Apps for Apple TV

With Apple TV adding AirPlay Mirroring to their functional capabilities recently, there are many who are touting it as the must have technology of the season. Let’s take a look at some of the apps that are must have add-ons for Apple TV.

UStream

UStream is a video service that was originally designed for people to catch movies online instead of going to the theater or renting them from the local video store. In the case of sporting or Pay Per View events, UStream carried feeds of the events with people paying a small fee to the stream’s host if they wanted to. It makes UStream the top choice for recent events and for Apple TV adopters, especially because the app is free.

Mathboard

Mathboard is a must have for anyone who has children in elementary school that need a little additional help with math. Showing the work step-by-step so a child can understand how a process works in an interactive learning environment can make all the difference between success and frustration. Quizzes can be created and saved, while progress for your child can be tracked through the program. It’s a steal at $4.99 and may make life much easier for you and your child.

Keynote

For those of you who have presentations on the go, Keynote is a terrific app to put to use. Even better, Keynote automatically syncs up with iCloud, saving you the aggravation of potentially losing the file. The laser pointer feature on the iPad adds extra functionality and you can look at presenter’s notes as well. The app now allows you to have looped slideshows in addition to the standard single slide presentations. Thanks to AirPlay, this can all be shown on the big screen. The Keynote app is yours for $9.99.

TouchTV

For those of you who don’t want to pay for cable or satellite television but want to keep your finger on the pulse of what’s going on with your favorite shows, TouchTV is the app for you. TouchTV offers video clips for nearly 40 different networks, from ESPN to Nickelodeon and everything in between. The bad news is that if you want to use TouchTV to catch the latest episode of “Two and a Half Men,” you won’t see the full show; TouchTV shows three to four minute clips, but it’s just enough to keep you in the loop and, best of all, it’s free.

Newsy

If you aren’t interested in keeping up with sitcoms and reality television, but are focused on the news of the day, then the Newsy app is for you. Newsy puts together multifaceted viewpoints on the biggest news stories of the day and packages them into two or three minute video segments to make it easy to get the point and opinions from both sides of the table. Instead of paying for a subscription to “The New York Times” or a cable company for your news, you can get it all free via Newsy.

 

There are other apps that are geared for specific functions as well. If you love documentaries and biographical shows, then SnagFilms may be for you. There are over 3,000 documentaries to watch any time without costing you a dime. If you like music, you can check out Qello or the omnipresent iTunes.

What do you think are the top must have apps for Apple TV?

Justin is a sports, marketing and tech enthusiast. When not in the stands watching University of Utah football you can find him writing and blogging for Direct TV.