Most of us spend a decent amount of money on a large and modern TV these days and then set up our home’s living area, den, etc., around this technology.
While you likely get plenty of use out of it already, you’re probably not maximizing the value you could get from the machine. After all, they’re called “smart” because they have a lot of functionality, which stems well beyond just bingeing our favorite shows. Here are some other ways you could be using your smart television today.
Play Games Without the Need for a Console
If you love chilling out with a game after working or hanging out and playing with friends or family on weekends, keep in mind that you can use your internet-connected TV for gaming. Rather than continually spending money on new products, take a look at the game options available on your television.
You’ll find some fun mini-games downloadable from developer app stores that you can play straight from the screen without needing a separate console. One of the benefits of this route is that because your TV is likely quite large, as most of us have a big screen these days, you can enjoy a fantastic gaming experience that you wouldn’t get on a more compressed smartphone or tablet.
Listen to the Radio
If you’re keener to enjoy listening to tunes in your living room without worrying about setting up a stereo system or buying a small Bluetooth speaker, you can get your television working harder for you. Listening to the radio is a breeze when you use the radio app on your television. For example, look for solutions such as TuneIn or iHeart Radio. These programs will enable you to stream AM/FM stations live.
If you prefer podcasts and related content, another option is to connect to Google Play and iTunes through your big screen and listen to audio programming that way. Also, don’t forget that you can integrate Spotify and similar tools into smart TV systems by downloading relevant apps. Spotify has a massive range of music you can listen to for free, as well as offerings in its “Word” section such as TED Talks, audiobooks, short stories, famous speeches, radio dramas, and content in other languages.
Check Your Social Media Accounts
You might like to check in on your social media pages every so often, but don’t always want to worry about getting up and going and opening your laptop or getting distracted by your smartphone or tablet. If so, you’ll be happy to know that you can also check out social media pages on smart TVs. Take a breather between bingeing shows to look at your Facebook and Twitter feed, among others.
Stream Live Feeds
We’re incredibly spoiled by the wide range of quality content available to us now for free or at a low charge. If you want to take better advantage of what’s on offer, you can use your smart television to stream live feeds. There are educational, entertaining, motivational, inspiring, and intriguing options to choose from. Many videos are available 24 hours and every day of the year, so you can take in new content anytime that suits you. There are feeds to suit all tastes and interests, too.
If you’re after some ideas of what to watch in this range, look at the lists people put together online that give shoutouts to some of the most popular and memorable webcams to watch each year. You’ll see everything from animals playing, footage of active volcanos or space, and insights into travel destinations worldwide, to name a few things.
Improve Your Health and Wellbeing
Lastly, if one of your goals is to improve your health and wellbeing in the coming months, your TV can help you make this happen. Increase your fitness and flexibility from the comfort of home by using some of the training apps likely built right into your smart TV’s menu. Some manufacturers even develop their own special flagship apps for buyers to take advantage of.
For example, Samsung has its Samsung Health program that offers multiple benefits, including that you can set it up to “talk” with your Samsung Galaxy Watch4 if you have one. Plus, with Samsung’s Routines tool, you’ll receive recommendations for fitness and mindfulness content according to your pre-set schedules.
As you can see, there are numerous ways to get more use out of your smart television every month. Make sure, though, that you secure your smart TV to keep hackers at bay, just as you do with any other internet-connected device.
It’s worth paying for quality cloud security services that protect against numerous cybercriminal threats. Ensure you choose hard-to-crack passwords for your smart TV and all the apps you log into as well. Plus, ensure the Wi-Fi you use at home for your connectivity is locked and needs a password to use.
Be smart about strategically setting up your television and the tools you use, and you’ll have hours of entertainment and education from the one screen to enjoy each day.
