Has it happened that your kids started fighting or arguing over the computer ? An Android TV box is basically a computer attached to your TV. It may not run Word, Excel or any video editing software like Photoshop but it is connected to the internet which means you can check our emails and browse the internet. Watch youtube, use Facebook, twitter and all the other social media.

With an android box you can use one of the many popular video chat programs available. Skype is one of the most popular ones. All you need to do is to connect your webcam in front of the TV and then you can start videochatting with family/friends wherever they are. And everyone in the same room can join in the conversation. Skype is available free on Google Play Store.

Smart TV is not always so smart. Lot of them aren’t using the the Android OS. Many of the big manufacturers are creating their own OS without any open standard. This has led to very poor user experience and many unsatisfied customers.

Another major issue not many customers are aware of is the always on voice controls. This means that your TV is listening to everything you say, and sending it back to unknown destinations, which in many cases are unknown third parties. Why they are doing this is because they are trying to find a way to squeeze extra money from you by embedding advertising or getting paid to recommend things. I think not many customer would appreciate if if they just knew.

In most cases the manufacturers aren’t doing any updates. Since there’s no open standard, no one can do the update except the manufacturer. This will do that your smart TV become dumber over time as they don’t receive updates. New video services won’t work on old TVs.