These Are the First Apps to Install on Apple TV

For those looking for an alternative to standard television services.

Sling TV is a solid option for watching the shows, sporting events, and channels you love on your iPhone or iPad. But, now you can check out Sling TV for your Apple TV making your favorite live television and on-demand shows only a click away.

Why we love it

Sling TV on Apple TV is a great alternative to traditional television services. The app is clean, crisp, and simple to use. The channel and show options are extensive with something for everyone in the house.

For anyone who want to catch up on popular telelvision series and movies.

Everyone has heard of Netflix — it's the leading Internet streaming service for most of the hot shows and movies that you can't miss. A subscription for streaming starts at just $7.99 a month, with some pricier options if you have a 4K television and want higher quality streams. You can even go above that and get the DVD/Blu-Ray rental too, but it's optional. Netflix streaming has a lot of popular shows as well as original series that are worth watching. Plus, you can always find a decent movie to watch when it's movie night.

Why we love it

Netflix is the best way to pass the time as you binge-watch on original series or catch up on movies.

For those folks who want to see the universe from various angles and with a built-in soundtrack.

Doesn't everything about life deserve its own soundtrack? With Solar Walk 2, you can experience the world around us in stunning detail with an impressive soundtrack as well. You will see the International Space Station and the Hubble Space Telescope fly over the Earth in real time. Their models have been meticulously reconstructed from photographs and blueprints and you can study every detail in close-up.

Why we love it

One of the top-selling apps on the App Store, Solar Walk 2 continues to impress with each new update.

Want a curated news experience? Check out Haystack TV

Haystack TV is whatever you want it to be. Just set it up with your preferred categories of news and then watch it get video news of topics that you'd like to see. Over time, the app gets smarter and gives you better results depending on your preferences and likes. Haystack TV covers all types of news and even has fun extras like late night talk shows and movie trailers. Just decide the type of news you want to see, and then sit back and relax.

Why we love it

We really enjoy this app for its variety. Yes, you'll see the important stuff. But you'll also see fun content too.

For those who enjoy watching NBC shows and want to watch anywhere

Binge on NBC's newest shows and classic hits — no TV provider login required. Sign in with your TV provider username and password to watch the latest episodes of ALL NBC shows the day after they air on TV – and even complete seasons of certain series!

Why we love it

Do you want your Must See TV? This is the Apple TV app for that.

For those who appreciate views of the Earth from space as well as streaming NASA TV.

If you enjoy the NASA app on your iPhone or iPad, then imagine what it would be like to view those streaming videos and amazing images from space on the big screen. Take a look at NASA for Apple TV and experience something spectacular.

Why we love it

With the NASA app on your Apple TV not only can you witness the spectacular views and images from space, but you can stay up to date with missions and check out streaming content easily.

For those who want to catch up on their current television shows.

With Hulu, users are able to watch new episodes just a day or two after they air on television. If you subscribe, you can get new episodes faster, as well as have a larger library available for your viewing pleasure. There are also several tiers of subscriptions, in case you don't want ads while watching your shows, so you'll have to pay up for that covenience. The collection of shows and movies on Hulu is pretty vast, and more content gets added every day due to licensing agreements and contracts ending with other services (such as Netflix). If you have Hulu and another service, then you're pretty much set.

Why we love it

Hulu has a ton of content with more additions added daily. New episodes get added in a timely manner so you are never too behind, and there are some nice original series.

For those who like nature videos as their TV screen saver.

Whether you have your Apple TV in the home or in the office, Scenic Loops gives you calming and comforting video views of nature. Perfect for waiting rooms, relaxation spots, or simply turning your black screen into a window of beauty, the app is makes an ideal screen saver.

Why we love it

For beautiful HD videos of nature, Scenic Loops has wonderful options that include soothing sounds and tranquil views.

For those who like to watch ABC's programming

Whether you have basic television at home or not, the Watch ABC app is the best way to go when it comes to your favorite ABC shows, movies, and news. The Watch ABC app lets you get on-demand episodes from your favorite series, or you can even watch ABC live, without having to have cable. This means that you can catch the late night news or movies when they air on TV. There are also bonus clips for certain shows, in case you want more. Either way, the Watch ABC app is a great way to catch up on your ABC favorites.

Why we love it

ABC is one of the old, reliable television stations, and we are happy to be able to watch it whenever we have some time to spare. Whether it's the original programming, news, or movies, the Watch ABC app lets you do it all for free.

For those who want some television and movies to watch without paying anything.

Crackle is the leading free app that gives you a huge variety of options to choose from each month. There are no hidden fees to use the app, and you get plenty of different television shows and movies to watch, with rotating content every month. This is a great way to catch up on favorites, discover new shows and movies, and just pass the time. Crackle has television, movies, and even anime, so there is something for everyone here.

Why we love it

Crackle gives us a lot of options for video streaming entertainment.

For those who want a hilarious weather app.

CARROT Weather provides users with a sleek, minimalistic interface, comprehensive forecast reports and details, and humorous, sarcastic comments. You can get the current temperature, see the forecast for the rest of the week or by the hour, and get detailed bits of information like precipitation chance, humidity, and more. Plus, there's a fun time travel feature if you are curious what the weather was like in the past or even get a prediction for the future, and you unlock many secret locations from all over the fictional world. CARROT Weather is one of the best weather apps available on the App Store and for good reason.

Why we love it

We love CARROT Weather because it provides detailed informational forecasts and the humorous comments are a nice bit of charm.

For people who want a gorgeous, but simple, clock for their big screen

From a breathtaking view of a lake under the ethereal Milky Way galaxy to a majestic time-lapse of the Swiss Alps, Ellie is the most immersive, calming clock on a large display. It provides you with the current time set against one of 28 beautiful wallpapers. Even better, Ellie now has the ability to allow background music to continue playing, so you can enjoy the immersive time display along with your favorite songs.

Why we love it

This clock app is gorgeous, and yet simple. You get the current time and day in a simple format, while cinematic, immersive backgrounds keep the screen alive. It's easily one of the most beautiful time display apps available for the Apple TV.

For those who love watching CBS shows and broadcasts.

With a subscription to CBS All Access, you'll get unlimited access to your favorite shows like The Big Bang Theory, The Good Wife, Limitless, and more. You'll be able to live stream the CBS channel whenever you want so you never miss a thing, and catch up on episodes you've missed. If you're a big fan of the programming on CBS, then getting a subscription to this is worth looking into.

Why we love it

The app lets you get access to your favorite CBS shows, and you can catch up whenever you have some spare time.

For people who want a wide variety of recipes at their fingertips

Yummly is a feature-rich app that brings more more than a million recipes to choose from. No matter what your nutrition or cuisine preference is, this app has a wide variety of recipe choices for you. When you find your favorite recipes, you can save them within the app to your own digital cookbook, ready for you to go back to again and again.

Why we love it

The recipe displays in Yummly are beautiful, and the app makes it easy to find just what you're looking for. The dishes are intricately described, with perfectly easy-to-follow ingredient lists and instructions. What's really nice is the feature allowing you to "Yum" a recipe, saving it into your own personalized digital cookbook.

For podcasts fans who also enjoy other music.

The top feature of the service allows users to create their own personalized radio comprised of a mix of DJ mixes, podcasts, radio shows and mixtapes. If you haven’t heard of Mixcloud, its speciality is content from popular DJs like Fatboy Slim, Above & Beyond, and Avicii. That should definitely help spice up your normal podcast routine.

Why we love it

If you're looking for more than just the usual podcast app, Mixcloud should definitely be high on your list. While there are podcasts for pretty much everyone, the ability to build your own radio station with unique and diverse content is fun and exciting. And along with being able to access the content on your iPhone and iPad, the app looks great on the big screen of the Apple TV.