Chromecast with Google TV Archives - Gizmochina

Google TV will get support for multiple user profiles starting next month

Habeeb Onawole — Mon, 11 Oct 2021 14:23:51 +0000

When you open up Netflix, you get get a splash page that shows the different profiles available. It is a pretty neat feature, one that Android TV (and Google TV) users have wanted for ages. Google has now revealed that personalized profiles a.k.a. multi-user support will be coming to Google TV starting next month.

Last year, Google stated that support for multiple user profiles was one of the top features on its mind but it didn’t say when the feature will be available. However, it revealed back then that it was working on a Kids Profile which began rolling out to users in March of this year.

According to The Verge, they have been informed by a Google spokesperson that multiple user support with individual profiles will be available next month starting with the Chromecast with Google TV and TCL and Sony TVs powered by Google TV. With individual profiles, recommendations, watchlists, and even Google Assistant help will be personalized. Google has also revealed that downloaded apps and credentials can be used across profiles. There is no mention of profiles coming to Android TV.

Apart from personalized profiles, Google will also roll out a separate feature called “glanceable cards”. These are small information cards that are displayed when the TV is idle. Users will see personalized information such as news, weather, and sports in addition to shortcuts to photos and podcasts.

The source also mentioned that the new mobile remote app for Google TV which was announced last month for Android will be added to the Google Home app for Android and iOS soon.

The Realme 4K Google TV Stick beats the Chromecast with Google TV with this singular feature

Habeeb Onawole — Mon, 20 Sep 2021 09:05:40 +0000

Realme will announce its first TV streaming stick this week. The device will launch as the Realme 4K Google TV Stick and it will run Google TV out of the box, making it the second portable streaming device that runs Google TV. When Realme’s streaming dongle arrives, it will come with a feature that puts it ahead of Google’s own portable streaming device, the Chromecast with Google TV.

One common user complaint of streaming dongles such as the Mi TV Stick and the Chromecast with Google TV is their abysmal storage capacity. Both aforementioned streaming devices have just 8GB of onboard storage, of which less than that is user-accessible out of the box. What is worse is that there is no cheap way to add extra storage.

The result of this meagre storage capacity is having insufficient space after installing a few apps. Users have to uninstall apps or games before they can install new ones or even update old ones. Yes, once you have insufficient storage, it is almost impossible to install an update for an app.

Realme is changing that with its own Google TV stick which has been reported will have 16GB of onboard storage, double that of the Chromecast with Google TV. While users will have less than 16GB of storage out of the box, we presume there will be at least 12GB of user-accessible storage space, more than double the 5GB of storage available out of the box on the Chromecast with Google TV.

At the moment, we don’t know how much the Realme 4K Google TV Stick will cost. It most likely will sell for higher than ₹2,999 (~$40), the price tag of the Mi TV Stick in India, which has an output of 1080p. However, there are reports Realme’s device will be priced under ₹5000 (~$68). For context, the Chromecast with Google TV is sold for $50 which converts to about ₹3685. If it were sold in India, it would cost more than that.

Will you purchase the Realme 4K Google TV Stick when it launches?

India to get a special Chromecast with Google TV

Habeeb Onawole — Thu, 12 Aug 2021 21:55:09 +0000

The Chromecast with Google TV streaming dongle was announced last year. The device is sold in multiple countries, but if you live in India, you can’t get your hands on one as Google didn’t launch it there. And it appears it has no plans to do so. However, a new leak has revealed that India will be getting a special Chromecast With Google TV.

The info was revealed by the YouTuber Ustav Techie on Twitter earlier today. According to him, Google is bringing three new products to India. First, he mentions the Google Nest is coming this year but doesn’t specify which Nest product. However, we found out that the Google India store already lists the new Nest Cam (Battery) as coming soon. So this might be the product he is referring to.

As of now 3 Google Products are coming to India @madebygoogle

1) Google Nest finally coming to India this year

2) Pixel Buds (Yes)

3) Special Chromecast stick with Google TV ( Made For India)

Google India is still deciding the Pixel 6

— Utsav Techie (@utsavtechie) August 12, 2021

Next on the list is the Pixel Buds. Google already discontinued the Pixel Buds, so this is most likely the $99 Pixel Buds A announced in June.

Last is the special Chromecast with Google TV made for India. There are no details about this device and what makes it different from the model released last year. However, there seems to be some truth to the statement considering that a new Google streaming device was recently approved by the FCC.

pixle 5a is 100% not coming to India

Pixel 6 is still not went in production till now

— Utsav Techie (@utsavtechie) August 12, 2021

The leaker also mentioned that Google is still undecided about the Pixel 6 coming to India but mentions in the replies that the Pixel 5a will not be launched in the country.

We expect more details about the launch and features of these new devices will surface in the weeks leading up to their launch, so keep your eyes peeled.

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Google Stadia arrives on the Chromecast with Google TV and Android TV OS devices

Habeeb Onawole — Wed, 23 Jun 2021 21:48:36 +0000

After months of waiting Google has finally brought Stadia to the Chromecast with Google TV. If you don’t have Google’s streaming stick, you can also experience the game streaming service “on officially supported Android TV OS devices”.

Google had revealed earlier this month that it was going to bring the game streaming service to its the latest Chromecast device today, thus allowing owners to play on their TV. It has kept its promise as the service is now available.

However, while the service may now be available for you, you won’t be able to play unless you have the official Stadia Controller or a compatible third-party controller. Google has revealed that some supported controllers that work via Bluetooth and USB connectivity include the PlayStation DualShock 4, the Xbox One Controller, and Xbox Adaptive Controller. The Xbox One Elite Controller and Xbox 360 Controller work only via USB. If you have a Bluetooth controller not listed, you can try it as it may also work. Unfortunately, you can’t use a keyboard and mouse to play.

The Stadia App is already listed on the Google Play Store. You can install it remotely from your PC or fire up the Play Store app on your TV to install it. You can also grab the APK from APKMirror.

Stadia will arrive on Android TV and Chromecast with Google TV this month

Habeeb Onawole — Mon, 07 Jun 2021 20:04:45 +0000

When Google announced its streaming TV stick, the Chromecast with Google TV, it was expected that it will come bundled with Stadia, its game streaming service. To everyone’s disappointment, that was not the case. More than eight months later, it has now been announced that the service is coming, not only to Google’s dongle but to a handful of Android TV devices this month.

As reported by The Verge, Stadia will arrive on the Chromecast with Google TV on June 23. There are also some Android TV devices such as the Nvidia Shield TV, Walmart’s Onn streaming devices, some Philips and Hisense TVs, and two Mi Box models. Below is the full list:

Hisense Android Smart TVs (U7G, U8G, U9G)
Nvidia Shield TV and Nvidia Shield TV Pro
Onn. FHD Streaming Stick and Onn. UHD Streaming Device
Philips 8215, 8505, and OLED 935 / 805 Series Android TVs
Xiaomi Mi Box 3 and Mi Box 4 (Mi Box S)

It is surprising that the list is pretty short but according to the press release, these are the devices that are officially supported. Owners of other devices can opt into experimental support to play, though there is a chance it may not as smoothly as on officially supported devices. To play, a Bluetooth controller or the official Stadia Controller is required.

Google Stadia is a game streaming service that allows users to play games instantly including AAA titles over an internet connection without the need for a console or a gaming PC and without needing to download the game. The service is already available on Android, PCs, and iOS devices.

Google begins the roll out of Kids Profiles feature to Chromecast with Google TV

Habeeb Onawole — Mon, 08 Mar 2021 14:48:50 +0000

Last month, we reported that Google was working on a Kids Profile for its Chromecast with Google TV streaming device. Today, the feature has been officially announced.

The new feature allows parents/guardians to create personal profiles for their kids/wards, thus separating their content from that of the rest of the older inhabitants in the home. However, separation of content is not the only thing you are getting.

Parents will be able to choose which apps they want to make available for a kid’s profile. Just like the regular profile, kids will get feature rows with recommendations from their apps. Google says access to shows and movies that have been purchased on another device can be shared with kids via the Google Play Family Library.

Parenting in the age of tech can be That’s why we're starting to roll out kids profiles on #Chromecast with Google TV that are designed to make it easy to choose from a selection of family-friendly apps and set daily watch limits for your kids. https://t.co/ChZ55zQoWh pic.twitter.com/o33f0MAStY

— Made By Google (@madebygoogle) March 8, 2021

Google has made it possible to customize each profile you create. There are themes that are designed to appeal to kids, and in the coming weeks, there will be avatars available so you can choose a profile picture for your child. It will be nice if it were possible to add a photo of your child.

Another feature that the Kids Profiles brings is Screen Time Management. Parents will be able to manage screen time by setting daily watch limits and a bedtime schedule. Shortly before the screentime is up, Google says that three countdown warnings will be displayed on the screen before a final Time is Up Screen appears and ends their watch time. You will be able to add extra watching time if you want. Last but not least is a profile lock via a PIN that prevents your child from accessing your profile.

Kids Profiles will begin rolling out first in the US this month and then globally over the next few months.

No multi-user support yet but Chromecast with Google TV will get a Kids Profile

Habeeb Onawole — Sat, 13 Feb 2021 16:43:20 +0000

One of the major complaints of users of Android TV is the lack of multiple users support. This means that all the favorite content of a household with multiple users are mashed together. Folks expected Google to address the issue with the launch of Google TV but that wasn’t the case. Now, it has been reported that the Chromecast with Google TV will be getting a Kids Profile soon.

Chromecast with Google TV

This is technically not multi-user support but it means parents or guardians will be able to create a separate interface for kids. With a separate profile for kids, parents will be able to restrict kids from certain content that would otherwise be accessible via the main profile.

The news of a Kids Profile for the device was posted in a support thread by a Google spokesperson, reports XDA-Developers. The statement said that the feature should begin rolling out to users “in the next month (or so)”. It also adds that the feature will allow a safe space to be created for kids in Google TV.

Parents or guardians will be able to choose what apps should be made available to kids, however, there will be some default apps such as YouTube Kids. The Kids Profile will require a PIN if a user wants to exit it. This is to prevent kids from accessing a parent or guardian’s account.

Hi Rob, thanks for reaching out. Regarding multiple user profiles in Chromecast with Google TV, not at this time, but it’s top of mind for us. We are unable to share details on our road-map. Stay tuned to our social media channels for news and updates.

— Google Nest (@googlenest) October 11, 2020

Google still plans to bring multi-user support to the Chromecast with Google TV. Last October, it said in a reply to a user’s tweet that the feature was a top priority for them but didn’t say when to expect it. We hope it arrives soon and is made available to devices running Android TV too.

Voice Remote for Chromecast with Google TV now available for $19.99

Habeeb Onawole — Tue, 17 Nov 2020 02:00:55 +0000

The Chromecast with Google TV was announced about six weeks ago for a price tag of $49.99. The streaming device, which comes with a new interface different from that of Android TV, is bundled with a voice remote. Now, Google has put up a listing on the Google Store for those who want to pick up a replacement remote.

Yes, a replacement because there is no reason why anyone would want to buy an extra remote if the one that ships with the device still works. The Voice Remote for Chromecast with Google TV is priced at $19.99 and comes in the same three color options as the dongle. Google will also ship the remote with batteries included which also match the color of the remote.

Alongside the listing is a spec sheet that reveals an important feature of the remote we didn’t know before. First spotted by Android Police, the spec sheet says that the voice remote has an accelerometer inside.

This is quite surprising as Google never stated that the remote comes has an accelerometer sensor when the device was announced. An accelerometer detects the position of a device in space which is why phones with the sensor can tell if you are holding it in landscape or portrait mode. There are speculations that with the sensor, the remote will be able to tell when it is picked up and maybe wake up the TV if it’s in screensaver mode.

The remote also has an IR sensor so you can use it to control the TV, soundbar, or receiver. It connects via Bluetooth and weighs 63 grams. You can order yours from the US Google Store.

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Google pledges to make Plastic-free Packaging for all of its products by 2025

Balaji S — Tue, 27 Oct 2020 18:49:59 +0000

After the success of using recycled materials as planned on its products, Google is taking yet another leap. This time, it says the amount of recycled materials will increase, and come with plastic-free packaging by 2025.

Google explains its new sustainable development goals in a blog post(via XDADevelopers). It says, it has hit the target of using recycled materials on all of google products by 2022, two years earlier. As per Google, Pixel 5 is made of 100% recycled aluminum. The company says the mined aluminum in the enclosure lowers waste, and carbon footprint by 35% compared to Virgin aluminum. Furthermore, Nest products like the Nest Audio and Nest Thermostat have 70% including acoustic fabric and 75% recycled plastics respectively but doesn’t mention Chromecast with Google TV.

As a part of the new plan, all of Google’s hardware products will have 50% recycled plastics by 2025. It adds that this goal is well beyond the industry standards. And to achieve this, it’s going to use recycled materials to the maximum possible limits. Google also feels that waste generated after manufacturing should be sustainable. And hence, it is perpetrating to achieve UL 2799 Zero Waste to Landfill Certification at all final assembly sites by 2022.

The certification indicates that a company is effectively recycling a vast majority of waste from the operations. However, the most highlight of all is the packaging. The company is planning to ship its products to&fro safely whilst maintaining 100% carbon neutral packaging. Simply put, by 2025, it’s plans to make the entire packaging plastic-free and 100% recyclable.

That said, it’s going to be a long road for Google as it tackles the Logistics issues through a lot of hard work. Apart from planning to partner with suppliers, Google has reportedly invested in bringing sustainability to all of its products including operations. And its communities.

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Chromecast with Google TV launches for $49.99; Nest Audio speaker tags along for $99

Habeeb Onawole — Wed, 30 Sep 2020 19:22:31 +0000

At the Launch Night In online event today, Google announced two new products for the home. The first is the Chromecast With Google TV which is the first device to run Google TV and the second product is the Nest Audio smart speaker.

Chromecast with Google TV

While this device has Chromecast in its name, it is actually a streaming TV ~~stick~~ dongle. So it is going up against the Amazon Fire TV Stick line, the Xiaomi Mi TV Stick, and Roku’s streaming dongles.

Chromecast with Google TV brings a new UI called Google TV. Unlike Android TV which lists contents from apps such as Netflix and Prime Video, Google TV combines content from all the sources available. So on a row, you can have movies from Netflix, Hulu, HBO Max, and Prime Video. It doesn’t matter if you don’t have a subscription from all three, those you can’t watch will have a padlock icon.

Chromecast with Google TV also has Live TV available via YouTube TV, and a recommendations tab that is based on your subscription, viewing history, and your own content. Of course, there is support for casting from compatible devices. When not in use, the device will show a slideshow of your favorite photos from your Google Photos library.

The remote has a Google Assistant button which you can use to search for shows and movies and also use to control your connected smart home devices. You can even view the feed from your Nest camera on the TV.

Chromecast with Google TV is priced at $49.99 and comes in Snow, Sunrise, and Sky. It is available for purchase already in the US and will be available in more countries by the end of the year. Google also revealed during the launch that Google TV will be made available for more Android TV streaming devices but we don’t know how soon.

Nest Audio

The Nest Audio smart speaker is the spiritual successor to the original Google Home smart speaker. However, unlike the Nest Mini which has the same design as the Google Home Mini, the Nest Audio speaker has a different design.

The speaker is wrapped in fabric and comes in five colors – Chalk, Charcoal, Sage, Sand, and Sky. Google says the enclosure is made from 70% recycled plastic. It has a 75 mm woofer and a 19 mm tweeter for loud and crisp audio. It even adapts to your environment and what you are listening too. An example is news and audiobooks which sound clearer and differently from music.

Of course, there is Google Assistant which means you can ask it to play podcasts, audiobooks, and more from various platforms. You can also set reminders, ask questions about the weather, and control smart home devices. You can also pair speakers together and move playback from room to room.

If you have a Nest Aware subscription, the speaker will send you an alert when it detects sounds such as the breaking of glass or the sound of the smoke alarm. There is a button at the back to turn off the microphone and you can ask the assistant to delete what you just said by saying “Hey Google, delete what I just said”.

The speaker is powered by a quad-core A53 processor clocked at 1.8GHz. It supports dual-band Wi-Fi and its power rating is 30W.

The Nest Audio smart speaker is priced at $99, lesser than the launch price of the Google Home. It will be available starting October 5 in 21 countries.

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