Fixing Google TV, Walmart’s new streaming stick
This week on TechHive: A must-try Google TV app
(Apologies if you’re receiving this email twice. I spotted an issue with the link to this week’s column and have resent a corrected version.)
Google TV is a solid streaming platform, but it’s still a few features short of greatness.
There’s no easy way to access your full app list, for instance, and you can’t quickly switch between recent apps. Some Google TV devices (such as the latest Chromecast and Walmart’s Onn streaming box) also lack dedicated fast-forward and rewind buttons, making it harder to skip through video in certain apps.
The upside is that you can fix those problems—and then some—with an app called TVQuickActions. While I mentioned it a couple weeks ago in my column on fast app switching, TVQuickActions includes a lot of extra functionality that’s worth exploring. Over at TechHive, I put together a deep dive into its most useful features and how to enable them.
Read the full column on TechHive →
Weekly rewind
Fire TV ads get even worse: Amazon isn’t content to merely lard up its Fire TV devices with home screen banner ads and screensaver ads. The company is now rolling out full-screen video ads (with sound) whenever you turn on your Fire TV or wake it up from sleep mode. Amazon confirmed to The Streamable that it’s making this change on all Fire TV devices released since 2016; I’m already seeing the new ads on my end.
You can at least disable the autoplay components under Settings > Preferences > Featured Content, but you’ll still get a full screen ad until you click down into the main interface. If you’re still in the market for a streaming player, I suggest avoiding this consumer-hostile nonsense and buying a Roku, Google TV, or Apple TV device instead.
Walmart’s new streaming stick: Speaking of which, Walmart has released a new $15 streaming stick running Google TV software. It should be similar to Walmart’s $20 streaming box, minus the 4K HDR support but with a more portable design. It’ll be worth considering if you want an extremely cheap streaming dongle that doesn’t stick banner ads into every corner of its interface.
LocalBTV begone? LocalBTV is an interesting service that streams local channels over the air for free. It does not include major networks such as CBS and Fox, and instead focuses on digital subnets, public stations, and community access channels that would otherwise be tough to get without cable or an antenna.
But for the past week, LocalBTV’s service and website have been unavailable without explanation. The website of its parent company, Didja, is also down, and its social channels have not posted since March. I’ve reached out to CEO Jim Long for an explanation but have not received a response.
A couple years ago, Long told me he wanted to offer local channels in 100 markets by the end of 2022, but its last count was around half that number, and over time it has lost some lost some early broadcast partners. I hope the service survives, but I’m not feeling optimistic.
Vidgo is still down: Meanwhile, Matthew Keys brings us an update on Vidgo, whose live TV streaming service stopped working in late September. According to Keys’ unnamed sources, the company has effectively run out of money and has fallen behind on payments to vendors, one of which subsequently rendered Vidgo’s apps inoperable.
Vidgo is reportedly seeking fresh funding to revive the service, which is currently not accepting new customers. In the meantime it has promised bill credits to existing subscribers—who can still access some Vidgo content by logging into individual networks’ TV Everywhere apps—but that’s contingent on the service actually relaunching, which might not ever happen. What a mess.
More catch-up
- Rumor mill: Sonos may launch a high-end Android streaming box next year.
- PBS launches a food channel on free streaming services.
- Amazon fixes Ambient Experience issues on the Fire TV Stick 4K Max.
- AMC may license more of its shows to other streaming services.
- Here’s why you can’t stream Rudolph or Frosty on demand.
- Google briefly pulls, then restores, an Android TV/Google TV app for sideloading and web browsing.
Save more money
In last week’s newsletter, I noted that Paramount+ was offering a Black Friday discount, bring the price to $2 per month for three months with ads, or $4 per month for three months with Showtime and no ads. I also suggested avoiding that deal and using 1-month coupon codes to get Paramount+ for free instead.
I didn’t realize at the time that Paramount+ has actually disabled all of those free coupon codes while it’s running the Black Friday promo. At present it’s unclear whether Paramount+ will get back to offering those codes after the promo period ends on December 3.
As such, you have a choice: You can take the Paramount+ Black Friday deal now, or you can wait to see what happens in a couple days. It’s a gamble either way, but any case I apologize for not noticing this last week.
Elsewhere in the deal realm:
- Bundle a Roku Streambar—a soundbar and streaming box in one—with a subwoofer for $150.
- If you missed Peacock’s Black Friday deal, you can still get a year for $30 with code PEASUMF7B85.
- See more up-to-date deals on the Cord Cutter Weekly website.
Thanks for reading!
Got cord cutting questions for me? Just reply to this email to get in touch.
Until next week,
Jared