Part of the allure of owning a Google Chromecast is that it's so easy to use. Pop it into a television's HDMI port and connect via Wi-Fi. Simple as that.
The thumb drive-like stick is unnoticeable behind one's television yet offers the same capabilities of Apple TV a fraction of the cost. It's a simplistic way of turning your tablet or smartphone into a remote control without using your Xbox One as a media hub. At first glance, it didn't look like Google could do much to improve media streaming.
On Tuesday they did, introducing two new Chromecast devices that aim to improve the home theatre experience in a seamless and inexpensive way.
Google's new Chromecast, which is already available in the Google Store, rings in at $35, the exact same price as its predecessor and well below Apple's $149-199 price tag on updated versions of their Apple TV and comes in three colors: coral, black, and lemonade. Above that, Chromecast 2.0 serves as type of search engine capable of searching for your favorite movie or TV show by the sound of your voice.
For example, say you want to revisit season of Breaking Bad. Chromecast's universal search function not only looks through the Google Play Store, it scans Netflix, Hulu, Amazon or any other services you may have. The revamped app also features a "What's On" tab that finds trending content, and a the new "fast play" option that predicts what you watch next, much like Netflix.
As for the gaming portion of the device - and, yes, there is a gaming aspect to it - Google announced a special version of "Angry Birds" slated to be released later this year. According to WIRED, the popular mobile game is controlled through your phone while the streams to your television.
Chromecast Audio, Google's second grandiose revelation on Tuesday, is what will make wireless speaker makers obsolete.
Much like the new Chromecasts connect to a television via Wi-Fi, Chromecast Audio does the same through streaming music apps like Google Play and Spotify. The best part is they don't need Bluetooth-enabled speakers to function. You can use the ones your parents used for their vinyl record player by connecting the black, quarter-sized device to speakers using the provided 3.5 mm-to-3.5 mm cable.
A bigger draw, aside from selling for $35 - or $350 less than a Sonos system - is improved sound quality over Bluetooth. Using Wi-Fi allows users to move freely without fear of dead air. By year's end, Google hopes to expand on the technology by releasing a multi-room audio feature.
Chromecast Audio is available for purchase in the Google Store. No word on when it, or the new Chromecast, will hit in-store retailers.
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