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In the settings, you can specify which apps to include in recommendations. Google TV's For You screen is agnostic as it displays recommendations from all the apps you watch. Also, you can add thumbs up/down in the detail pages of individual titles. If you want the suggestions to better reflect your entertainment preferences, you can take a quiz and indicate the movies and TV shows you like/dislike. A well-designed home screen combined with a robust algorithm makes it easy to find what you want to watch next. What makes the Chromecast stand out is the Google TV OS. A TV button brings up the Live TV schedule grid. Direct access buttons on the bottom launch Prime Video, Netflix, Disney+, and Hulu. The blue Alexa button stands out at the top of the black remote control.
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On the other hand, the Alexa remote is slender and relatively comfortable with a typical button setup. There are only two direct access buttons-for YouTube and Netflix- and the audio controls are on the side (similar to a Roku remote).
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Another anomaly is that the power button is at the bottom of the remote. It's counter-intuitive to how any other remote works and requires practice to remember. While the center button of the navigation wheel acts to play or pause while watching a video, it also works as the OK or Enter button on other menu screens. Google stepped out of the norm in the remote design as it did not include a play/pause button. The remote is an elongated oval making it comfortable to hold. Adding Google TV to Chromecast means a remote control is included.
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