man watching tv

man watching TV

What “best app” list would be complete if we didn’t also include Netflix on it?  Apps can be functional, but they can also be fun and entertaining.  That’s why apps are such an incredible too.  They act as both ways to enhance our lives, and a way to keep us from getting bogged down by the rat race, that is life.

letterboxd

Letterboxd

A social networking app on Apple TV might strike you as odd, but Letterboxd is all about your television – or, more accurately, movies on your television. You log and rate favorites, flag movies you’d like to see, peruse trailers, and optionally gripe to everyone about how unfair it is that new Star Wars flicks aren’t identical to the one you’ve had in your head since 1983.

Madefire Comics & Motion Books

Madefire Comics & Motion Books

I personally would love one more way to access comics, and no I’m not being funny.  I love the ability to zoom on my tablet so I can really read the lines, or look at a particular aspect of the drawing.  What’s nice about having the ability to watch comics on your Apple TV?  Well, everything is intelligently designed so you can lean back and “watch” your comic.  The great thing about this app is that it comes with audio as well.  What’s not to love?

Meteoearth

Meteoearth

CARROT Weather might be the best Apple TV weather app, but it doesn’t do maps – which is just as well for MeteoEarth, which is essentially one big map. You twirl the Earth about, looking at where it’s sunny and warm, or where it’s cold and dreary.  Maybe this helps you decide where you’re going to spend your winters?  Or maybe it’s just a fun way to show you what different parts of the world look like.  Great idea for those geography nerds in the family.

netflix

Netflix

Where doesn’t Netflix exist? I mean, if you have a screen, you can watch Netflix literally anywhere with an internet connection. The Apple TV version is kind of just how you’d expect Netflix to be – a usable and reliable way to consume every episode of Stranger Things.

NetNewsWire Today

NetNewsWire Today

An RSS app might strike you as an odd fit for your television, but NetNewsWire works surprisingly well. You set up your feeds on your iPhone and can then optionally share them with the Apple TV app. A smartly designed interface ensures headlines can be seen across the room, and you can bookmark suitably intriguing articles for later perusal.

night sky

Night Sky

I love the iOS version of this app, and being able to project these images onto my Apple TV is kind of amazing.  If you’re a fan of stargazing, but not of going outside, you can always peer at virtual heavens using an astronomy app on your phone. But if even that seems like too much effort, fire up Night Sky on your Apple TV. Using the Siri Remote, you can zip about constellations. For more dedicated buffs, there’s a Tonight Tour that provides information about what will appear in the sky – and when.

plane finder

Plane Finder

For armchair plane geeks, Plane Finder is heaven, displaying a live(ish) map of where airplanes are located right now.  This is also kind of creepy in my opinion.  Sure, it’s nice to be able to track the flight of a family member or loved one, but is it necessary to know where ALL the planes are?  If so, you can zoom, filter by company, and search for specific flights, tracking a single plane to keep tabs on when it will land. If you fancy something more conventional, try the similarly impressive (but far simpler) FlightBoard.

plex

Plex

Although Infuse is on our list, it would be wrong to omit another video favorite, PLEX. The app appeared in an unofficial form on jailbroken second-generation Apple TVs, but this is the real deal. Despite being built in just five weeks, PLEX for Apple TV started out as a first-rate app for organizing and streaming media collections, along with finding new things to watch; it’s carried on being great ever since.

 

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