The situation for Android TV looked grim 15 month ago. Google had just released a new version of its Chromecast streaming dongle, which relies on a phone, tablet, or laptop to control what's playing on the TV. At the time, Mario Queiroz, Google's vice president of product management, suggested that this mode of viewing was key to the future of television. Meanwhile, Android TV, Google's other operating system for televisions and set-top boxes, seemed lost. Google apps and features that had shipped on other platforms were no-shows on Android TV, and the company didn't even bother announcing the retail launch of Xiaomi's Mi Box, last year's only new Android TV streaming box.

Reality was more ambitious than rumor when AirTV made its big debut at CES 2017. Instead of a networked antenna tuner that feeds broadcast channels into the Sling TV app on other devices, AirTV wants to be the complete package. It's a $100 Android-based box with an optional antenna hookup, letting you stream Sling TV channels and free over-the-air broadcasts into a unified interface, which also includes recommendations from Netflix. The remote control strives for similar harmony, with TV power and volume controls, dedicated guide and previous channel buttons, voice search from Google, and shortcuts to Netflix and Google Play Movies & TV. As importantly, AirTV isn't just a product, but a new subsidiary of Dish Network, which also operates the Sling TV service.