All articles tagged with #google tv
Roku can route audio to Bluetooth headphones through the Roku mobile app, letting you watch late at night at full volume without waking others; most Roku devices require the phone as a bridge, while some newer models support direct Bluetooth. Google TV and Amazon Fire TV also support direct Bluetooth connections.
The author argues that ultra-short-throw Google TV projectors offer greater flexibility, portability, and easier installation than a traditional TV, with built‑in Google TV and seamless casting making them a near‑perfect all‑in‑one display, though issues like ambient light, sound quality, and cost remain; as a result, a projector could become their primary choice in future TV purchases.
Android Authority’s Joe Maring spends a month with Walmart’s Onn 4K Pro (2026) and concludes it’s a standout value at $60 that can rival the Google TV Streamer: it delivers Dolby Vision/Atmos, 32GB storage, a feature-packed remote with Find My Remote, and a USB-A port, plus solid performance on a Wi‑Fi 6 box. Still, it’s not perfect: 100Mbps Ethernet, only 3GB RAM, and only modest upgrades over the 2024 model. For many buyers the Onn 4K Pro (2026) offers better value than the $100 Google TV Streamer, though power users may still prefer Google’s box for the faster Ethernet, more RAM, and quicker updates.
With Fox's $22 billion bid to acquire Roku, many users are exploring replacements. The piece highlights three strong upgrades: the Google TV Streamer 4K as the best all-around option with faster hardware, 32GB storage, Matter/Thread support, and Gemini AI; the Amazon Fire TV 4K Max for Alexa-centric homes with built-in ambient display features and ongoing sales; and the Apple TV 4K for premium performance and seamless integration with Apple devices. Budget-friendly alternatives include onn Google TV sticks from Walmart and the option to buy a smart TV with Google TV, Fire TV, or other platforms built in. The takeaway: which way you go depends on your ecosystem and budget, but Roku isn’t the only or always best choice.
A technology piece ranking major streaming-device brands for 2026—Amazon Fire TV, Google TV, Walmart Onn, Roku, Apple TV, and Nvidia Shield—based on value, features, and professional reviews. It notes Fire TV Cube’s strong performance offset by ad-heavy Fire OS, Google TV Streamer 4K’s solid capabilities but higher price, Walmart Onn’s standout value with Google TV, Roku’s reliability and simple interface (with the Ultra often praised), Apple TV 4K’s premium performance at a higher cost, and Nvidia Shield TV Pro leading for 4K, gaming, and local-network use. The article relies on Consumer Reports and other reviews, concluding there’s no single best device for everyone.
Google discontinued its sub-$50 Chromecast line in 2024, turning budget streaming over to Walmart’s Onn devices, which are now facing stock shortages and price increases. The absence of affordable Google TV hardware leaves Google vulnerable to Roku and Amazon Fire TV, despite the platform’s strong interface; the article argues Google should have kept investing in affordable Google TV players instead of ceding the market to retailers.
The 2026 refresh of Walmart’s Onn 4K Pro Google TV box adds 3GB of RAM, 32GB storage, a Matter over Thread smart home hub, built-in far-field mics, a mute switch, Find My Remote, and a backlit remote, plus Wi‑Fi 6, Ethernet, USB-C power and USB-A 2.0, with a price around $59.88 and a near-term Walmart release.
A Reddit tester claims Walmart’s Onn 4K Stick (a budget Google TV device) can pass through lossless audio—Dolby TrueHD, DTS-HD/X, and DTS:X—to a Denon AVR via eARC when used with Kodi. The box isn’t officially listing these formats and Dolby Vision isn’t supported (HDR10 fallback). The device reportedly costs around $19.88, and its Realtek processor may enable this capability, unlike other Onn models; however, other apps may not passthrough these formats consistently, and future Onn 4K Pro models may not include the same lossless audio support.
A Walmart sighting suggests an Onn 4K Streaming Device, priced at $30, could be a budget Google TV/Chromecast successor with 4K, Dolby Atmos, Google TV and Gemini, plus 2GB RAM and 8GB storage; if real, it may launch in May and could undercut Roku’s 4K sticks.
Walmart has quietly removed its Onn 4K and 4K Plus Google TV streaming boxes from online listings, leaving only the 4K Pro and Full HD Stick; the retailer is testing a new 4K stick in select stores and developing a higher-end Onn Google TV device, signaling a strategic shift in its budget streaming lineup.
New leaks point to Walmart's first 4K Onn streaming stick, codenamed Parker (DV6137) and built by SDMC, using a Realtek RTD1325 quad‑core SoC at 1.7 GHz with 2GB RAM, 8GB storage, and USB-C power; benchmarks place it a touch above the Onn 4K Box and about 30% below the Onn 4K Plus, roughly matching Amazon's Fire TV Stick 4K Plus, with rumors of two SKUs (a 1GB RAM 1080p model and a 2GB RAM 4K model); FCC leaks and leaked images hint at the new design, but official details remain pending with a late-April to early-May release window.
Google TV is adding three Gemini-powered features: richer visual help that shows live scores and where to watch games, interactive deep dives that offer custom walkthroughs on topics, and Gemini-powered sports briefs with narrated overviews of major leagues. The rollout starts in the US (with visual help expanding to Canada today); Dive Deep and sports briefs require Gemini-enabled devices and have US-only availability for now, with broader device and country support planned for spring and 2026 expansions to Australia, New Zealand, and the UK.
TCL drops big discounts on the QM8K midrange TV lineup, with the 65-inch model reduced from $2,500 to $1,000 (about 60% off) and larger sizes discounted as well (75" to $1,500, 98" to $3,000). The bezel-less design sits on a pedestal, and the TV runs Google TV with Chromecast and AirPlay 2, offering up to 5,000-nit brightness, 144 Hz gaming mode, and HDR formats including HDR10+ and Dolby Vision IQ.
The Sony Bravia 8 II OLED delivers cinema-grade picture quality with Sony’s top-tier processing, revealing deep blacks and refined upscaling; it isn’t the brightest OLED but shines in practice and can reach near-perfect accuracy after calibration.
CES 2026 showcased innovative smart home gadgets including battery-free smart locks using AuraCharge technology, Google TV's new generative AI features for enhanced control and creativity, and the Narwal Flow 2 robot vacuum with advanced AI for smarter cleaning and item detection, all set to launch in 2026.