…that will now reflect the information United has compiled on individual travelers, like where they live and destinations they’ve traveled to.

I, for one, can’t wait to have my personal info proudly displayed to whatever randos they seat next to me! /s

You’re right about the shield being the most capable box out there and, IMHO, worth splurging on.

On the other extreme, if you’re in the U.S., the Walmart “Onn TV 4K” streaming box is only $20. It should have all the stuff you listed and will be way more responsive than the anemic HW the TV makers use. Note: The remote feels a bit chinsy but it has a lots of buttons (many can be remapped with apps available in the Play store).

“Middle” option might be a “Chromecast with Google TV”. More than 2x what the Onn box costs but the build quality is noticably better.