New Chromecast And Why It’s A Game Changer
October 7, 2020
Credit: Google
The original Google Chromecast, which was launched in 2013, helped us reimagine how we streamed content. Besides being able to support multiple devices, it helped breath new life into aging dumb TVs. Instead of rushing out to buy a Smart TV to enjoy your online content, purchasing a humble Chromecast was a more cost effective alternative.
Over the years, Google has refined its little streaming device, with better support for apps and increased resolution. Other than that, everything else remained unchanged. This stagnancy, forced many to abandon the platform in pursuit of one that offered more flexibility and choices. The Roku and Fire were much better at this.
But now, the new Google Chromecast with Google TV, runs Android, and is capable of connecting to Bluetooth controllers and other peripherals. And because it runs a full fledged OS, the device has its own interactive UI that pulls contents from various supported streaming apps and pools them together in a concise and ‘easy to navigate’ format.
Users still have the ability to use their smartphones as the controller or to select shows (It’s still the best option, in my opinion), but Google have now included a dedicated remote. And with it, you can access the Google Assistant, navigate through the UI control other devices. It is meant to be the all-in-one remote control.
The availability of cross-platform streaming shows make the new Chromecast the most appealing device for content consumption. It aims to be the ‘one-stop-shop’ solution for the WFH crowd, combining work and play features into a single puck-shaped device. In addition to this, Google Stadia support will also be available later next year.
This means that instead having a dedicated streaming box, gaming console and PC, the Chromecast with Google TV combines all those functions into a single unit. It can be used to play the most demanding AAA gaming titles, stream media on Netflix and share content from various devices. It’s poised to ‘declutter’ and take over you’re entire living room.
