1. Geometry Wars 3: Dimensions Evolved

The Apple TV has great potential for gamers and it’s no wonder why there are so many gaming geared apps available for it. Geometry Wars 3: Dimensions Evolved is by far one of the first games you should play on your Apple TV. With its amazing three dimensional vector graphics and awesome electronica soundtrack, this shooter will keep you up for days. What’s great about it is that you can also play it on other iOS devices. With Geometry Wars the fun never stops no matter where you are. You can easily have your saved games uploaded to the cloud so you can therefore play the game wherever and whenever you want.

2. Lumino City

If you like to play more relaxing games, then State of Play’s Lumino City will blow you away. Excellent gameplay, a jaw-dropping visual style and a dreamy soundtrack make this an irresistible title. Unlike other games these days, Lumino City was made with motors, lights, cards, and paper. The backdrops are ultra realistic and overall the game is extremely exciting, creative, and fun to play. You play as Lumi, a little girl whose grandfather was kidnapped and now she has to find him at all cost. Overall, this is a great game and given the fact you can also play it on iOS devices makes it even better!

3. Shoot The Zombirds

Shoot The Zombirds is a classic iOS shooter that will make for a great experience if you play it at night or on Halloween. The game is available on tvOS for a very modest price, so there’s no reason why you shouldn’t get it. Better yet, it looks gorgeous on larger screens and works on both tvOS and iOS devices. In Shoot The Zombirds you play as pumpkin header archer who needs to do his best to make sure that his baby pumpkins are protected from the spooky birds flying around them. Of course as you may have gauged, you need to practice your archery skills. It will take a while until you get used to the controls. Other than that, this is no doubt a game you absolutely need to try!

4. 7 Minute TV Workout

Do you want to get in shape, but don’t really want to leave the living room? Well then, it sounds like you need to get your hands on Roman Shevtsov’s 7 Minute TV Workout. As the name suggests, this is an app that basically helps you get back in shape. 7 Minute TV Workout helps you cycle through twelve exercises that they claim to be scientifically proven. By the end of the workout, you’ll have lost quite a few calories. The app includes explanations for each workout, how it helps you get in shape, its benefits etc. You also get a Progress Calendar that allows you to see how much impact your workouts have had on your body since you started training. There aren’t too many apps of the kind available on the Apple TV. However, 7 Minute TV Workout is breaking the ice by helping people get in shape from the comfort of their own home.

5. Netflix

As you may already know, this is by far one of the best apps you can use with your Apple TV to access millions of videos, movies, TV shows, you name it. On day 1, the app looks a bit underdeveloped, yet over time it’s certainly going to include pretty much every other feature currently available on other platforms.

6. Rayman Adventures

Excellent gameplay and jaw-dropping production values make this action filled game a must for any gamer. What stands out about it is that you can only play it by using the Siri Remote. All you have to do is control the interactions, punches, and jumps in order to complete each area and advance to the next. If you want, then you can even use an analog stick or D-pad to gain control of Rayman’s movements. If we are to judge by looks alone, this title looks very much like a console game. Just keep in mind that if you want to play it, you can only play it on the Apple TV. Rayman Adventures has been exclusively released for the tvOS platform.

7. Jetpack Joyride

Ever since it was released on the iOS, JetPack Joyride has seen great support and updates. In fact, the Apple TV version is probably the best so far. When you first start playing the game, you’ll start to slowly appreciate the soundtrack which in our opinion is excellent. For this purpose you’d better have some good quality TV speakers or maybe some good headphones. With a Back to the Future theme, JetPack Joyride lets you live your Delorean fantasies and step into a world where adventure and fun is your only cup of tea.

8. YouTube

If we judge it by interface alone, YouTube on the Apple TV is visually sparing. On the other hand, it’s packed with free and high quality video content. While in the early days of YouTube there wasn’t too much content to enjoy, things have now changed dramatically. In fact, there’s a lot of professional content you can watch on the platform. From movies to professional quality videos, YouTube is certainly an app that you definitely need to install on your Apple TV.

9. Asphalt 8: Airborne

Are you into car games? If the answer is yes, then you have to give Asphalt 8: Airborne a shot. Developed by Gameloft, this is a sharp looking 3D driving game that you can enjoy playing on your Apple TV. The game not only looks great, but also has an impressive soundtrack, a lot of unlockable content, and it’s overall very fun to play. What we didn’t quite like about it are the long loading times. If you’re willing to put up with that, then Asphalt 8: Airborne is definitely a keeper!

These are the top Apple TV apps you should download on your Apple TV 4th generation. Try them and don’t forget to let us know more about your favorite one in the comment section below!

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Netflix

If you’re the type who loves streaming instead of downloading his favorite shows, then Netflix is a great choice. While many services keep trying to catch up to it, Netflix still is the most popular streaming service to date. No matter what shows or movies you want to see, chances are that you can find them here. Even more, it seems that Netflix is greatly investing in original shows such as Orange is the new black or House of cards. So far, these homegrown shows have had massive success. Because of that, it’s obvious that Netflix is here to stay and will continue to be the king of entertainment for years to come.

Hulu

For a very long time, many people avoided Hulu because of the pesky ads it kept showing. Luckily, you can now use an ad-free Hulu on your samsung smart tv. The ad free Hulu is very affordable and has some pretty great content you can watch. In fact, Hulu’s content library is seriously one of the largest in the industry. Just make sure though that you don’t set your expectations too high, since they don’t have many movies worth watching.

Spotify

Spotify is one of the most popular music streaming services in the world and a must if you love music. It’s much like Napster, but the big difference is that Spotify has a much larger music library. As with YouTube, if you want to get rid of ads, then you need to opt for the paid version. If not, then you’ll have to get used to watching those pesky ads every time you use it.

Amazon Instant Video

In an attempt to challenge Netflix, Amazon has launched its own streaming service. They’ve also started to build a massive content library in order to compete with Netflix. What’s sets Amazon Instant Video apart is the fact you can actually download your favorite shows and watch them later. This is very rare among streaming services. Amazon Instant Video keeps striking deals with a lot of movie studios, broadcaster, and producers as well. Because of that, you can expect to see a lot more content available for streaming in the near future.

HBO GO and HBO Now

If you love shows such as The Wire, Last Week Tonight, and Game of Thrones, then you like HBO. Just keep in mind that the 2 apps, HBO Go and HBO Now are quite different. You can only access HBO Go if you have a cable subscription to it. On the other hand, HBO Now can be accessed by anybody as long as they sign up for it.

TED

You’ve probably heard of TED by now. If you didn’t, then let us tell you that this is an organization that hosts conferences worldwide where people discuss amazing ideas in their field.

The talks span from the greatest inventions to global politics. While the TED speakers usually speak for a few minutes, they do leave a lasting impact. If you want to learn new things, then you should certainly watch more TED on your samsung smart tv.

YouTube

In the past few years, YouTube has changed quite a lot. Sure, it’s still a great place you can visit if you want to watch cat videos on you samsung smart tv. However, there are now a lot of professional creators working in professional studios to produce top-notch content for their audience. If you want to use the free version, go ahead, no one will judge you for it. However, if you simply cannot stand the ads, then you can opt for the paid version to get rid of them.

Napster

Thought Napster was dead? Well, it’s not. One thing you need to know about it is that it was purchased by Best Buy. Eventually Napster merged with Rhapsody and it has a pretty great collection of music you can listen to. If you want, then you can also download content from it. If you love music and want to discover new artists, then Napster is definitely the way to go.

VUDU

Last but not least, VUDU is a great place where you can rent videos and watch them on your samsung smart tv. This service is offered by Wal-Mart. There are no monthly subscriptions available, so this means you need to pay on a per video basis. Overall, the fees are okay, but keep in mind that the rates may vary. What sets VUDU apart from other streaming services is its library. You can actually watch a lot of new movies in great quality. On top of that, it also has an amazing collection of classic and old movies, too!

All in all, these are the best samsung tv apps you should certainly have if you want to make the most of your Samsung smart TV. Download them today and start your amazing journey into the world of top quality digital content!

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Infuse, one of the most popular media players for iOS, is coming soon to the new Apple (it should be availabe on the Apple TV App Store by the end of the year). The first beta has been sent out to beta testers on Wednesday and some of them have already managed to record and share the videos showing the app in action on the Apple TV 4.

YouTube user AskUncleDave has posted a video showing off the setup process and some details on how Infuse 4 will actually work on the 4th generation Apple’s set-top box.

Infuse 4 will be a universal app (iPhone, iPad, Apple TV) and will come as a free update for all current Infuse 3 Pro users.

You can read the review of Infuse 3 for iOS on our sister site What’s On iPhone.

Also read:

• Apple TV 4 hacked to run a web browser
• New Apple TV hacked to enable app folders
• MAME emulator running on Apple TV 4
• AirParrot 2: the ultimate companion app for Apple TV 4
• Official Plex app for Apple TV released
• How Apple is fixing what’s wrong with console gaming today

Be sure to follow Apple TV Hacks on Twitter, Facebook or Google+ for all the latest Apple TV-related news.

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According to the developers, Apple’s new AirPlay protocol in iOS 9 let them create a “much improved version of AirServer” with new and powerful features.

New features include:

• Live streaming to YouTube Live: gamers can now stream their favorite iOS games in real-time and add personal commentary using a webcam and a microphone. Teachers can use this technology to spread their knowledge beyond the classroom.
• Retina quality mirroring brings drastically improved picture quality to AirServer. An iPhone 6 Plus can now mirror at full 1080 x 1920 resolution, which delivers over three times the previous pixel count in portrait mode.
• Ultra-high quality recording lets you create professional videos of your mirroring sessions in the best quality possible.
• Encrypted AirPlay protects your personal photos and videos as they are transmitted over the network. This important security feature is only offered by AirServer and the Apple TV.
• OS X El Capitan’s new AirPlay features are fully supported by AirServer. You can now stream your favorite videos directly from Safari via AirPlay.
• AirPlay from the YouTube iOS app is once again supported by AirServer for Mac. This feature is exclusive to AirServer and the Apple TV.

AirServer 6 for Mac and AirServer 4 for PC are available now and are offered as a free update for all existing users.

See AirServer in action:

Be sure to follow Apple TV Hacks on Twitter, Facebook or Google+ for all the latest Apple TV-related news.

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Back in May, Apple removed YouTube channel from the 1st and 2nd generation Apple TV. It was due to Google ending support for its YouTube’s Data API v2, used by older devices. Luckily, there’s FireCore and its aTV Flash (black), a little piece of software that supercharges jailbroken Apple TVs.

With the release of aTV Flash (black) 2.6, FireCore built an all-new native YouTube plugin that provides many of the most popular YouTube features that were taken away in May.

The new plugin works on any jailbroken Apple TV 2 running Apple TV 5.3 firmware version.

This new YouTube plugin allows for browsing of popular videos as well as searching for videos, channels, users, or playlists. The developers said they are also working on a few additional, “neat options” for subsequent releases.

Due to some required behind-the-scenes changes, updating to 2.6 will require re-running the aTV Flash (black) installer from a Mac or PC. Once updated, future releases can be installed through the native Apple TV menus as before. Links for the latest version can be found in your account under the Downloads tab.

If you’re new to aTV Flash (black) you can read our full review here.

Be sure to follow Apple TV Hacks on Twitter, Facebook or Google+ for all the latest Apple TV-related news.

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Squirrels, the maker of AirParrot, has just added live YouTube streaming to its wireless mirroring and streaming receiver – Reflector 2. Anything that is displayed on iPhone, iPad, Android device, Chromebook or Surface tablet can be instantly streamed to YouTube when connected to Reflector 2.

The update also brings webcam streaming to YouTube, voice-over volume support and a redesigned recording bar. You can check the complete list of new features and improvements here.

This update is free for current Reflector 2 users.

Reflector is a wireless mirroring and streaming receiver that works great with AirPlay and AirParrot. It lets you mirror your content to the big screen without wires or complicated setups. You can also play games, watch movies, demo applications or present from the palm of your hand.

Be sure to follow Apple TV Hacks on Twitter, Facebook or Google+ for all the latest Apple TV-related news.

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We all know that Apple TV’s are great, and we have already taken an in-depth look at how to use a Smart DNS service to stream content that is otherwise blocked due to restrictive (and deeply unfair) licensing terms that seek to maximize copyright holder’s profits by “geo-restricting” content (only allowing viewers located in certain geographic area to access services.)

Fantastic as watching cool stuff on your Apple TV is, there are times when you want to watch shows and movies when you are using other devices. Perhaps you like to watch South Park on your iPhone as you commute to work, or maybe watch movies while at work on your MacBook.

Smart DNS

One great thing about Smart DNS is that it will work on just about any internet-enabled device. It does this by changing a devices’ DNS settings so that they point towards a Smart DNS provider’s DNS server rather than the default one supplied by your Internet Service Provider (ISP). This means that instead of your ISP performing DNS translation (converting domain names such as www.apple.com into the numerical IP addresses that computers understand e.g. 17.172.224.47), this is done by the Smart DNS provider.

Because you appear to be accessing the internet from where this DNS translation occurs, and because Smart DNS providers maintain servers located in various countries around the world, Smart DNS is a great way to avoid artificial geographic limitations. And because the process is very simple (basically just matching domain names to IP addresses on a big database), and therefore requires minimal processing power, Smart DNS is very quick.

This means that you will experience the fastest possible streaming speeds, although you should be aware that since electrons can travel no faster than the speed of light (pesky e=mc2), large distances will always introduce some lag time.

VPN

Another way to geo-spoof your location is to use a Virtual Private Network (VPN) service. VPN will only work on general purpose computers, smart phones, tablets (so it will work on your iOS device and Mac, but not on your Apple TV), and is slower than Smart DNS thanks to having far more computational overheads. This means that for simply unblocking and streaming media content, Smart DNS is usually a better choice than VPN.

However, VPN provides a number of distinct privacy and security advantages. Because the connection between your device and the VPN provider’s VPN server is securely encrypted, your ISP (and anyone looking over its shoulder, such as the NSA) does not have transparency on your activities on the internet.

In addition to this, because all of your internet activity appears to originate from the IP address of the VPN server, your true IP (and geo-location) is hidden from everyone on the internet. Many (but not all) VPN providers go to great lengths to ensure that they cannot know what their customers get up to when surfing the net (for example by keeping no logs, sharing IP addresses among many users etc.) This can provide meaningful levels of privacy to users.

If you can’t choose between Smart DNS and VPN, never fear. Many providers (such as IronSocket) offer both as part of their basic packages. This means that you can setup your Apple TV to stream content via Smart DNS, while at the same time affording yourself privacy while surfing the internet on your Mac. They also allow for VPN usage without encryption, which helps when streaming because there is no encryption bandwidth overhead.

Setting up SmartDNS in OS X:

1. Go so “System Preferences”
2. Select “Network” (under “Internet & Wireless”)

3. Select your current network, and then click on “Advanced”

4. Select the “DNS” tab

5. Remove existing “DNS Servers” by selecting them and clicking the “-” icon. Warning: it is definitely worth making a note of your ISP’s default DNS settings before doing this so that you can easily switch back (very useful if you like to switch between services based in different countries)

Setting up SmartDNS in iOS 8:

1. Go to “Settings”
2. Select “WiFi”
3. Select current network
4. Touch the “DNS” field and change the DNS Address numbers to those provided by your SmartDNS provider. Note: it is definitely worth making a note of your ISP’s default DNS settings before doing this, so that you can easily switch back (very useful if you like to switch between services based in different countries).
5. Return to the main menu and perform a “power cycle” (hold the Power button and Home button until the phone restarts).

Conclusion

Smart DNS is a great way to stream geo-restricted content on all your devices – not just on your Apple TV. Just remember, though, that a DNS proxy provides no additional security or privacy. If this is what you are after, then using an encrypted VPN does a great job for that.

Lastly, we are happy to announce that IronSocket has created an exclusive 40% discount coupon for all Apple TV Hacks readers to enjoy and share. Use the coupon code “APPLETVHACKSDNS” at checkout for a yearly subscription rate as low as $2.49 per month.

Be sure to follow Apple TV Hacks on Twitter, Facebook or Google+ for all the latest Apple TV-related news.

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Don’t you love it when best things get even better? Well, our favourite AirPlay browser for Apple TV – AirBrowser, just got a major update and we’re loving it.

You might remember that we did a comprehensive review of AirBrowser last year, when we were blown away by its ease to get connected, intuitive interface and tutorials, lag-free surfing, Mac-like gestures, multi-tab support and custom features.

We were surprised at how satisfactory the browsing on the 50-inch HDTV was and concluded it as below:

I have used a couple of other AirPlay browsers as well as some normal iOS browsers over AirPlay. But, unlike others, AirBrowser seems to concentrate on just this one thing, to the point that there is no standalone browsing. And such a focus surely shows through in its execution, as AirBrowser is noticeably faster, powerful and more intuitive now, than what I saw back in July.

In short, AirBrowser is the most premium experience I’ve ever had with any AirPlay browsers.

In this review, I’ll be focusing on the new additions to AirBrowser, namely the AdBlock and YouTube optimizations.

Ad-blocker on AirBrowser

Anybody who has used an ad-blocker addon on their Mac or PC would know how pleasant the whole experience becomes. Websites load much faster, you have less distractions, browsing consumes less data and the content display is much neater.

If you are coming from such a surfing scenario, AirBrowser will feel right at home from now on. Tap on the gear icon in the left bottom corner and toggle AdBlock on.

YouTube experience with AirBrowser

Similarly, below you can see YouTube loaded on Safari over AirPlay mirroring to Apple TV, versus the AirBrowser version. It is obvious why one might want to choose the latter.

Besides, while playing YouTube videos, a navigation bar and media buttons show up on your iOS screen, which just simplifies the whole YouTube experience. You can seek, play, pause and scrub, even while playing videos fullscreen, without messing around with the cursor.

The verdict

After checking out this update, we have no choice but to stand our ground. We previously throned AirBrowser as the best AirPlay browser in the App Store and now, it’s just grown better.

An app backed by an active developer team who pushes out frequent improvements, and delivers extremely well on what it promises, is surely worth recommending. So if you are searching for a browser for your Apple TV, don’t look any further.

Get AirBrowser now for just $2.99 (usual $4.99) thanks to their App Store promotion.

Also be sure to take a look at our full review of AirBrowser.

The post AirBrowser – The best AirPlay browser for Apple TV gets even beter (review) appeared first on Apple TV Hacks.

Last month, Google announced their plans to end support for its YouTube Data API v2 used by older devices, which meant that the YouTube channel would no longer work on older Apple TVs, as only the Apple TV 3 supports the new YouTube Data API v3. Without any warning, Apple has today removed YouTube from the 1st and 2nd gen. Apple TVs.

Both YouTube’s main menu icon and references to the app in Settings dissapeared from the Apple TV 2.

“If you’re using Apple TV 2nd generation or older, unfortunately there’s no current way to watch YouTube on these devices,” noted Google. However, you know well that you can use AirPlay to stream the YouTube content from your iOS device (running iOS 6 or later) or Mac to the 2nd gen. Apple TV.

If you noticed that the YouTube channel has stopped working on your Apple TV 3, you may want to update the software (Settings -> General -> Update Software) to get the latest version of the YouTube app.

Also read: Apple TV 4 with Siri and App Store reportedly coming this June

Be sure to follow Apple TV Hacks on Twitter, Facebook or Google+ for all the latest Apple TV-related news.

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Here’s the issue: you live or are visiting a part of the world where you cannot access your favorite streaming sites. When you visit Netflix, the following shows:

Outrageous, right? There are many other examples of websites behaving this way, even Youtube will block certain videos in certain regions. As frustrating as this is, there is a fast and easy way to unblock websites like Netflix, Youtube, Hulu, Amazon Prime and hundreds more, without using a VPN.

One of the most annoying aspects of this modern digital age where the internet should, in theory, make geographic differences an irrelevancy, is how media makers and distributers enforce arbitrary geographic restriction on who can access their content.

And the reason? Because lucrative licensing deals bring in more profits than treating netizens equally and fairly. This means that people in many parts of the world are only able to access content months after it is available to others (and sometimes not at all), and often only through unnecessarily highly priced channels (such a paying for a premium cable subscription, or even having to purchase DVDs).

Fortunately, getting around these geo-restrictions is easy. One way is to use VPN, but for simply accessing content from abroad, probably the best method is to use a Smart DNS service. One big advantageous favour (and unlike VPN), is that Smart DNS can be configured on any device that connects to the internet, including your Apple TV!

What is Smart DNS? The Solution.

The Domain Name System (DNS) is used to translate domain names (e.g. www.apple.com) into the numerical IP addresses that computers understand (e.g. 17.172.224.47). This translation service is usually performed by your Internet Service Provider (ISP), but it is possible to use a Smart DNS (also known as a DNS proxy) service to do this instead.

Smart DNS services run servers in different countries, and when a device is configured to connect to these, it appears to be located in that country. How many countries are supported depends on the service, but almost all have servers in the United States and the UK.

The US is a popular location as it allows access to streaming services such the Hulu and US version of Netflix (which has a larger selection of content than other regional versions of Netflix, and often makes content available to Americans before anyone else). The UK is popular for its BBC iPlayer, and 4oD streaming services.

What are the advantages of Smart DNS over VPN?

While it provides none of the security and privacy benefits of VPN (which also allows users to “spoof” their apparent location), Smart DNS is in many ways a better choice when streaming media content:

• It works with Apple TV! (as well as devices such as games consoles and “smart” TV’s)
• Less buffering issues – without the need for encryption and other computational overheads (DNS translation is almost instant), using Smart DNS results in less “lag”, so users will experience fewer buffering delays. Do note, however, that if you are streaming from the other side of the world there will still be some latency, as electrons take time to travel over large distances. Blame Einstein!
• When using a computer, only programs configured for Smart DNS will take advantage of the DNS proxy (unlike VPN, where your entire internet connection is routed through the VPN server). This means that you can configure one browser to access the geo-restricted services you want to use, while allowing you do day-today computing using another browser – providing a lower ping rate (less latency), when accessing localized services.
• Smart DNS is usually cheaper than VPN, and many traditional VPN services (such as IronSocket) throw in Smart DNS for free.

How to configure Smart DNS on your Apple TV

Note that is this just a quick summary – more detailed guides (complete with screenshots) are available here.

Apple TV (software version 5.1+)

1. Go to Settings -> General -> Network -> Wi-Fi (if using Wi-Fi) -> Configure DNS -> Manual
2. Enter the DNS settings supplied by your Smart DNS provider, and click “Done”
3. Go to Settings -> iTunes Store -> Location and choose the location you wish to access content from (this must match the location of the DNS server whose settings you entered in Step 2)
4. From the main Apple TV menu go to Settings -> Sleep now
5. Unplug you Apple TV, wait for 10 seconds, then plug it back in. You should now be good to go!

Apple TV (software version 5.0 and older)

1. Go to Settings -> General -> Network ->Configure TCP/IP -> Configure Manually
2. Change “DNS” field to the DNS settings supplied by your Smart DNS provider (leave any other settings alone unless your providers tells you otherwise). Hit “Done”.
3. Go to Settings -> iTunes Store -> Location, and choose the location you wish to access content from (this must match the location of the DNS server whose settings you entered in Step 2)
4. From the main Apple TV menu, go to Settings -> General -> Restart.

IronSocket‘s DNS Proxy service is a fast and easy way to unblock websites like Netflix, Youtube, Hulu, Amazon Prime, Pandora and hundreds more.

It supports over 200 channels and utilize a technology called “Region Switching” for multiple regional channels such as Netflix regions: Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, Ireland, Netherlands and the United Kingdom.

Right now, IronSocket is offering a 40% discount coupon for Apple TV Hacks readers: “APPLEDNS“.

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