House of Cards, Orange is the new black, Game of Thrones… All these big titles we bet you all know and probably each one of you has already watched. Nowadays, we are lucky to have more and more well-produced (costly perhaps) and fascinating TV series for our daily entertainment. Taking Game of Thrones as example, the average cost of making one episode is $6 million, whereas this year’s (and last year’s) Emmy winner Breaking Bad episodes cost around half of that figure. As we are enjoying these cinema-quality hours of TV shows via TVs, tablets or even smartphones, there’s always a question about how we could do in order to make our watching experience easier and more enjoyable?

Everyone understands that we are now living in the so-called multi-screen age.People find it harder and harder to get undivided attention and stay focused on one screen at a time. You want to watch House of Cards on TV while chatting with your mates on Twitter using your phone? No problem! Because it is the time for connected TV to redefine the home entertainment and rebuild your living room (or dorm room).

So, first of all, what on earth is Connected TV? The definition given by Wikipedia reads as the following:

“A smart TV, sometimes referred to as connected TV or hybrid TV, (not to be confused with IPTV, Internet TV, or with Web TV) is a television set or set-top box with integrated Internet and Web 2.0 features, and is an example of technological convergence between computers and television sets and set-top boxes.”

In one word, Connected TV (Smart TV if you prefer) = Computer (tablet/smartphone) + Set-top Box + TV (Screen). And plus one thing crucial to connect them all together and interact with you, that is Internet.

Through Connected TVs, we can enjoy the traditional broadcasting media, video-on-demand service, over-the-top content, user-generated content such as YouTube, or even surf on the internet or online chat with others thanks to the powerful apps pre-installed in the device. Generally speaking, what connected TV offers you is a combination of TV and digital device with big display.

There are many options in terms of connected TV or Smart TV out in the market, we believe when you google it, you will be lost in this mess. Luckily, in this article we will help you walk through this mess by giving you the most convenient and simplest recommendations about connected TV and devices. Time to gear up, and make your life easier!

Currently, the mainstream options are clear to everyone: Android-based Google TV, iOS-based Apple TV, and other players like Amazon Fire TV (well, we skip it to save you some time).

1. Google TV 

Simple – Google with Android as operating system! If you choose Google TV, it means you’ve said YES to Chrome for browsing, YouTube for watching hilarious videos, and to Google Play for all kinds of games and contents. In 2014 Google I/O Conference, we noticed that Google is going to launch the long-awaited Android TV, in replacement to Google TV.

Technically speaking, Google TV comes in two forms: build-in smart TVs or standalone set-top boxes. The interface is easy to master as you may have some basic knowledge for android system. Consumers can access Netflix, HBO, TNT, CNBC, Google Play, etc with a remote QWERTY keyboard.

What’s more about Google TV? You need to check out our next episode about Chromecast, the tiny piece of work that changes your view of watching TV. Chromecast is a casting device that allows you to cast your favorite entertainment (here we say Videos, Photos, Games, Webs, you name it!) from your phone or tablet (Android or iOS, yay!) straight to the TV. We will give you the hands-on review of this amazing tool for your upgraded living room!

 

2. Apple TV

For those of you who are big fans of Apple, it is impossible to ignore the charms of Apple TV. This tiny little box with simplicity in design and powerful functions inside could be the one thing you must have in your living room.

Apple TV is, technically speaking, not a “TV” but a set-top box with iOS built in. You need a screen to connect it to and internet connection which is essential (duh), you can control everything with a remote controller. The service includes Netflix, Hulu, HBO, etc, typical stuffs we’ve all seen. However, the killer feature of Apple TV is that it also provides the casting function, which allows you to mirror whatever you have on your iPhone or iPad on the relative large screen. Very useful feature we have to admit, and it’s very convenient if you are up to upgrade your dorm room.

Apple is rumored to have now update version of Apple TV, but so far we haven’t heard any move from inside Apple. We believe after pushing out the new series of iPhones and Watch, the new Apple TV is on its way or somewhere near the corner.

Please stay tuned for our next episode and check out what is the best device for you to watch TV and stay connected!