All previous 'smart displays' with Google Assistant are nearly identical under the hood. They all run Android Things OS (a specialized version of Android for IoT devices) on top of a standardized hardware platform (like those from MediaTek and Qualcomm). Most people assumed that Google's own smart display, the recently-announced Home Hub, would use the same software and hardware. However, the Home Hub is something entirely different.
Read MoreGoogle reveals minor third-generation Chromecast update with multi-room audio support
Like much of Google's 2018 hardware, the arrival of a refreshed Chromecast was an open secret ahead of October 9th. The full details were hazy, though, leaving Chromecast fans with a little room for excitement. Unfortunately, the full reveal was less intriguing than the already minimal update most were expecting.
Read MoreThe new Chromecast is already up for sale at a UK retailer
Google is expected to announce a refreshed Chromecast at its hardware event in New York today, but it seems a UK retailer got its timing a little off. Very, online purveyor of clothes, furniture, and electronics, is already selling the new model.
Read MoreWhat to expect from Google's launch event tomorrow
Google's yearly hardware event is nearly upon us. In this day and age, there are always bits of information leaked ahead of official announcements, but this event is completely different. Google has been as leaky as the Titanic over the past few months, so there's a good chance there aren't any surprises left.
If you've been living under a rock this whole time, or you haven't been able to keep track of all the leaks, we've summarized everything we know about the products Google will (probably) announce tomorrow.
Read More[Update: 'Coming soon' on Google Store] Best Buy is already stocking the unannounced third-generation Chromecast
Best Buy has a tendency of stocking products well before they are released, and it seems that has happened again. Last month, an updated Chromecast with Bluetooth and (possibly) improved Wi-Fi reception was certified by the FCC. Now someone was actually able to buy one from their local Best Buy.
Read MoreGoogle 'Smart TV Kit' with Home Mini and next-gen Chromecast gets leaked
Over the past year, Google has been adding more Assistant functionality to the Chromecast. You can ask your Google Home to play a movie on your TV or see who's at the door, and the result appears on your TV. Google has already been selling the Chromecast and Home Mini in a bundle, but now the package is being renamed to the 'Smart TV Kit.'
Read MoreGoogle Podcasts finally starts rolling out Cast support
Google Podcasts received a fair amount of criticism at launch for a variety of valid reasons, but the biggest issues stemmed from a lack of support across Google's ecosystem. The app, somewhat absurdly, launched without proper Android Auto or Cast support — and offered little else to recommend it, including no option for creating podcast playlists. Now, after addressing the Android Auto issue, the app is beginning to roll out support for Cast.
Read MoreHarman Kardon unveils more Google Assistant speakers, plus new soundbars with Chromecast built in
We're here in Berlin for IFA 2018, and one of the first press conferences we attended was by Harman. The Samsung-owned company is an umbrella for several smaller brands, including JBL, AKG, and the higher end Harman Kardon, all of which got some stage time. Google Assistant speakers, headphones, and a smart display from JBL were re-announced for different markets, but the only truly new things of interest to us came from Harmon Kardon
Read MoreThe Best Of AP
More Assistant-triggered visualizations are coming to Chromecast, plus per-device casting defaults for Google Home
Back at I/O 2017, Google showed off what it called "contextual visual responses." Put simply, they were visual feedback for Assistant-based queries on your Chromecast. Earlier this year, we spotted the first of these in the wild for weather, and next up was YouTube. Now Google is revealing that even more of these visual results from the Assistant will be coming to Chromecasts. In related news, Google is now formalizing the announcement of a feature which landed last year, allowing you to set default media playback devices.
Read MoreUpcoming Chromecast refresh will have Bluetooth and improved Wi-Fi reception
The second-generation Chromecast, which is still the current model, was released in 2015. There hasn't been much of a need for hardware refreshes, especially since the original model still works just fine. It was already known that Google was working on a refreshed model, but now additional details from FCC documents are available.
Read MoreLatest Deals
-
9
[Deal Alert] AUKEY's new 46W USB-C PD charger is $41.60 ($15 off) with coupon code on Amazon
-
4
[Deal Alert] The Arlo Baby smart baby monitor is down to $160 ($40 off)
-
9
Samsung's international Galaxy Note9 drops to $770 on eBay ($230 off)
-
2
26 temporarily free and 26 on-sale apps and games for Wednesday, including Baldur's Gate
-
2
[Deal Alert] Anker Nebula Capsule portable projector drops to $265 on Amazon ($85 off)
-
9
Latest Poll
Loading ...Recent Reviews
-
109
Pixel Stand review: A cool but tragically overpriced wireless charger
-
359
Pixel 3 and 3 XL review: Come for the camera, stay for everything else
-
9
Nimble portable/wireless chargers review: Eco-friendly designs, but high prices for such low specs
-
175
LG V40 review: The best LG's ever built still isn't quite enough
-
14
Owl Car Cam review: An expensive LTE-powered dashcam with quite a few flaws
-
109
Latest Roundups
-
1
[Bonus Round] Turbo Chase, Wave Bird, Heart Attacks, PAKO Forever, Stick Sprint, and Town of Salem - The Coven
-
9
20 best new Android games released this week including FIFA Soccer: Gameplay Beta, Piffle, and Badland Brawl
-
0
15 new and notable Android apps from the last week including Dig, Adaptive Brightness Tile, and DIY projects (10/6/18 - 10/13/18)
-
9
[Bonus Round] Skyward Journey, Allan Poe’s Nightmare, ELOH, Laser Mazer AR/VR, Zentris, Pixel Puzzle Collection, and Glory Ages - Samurais
-
9
20 best new Android games released this week including PAC-MAN: Ralph Breaks the Maze, Dig In: An Excavator Game, and Prince of Persia: Escape
-
1
Recent Apps and Games
-
1
Google News shows live scores, match highlights, and schedules for sports teams [APK Download]
-
8
Google Duo v42 prepares sending video messages to multiple recipients [APK Teardown]
-
55
[Update: Added sorting] Google Play Movies v4.8 prepares to enable 4K upgrades, likely making them free [APK Teardown]
-
21
Google Maps on Android can now share trip progress via other apps
-
5
Google Playtime 2018 event focuses on building better apps in smaller bundles
-
1
Blast from the Past
-
149
1 Year Ago Today
Moto X4 (Android One edition) review: This is not the Moto X you're looking for
-
256
2 Years Ago Today
Pixel Launcher lands in the Play Store, predictably only compatible with the Pixel [APK Download]
-
244
3 Years Ago Today
Google Will Require OEMs To Include Unmodified Doze Mode In Android 6.0
-
97
4 Years Ago Today
[Lollipop Feature Spotlight] WebView Is Now Unbundled From Android And Free To Auto-Update From Google Play
-
71
5 Years Ago Today
Native Screen Recording With Audio, Touch Indicator, Quick Access Headed To CyanogenMod Nightlies Soon
-
30
6 Years Ago Today
[New App] FPS Meter Shows Just How Many Frames Per Second You're Getting In Any App (Root Only)
-
17
7 Years Ago Today
Interview With Android UX Lead Matias Duarte: "Google Is Taking Design A Lot More Seriously"
-
1
8 Years Ago Today
ZeptoLab, The Maker Of The Top iOS Game Cut The Rope, Promises An Android Version
-
149
