When many hear Apple TV, they imagine a sleek TV with a state-of-art operating system. Honest mistake.

Actually, Apple TV is a small black box – weighing less than a pound – that uses a high-definition multimedia interface (HDMI) to connect to your television and WiFi to connect to your home network and the internet.

And it’s a given it will be topping many holiday lists this year, since the long-awaited fourth-generation Apple TV just hit the market. Lifetronic Systems’ advice: If you want one for a gift, it’s wise to get it now.

What it does

The main purpose of Apple TV is to stream media, photos, movies and music from Apple products such as iPhones and iTunes, and from Apple partners such as Netflix, Pandora, HuluPlus, WatchESPN, HBOGO and HBONow – the apps that are changing the way we watch TV. And for sports fans, MLBTV.com provides access to real-time scores and stats, and with a paid subscription, you can watch two games on your TV at one time.

It really is all about the apps. We have been using them for years to stream an app like Pandora on our mobile devices and computers, so why not enjoy that convenience on your big-screen TV? Apps are allowing you to stream what you want to watch, making your TV as personal as your smartphone. And with Apple’s latest upgrade, all this is so much easier.

What it features

The new Apple TV has an A8 processor and 32GB or 64GB of storage, an interactive onscreen menu, a full app store, along with a touch-based remote control that doubles as a gaming controller with a deep Siri integration to navigate it all in a brand new operating system called tvOS.

So what does this mean for you? The universal search capability scans across multiple streaming video services, and then prioritizes the results based on your subscription services. No more clicking on individual apps to find what you want – for example hunting for programs by title, actor or genre. Just tell Siri what you’re looking for, and she goes to work. The results pop up on your TV screen, and then you either tell Siri to open an app or program or use the touchpad to swipe and click on your selection.

The A8 processor, first introduced with the iPhone 6, allows the box to run high-quality console-style games. It also offers game play, with the ability to select third-party game controllers.

And one more terrific option, especially when non-sports fans are in the room with two games on TV: The new Apple TV is able to connect via Bluetooth to Bluetooth-enabled headphones and speakers, so people can watch TV without bothering others in the room! The Bluetooth 4.0 also connects to accessories such as game controllers and keyboards.

Lifetronic Systems has been installing the newest AppleTV in many of our clients’ homes the past few weeks. Call us today at 203-226-2386 to see how we can help you change the way you watch TV.

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