is to blame.
Google TV, the television operating system based on Android, is great in some ways: It runs well on my TV, there are apps available for every streaming service, and the interface is very customizable. It comes preinstalled on new sets from Sony, Hisense, and TCL, among others.
The default home screen, though, is a mess. There’s a row of your applications, if you squint, but the majority of the screen is taken up by ads for movies and shows that some company is presumably paying to promote.
So I was thrilled when I found AT4K, an alternative home screen for Google TV. Inspired by the Apple TV interface, this launcher shows me only thumbnails for the streaming services I use, and I can even turn those off if I want to. It’s free with no advertisements; there is a premium version you can unlock for $5 and get some nice extras, but that’s completely optional, and the free version works great.
To get started, simply install the application on Google Play. You can do so in your browser on whatever device you’re reading this article on. Or, if you want, you can launch Google Play on your smart TV and search for “AT4K.” Either way the launcher will load and the installation will be initiated on your television.
Everything about the AT4K is quite clean. At the very top of the screen, in the right corner, there is a clock alongside buttons for the application settings, system settings, and connectivity settings. Below that is a row of boxes with thumbnails for shows you’re currently watching. Below that is a row of five applications. Keep scrolling and you’ll find the rest of the applications installed on your device, along with icons for your various inputs.
I recommend moving the streaming services and input devices you actually use to the top of the list, so you can access them quickly. To do that, select the app you want to move, then press and hold your enter button. You’ll see a sub-menu.
The Move App option lets you use the arrow buttons on your remote to move the application where you want. Repeat this process until the top row includes all of your favorite streaming services.
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