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From your e-reader to smart fridge, advertisements seem to be everywhere these days. While some of these are expected, like in the case of buying an ad-supported Kindle, others not so much, such as seeing your smart TV home screen filled with promotional content. All smart TV platforms, barring Apple’s tvOS, have decided to jump on the ad bandwagon and it’s common to find them on Amazon’s Fire OS, Google TV, LG’s webOS, Roku OS, and Samsung’s Tizen.
While it can be tricky to get rid of ads on most smart TV platforms, fortunately there is an easy way to ditch them on your Android TV or Google TV device. You don’t need to modify your TV or discover hidden Google TV features, you can simply install an app and be free of the home screen advertisements. We are talking about the Projectivy Launcher, which is one of our favorite Google TV apps that can be downloaded for free from the Play Store.
What you need to know about Projectivy Launcher
Not to be confused with Google TV Streamer, a Chromecast replacement, Projectivy Launcher is primarily an ad-free home screen replacement app, or a launcher. By replacing your TV’s default launcher, which is where most of the pesky advertisements lie, you get rid of them. That said, you’ll still get ads with your installed apps and any other parts of the platform that are untouched by the launcher. However, ads will no longer be front and center when you switch on your TV.
Besides making your TV’s home screen ad-free, the app includes tons of customization options, like personalized layouts, custom icons, adaptive colors, and dynamic wallpapers. You can also use it to set up parental controls and get quick access to TV sources. Moreover, it houses several nifty features, including the option to auto-start an app when you boot up Google TV and the ability to sideload APKs.
Finally, while Projectivy Launcher keeps most of the essentials in the free-to-use version, there is an available one-time premium upgrade that brings the ability to add an extra profile, custom wallpapers, and advanced icon customization.
