The Chromecast is a media streaming device from Google, allowing you to play your favorite content from Netflix, Spotify, Google Play Music, Pandora, and countless other services on your television. The device is a small HDMI dongle, and retails for $35.
In April of 2020, Google lowered the quality of Ambient mode on Chromecast and Assistant Smart Displays to save bandwidth in response to COVID-19’s work from home (WFH) surge, and these changes are now being reverted.
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Back in December, Google made official a YouTube app on the Cast-powered Chromecast that can be controlled by a remote on your phone, but a bug is causing desktop Chrome users to also see the new UI.
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As we reported at the start of this year, a tentatively named “Chromecast HD with Google TV” is in the works. It will presumably be cheaper than the existing $49.99 dongle and be closer in price to the $29.99 Chromecast. Once that new device launches, one interesting question is whether Google will still sell a streamer that is powered by its original Cast operating system?
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It seems that Google’s music service, YouTube Music, is currently experiencing issues with casting music to Chromecast, Google TV, and Android TV devices.
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Following yesterday’s announcement of changes to Speaker Groups and Assistant device set-up, Google has started to update its devices and applications. The latest version of the Google Home app no longer lets you use a phone’s physical volume button on the Media screen/player.
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Since the start of this year, Google has been testing a new YouTube app/experience for the regular Chromecast. The new YouTube Cast app looks to be widely rolled out for the 3rd-gen Chromecast and Ultra this week.
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Google’s updated Nest Cam products come with several advantages such as offline storage, battery power, and lower prices. However, they also come with some frustrating problems including the current lack of support for streaming Nest Cam video to Chromecast or Android TV.
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Since March of this year, we’ve been tracking a brand new Cast experience for YouTube on regular, non-Google TV-powered Chromecast dongles. It looks like the YouTube app on Android TV with better remote control options and is now rolling out to more users.
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Spotify has a lot of great features, but one of its best and most unique is Connect, a method of keeping the same listening session synced across all of your devices. Unfortunately, what seems like a bug is breaking Spotify Connect in multiple ways when using Google Assistant or Chromecast devices.
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At the start of the year, the Nest Hub and Nest Hub Max started playing a new sound following a successful Casting connection, and that updated chime is now appearing on Google Home and Nest speakers.
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2020 saw some major streaming launches with HBO Max, Peacock, and the first full year of Disney+, too. Now, the latest major option is arriving with Paramount+, and it’s available today on Chromecast, Google TV, Android TV, and Android smartphones.
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If you are looking to improve your home media setup and want a streaming stick or dongle, then you’ll no doubt be aware of the Chromecast series of devices, but which is right for you? Let’s simplify with our easy-to-follow Chromecast Buyer’s Guide for 2021.
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In general, there are two ways to Cast content on desktop Chrome. The browser can send your current window, or some services feature a native capability that just transfers the video stream to a bigger screen. YouTube TV’s web app used to have the latter Cast functionality, but it’s now gone due to a bug.
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When you Cast to a Smart Display or speaker, Google plays a tone to confirm the transfer. Google is now changing that beep to be softer on the latest Nest Hub preview firmware.
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2020 saw the debut of multiple streaming juggernauts and as the first week of 2021 begins, another new service is arriving. Discovery+ is now available and you can watch on Android, Chromecast with Google TV, Android TV, and more.
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Rounded corners are a common part of mobile devices, but they’re definitely not something you want on a TV. Recently, though, a bizarre bug on Chromecast devices caused rounded corners to appear.
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The time has come to kick back and enjoy the brand new Made by Google cohort. To celebrate the first-ever “Launch Night In,” Google sent out some special surprise kits to select media and influencers. But just what comes inside? How about we unbox the special Chromecast kit and go hands-on.
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With the launch of iOS 14 yesterday, Apple introduced a number of privacy changes. One of them relates to how Chromecast works, with Google advising users to grant apps the iOS 14 Local Network permission and developers to upgrade.
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In addition to the Home app seeing a rather big update today, Google announced today that photo galleries on Nest Hubs and other Smart Displays, as well as Chromecasts, will soon include date and location information.
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Video conferences are a daily part of life for millions of workers as the COVID-19 pandemic continues on, and today Google is announcing a big new feature for Meet. Starting today, Google Meet works with Chromecast devices up on your TV.
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Live TV streaming services are a big deal nowadays, though most are raising prices constantly. Philo TV is one of the most affordable at just $20/month, and now it’s adding support for Chromecast.
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Google’s Chromecast has been one of the most popular streaming devices ever, but it doesn’t get major updates too often. This week, Google has detailed a handy update coming to Chromecast devices that offers more reliable controls and persistent volume.
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After many, many years, you can now initiate a Chromecast stream from the Spotify app for desktop. You’ve long been able to control Chromecast streams that were initiated from the iOS and Android apps (via Spotify Connect), but now you can initiate those streams directly from your Windows or Mac desktop.
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Google’s Chromecast streamer is a pretty easy way to get content up on the big screen, but running into errors can sometimes require a quick reset. Here’s how to fully reset every type of Chromecast.
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