Kid friendly YouTube comes to NVIDIA Shield TV, Android TV devices
NVIDIA Shield TV now has the new YouTube Kids app, making the 4K media streamer a bit more kid-friendly.
YouTube Kids is described by the company as being “designed for curious little minds”, but it also saves parents some leg work. No longer do you have to dig through everyday, and sometimes adult content, to find episodes of Thomas & Friends, anything from DreamworksTV or Talking Tom.
Online hits like Mother Goose Club, Super Simple Songs and Wonder Quest are also easy to find on the app. Videos are broken up into categories like Shows, Music or Learning.
The user interface is more kid-friendly, too. There are larger buttons in case you want to let your little ones take control and peruse the menus.
NVIDIA Shield TV is among a number of Android TV devices that now support the YouTube Kids app. It’s available through the Google Play Store.
YouTube for Kids Only
The arrival of YouTube Kids on Android TV is in response to the changing habits of viewers. With easy to use over-the-top apps widely available, YouTube viewers have increasingly been turning to television, according to AdAge.
In 2016, viewership on TV screens grew 90% compared to 2015, according to YouTube, the magazine reported. That same statistic is set to rise another 90% this year.YouTube Kids is available in 35 countries and enjoyed by over 11 million weekly active users; making YouTube Kids the go-to destination for families around the world.
Aside from the family friendly programming, the YouTube Kids app also has customized settings.
The app lets the grown-ups tailor the experience to their family’s needs. Settings are found behind a grown-ups-only lock where you can turn off search for a more restricted experience or set a built-in timer to let kids know when it’s time to stop watching so the grown-ups don’t have to.
It also features parental controls that help deliver age appropriate content.
A roster of family-friendly apps has been growing on Shield TV. PBS Kids, Disney Channel, Disney Junior, Nickelodeon and Toon Goggles have already been available for download through the Google Play Store.
NVIDIA recently assembled its own list of Best Video Streaming Apps for Kids and Families.
You can also read my recent review of NVIDIA Shield Pro with Plex for watching and recording over-the-air (OTA) televisions. You can easily connect Shield TV to an HDHomeRun tuner or Hauppage tuner along with a TV antenna to receive OTA broadcasts of major networks like NBC, FOX, ABC and CBS.
Jim Kimble is a seasoned industry expert with over two decades of journalism experience. He has been at the forefront of the cord-cutting movement since 2016, testing and writing about TV-related products and services. He founded The Cord Cutting Report in 2016.
Major publications, including MarketWatch, Forbes, and South Florida Sun Sentinel, have interviewed Kimble for his years of expertise. He gives advice on the complexities consumers are navigating with streaming options, and over-the-air TV. Kimble has been a staff writer or correspondent for several award-winning, daily newspapers, including The Boston Globe. You can follow Jim on LinkedIn, YouTube and at X at @james_kimble
I can see how this is a good move for UTV, and I hope they get their access going for more areas. I am in the Portland Oregon (!) area and no go yet.