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Signs of another new Chromecast appear in the Google Home app
We don't know anything about it, but it does seem to exist
We've been following rumors about a Chromecast refresh for quite some time, and now, we've got another one to throw on the pile: 9to5Google reports that yet another new Google TV device identifier has appeared in code for the Google Home app. It's not a whole lot to go on, but it does show that Google is working on new Chromecast hardware in some capacity.
The Pixel Tablet is learning one of Apple HomePod's coolest tricks
Tap to Cast will transfer music streams from phone to tablet when your devices are near each other
It's shaping up to be a big year for Chromecast. At CES today, Google announced a bunch of Chromecast updates, including new device and app compatibility. Possibly most exciting is a feature Google's called Tap to Cast, which will let you transfer your music stream from your Pixel phone to your Pixel Tablet just by bringing the two near each other.
7 common Google Chromecast issues and how to fix them
Some helpful tips for when things don't always work as intended
Google Chromecast lets you stream video from Android devices and your laptop to your television. Google also makes various Chromecast dongles that are affordable and among the best streaming devices you can buy. Just tap a button and select where you want to watch your content. It doesn't get any easier than this. Still, multiple variables are at play when using a Chromecast, and not everything always works as it should. Here are the common issues you might face when using your Chromecast with your home network.
Chromecast turns 10 today: Google's first-gen streaming dongle launched on July 24, 2013. Chromecast hardware has taken a few forms over the years — several TV streamers with and without Google TV, and even the one-off Chromecast Audio — and the occasion has us wondering where Google will take it next.
Like it or not, Google TV devices like the new Chromecast dedicate a large portion of the primary view to promoting new content with big, eye-catching photos of shows and movies you might want to watch. But more than just pointing us to the latest shows on the services we already subscribe to, Google has also used this space for straight-up ads, and gone so far as to feature theatrical films that weren't yet available for streaming. Now the ads have somehow found a way to start getting even worse.
Chromecast Ambient Mode slideshows start dialing back their bandwidth-saving measures
You'll be able to speed up the rate of cycling images
The early days of the pandemic saw the internet faced with an unprecedented surge of traffic, with people restricted to their homes relying on going online for both work and entertainment, leading to slower internet across the globe. In a bid to reduce network congestion and prioritize the more essential stuff, streaming services all over started making sacrifices. Those cuts extended in some unexpected ways, like how Google downgraded video quality on certain Nest cameras and reduced Chromecast (and smart display) Ambient Mode photo quality. But with more and more people going back to the office, some of those restrictions are now being reverted.
Google's upcoming 'Boreal' Chromecast will run Android 12, top out at 1080p, and cost $40 or less
Not the Shield competitor you might have hoped for
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Over the weekend, details regarding a new Google TV-powered Chromecast surfaced under the hardware code-name Boreal. At the time, hardware specifics for the upcoming device weren't known, but many speculated it could be a higher-end device, given the current Chromecast with Google TV's position in the market. According to Protocol, that's not going to happen, and the new device will cut plenty of corners to hit an even lower price than the current version.
Users protest Google's speaker group nerfing with hilarious post tags
"OurCustomersSureAreSuckers" and "Fraud" are just the tip of the iceberg
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Google was handed a defeat by the International Trade Commission (ITC) this week, which ruled that Google did indeed infringe on Sonos' intellectual property with its cast protocol. Luckily, basic volume controls are back in Android with the latest OTAs, but speaker groups might never be the same. The folks on Google's Nest support forums are not pleased with the changes, but it turns out Google supports user tags on its support site. You can probably see where this is going.
Google released Android 12 a few months ago, and it's one of the most significant updates to the platform in years. It has a plethora of new features like the Material You theme engine, privacy toggles, and scrolling screenshots. However, it also loses one important thing: Chromecast volume control. Google apparently needed to ditch the feature for legal reasons, rendering your volume toggle useless while casting media. There is another option to control the volume, but it's not ideal.
Realme 4K Smart Google TV Stick review: Bugs galore
Still the only Android TV stick worth considering — until the Google Chromecast launches in India
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Last year, Google finally gave us a Chromecast with a remote and a real interface. However, the streaming stick never made it to India, leaving us with Sony’s rather expensive lineup of 4K TVs as the only way to experience the spruced-up Google TV interface. The Realme 4K Smart Google TV Stick bridges that gap by bringing Google’s latest take on Android TV to a more approachable price. And considering how capable this streaming stick is for its price, there’s probably no need to pine for the Chromecast with Google TV.
It’s been nearly a year since Google launched its latest Chromecast, the one that introduced us to a new Google TV interface and created a schism with the hundreds of Android TV devices we’d seen to date. A low price and a good experience made this new Chromecast one of the most no-brainer purchases for many Android lovers, and even more non-techies.
Chromecast with Google TV tutorials
How to solve every problem you have with the Goolge TV and Chromecast.
How to solve every problem you have with the Goolge TV and Chromecast.
Google TV could soon let you stream free TV channels
Possibly coming to your nearest Chromecasts and smart TVs as early as this year
Google TV on Chromecast and smart TVs could soon become a more enticing platform as Google plans to add free to stream TV channels to it. Google TV currently acts as an aggregator for various streaming apps, complete with personalized content recommendations.
Hulu finally gets HDR support on some devices, but not the ones we were hoping for most
Android TV: "Am I a joke to you?"
Listen up, streaming nerds: if you really want to make the best out of your low-cost, cord-cutting entertainment setup, you'll need to pour at least ten grand into an awesome home theater setup. Which won't help at all if your streaming service of choice doesn't actually support all of that eye-melting hi-fi tech. So what took y'all so long, Hulu?
How to deal with the new Chromecast's tiny storage space
Google's choice to use only 8GB of storage on the Chromecast with Google TV is creating some headaches
Google's latest iteration of the Chromecast isn't really a Chromecast, at least in the sense of the original design. It's a tiny hockey puck dongle running a full version of the Android TV operating system (with the Google TV interface on top of it). It's a very cool, compact little piece of technology, but it looks like Google's efforts to keep the hardware small and cheap are creating some unforeseen issues.
Every so often, a mysterious new device passes through the FCC that piques our attention. Sometimes the listing outright says what we're looking at, even giving us information on unannounced phones. Other times — such as today — the gadget remains an enigma. A new device from Google has made its way through the FCC, but only time will tell what it truly is.
The setup app for Google TV is now in the Play Store
You probably won't ever need to manually download it
When you first turn on the new Chromecast with Google TV, you're put through an extremely simple setup process: choose your language, connect to Wi-Fi, log in to Google, select your default streaming apps. There's not much to it, but just in case Google wants to change things around, the tool is now on the Play Store.
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By now, many of us are familiar with Google TV, the interface layer that Google introduced with last year's Chromecast and later spread to other Android TV units. The homescreen is focused on recommending shows and movies for you, relegating some of your apps along with app search and discovery to a secondary tab. A major side effect is the lack of proper access to the full Play Store, even though the app is still there. Here are some tricks you can use to open it.
Try 3 months of HBO Max for the price of 1 when buying a new Chromecast
It's a free three, but not for all
The Google Store has been bundling 6 months of Netflix with a $90 Chromecast with Google TV package — why not do the same with HBO Max? Well, it just did. Sort of.
Samsung's free TV Plus service is now available on the web and Chromecast devices
Samsung TV Plus is making a major push to appear on non-Samsung screens
Samsung is one of the only super-giant international tech companies that's pretty much all about hardware, with all of its ancillary business categories supporting its devices. So of course it's the next technology company to ... let me just check my notes here ... launch an ad-supported TV service. Okie dokie. Samsung TV Plus, previously available on the company's smart TVs and phones, is now up for general viewing on the web.