Google’s Chromecast Will Add Showtime And Sling TV Streams

Yesterday Google unveiled the Chromecast 2.0. There’s also new hardware on board with the new 802.11ac 5GHz WiFi support with three efficient antennas that select the best radio frequency for optimal video streaming performance.

This sort of “open” features will surely make it popular on the long run among people who will want to use the device on their own terms. The new Chromecasts will come in a variety of colors and are the size and shape of a silver dollar. It works with Android and iOS devices, apart from PCs.

It supports the latest Wi-Fi standards and adapts more easily to changing Wi-Fi conditions in your home, so you get higher quality video with less buffering. “If you’re used to using apps on your smartphone then using the Chromecast should be easy, as all the processing and control is done on the phone”. The device can be used with iPhone, iPad, and Android devices, as well as Chromebook, Mac, and Windows laptops.

Chromecast Audio retails for £30 and it is used strictly for audio as the name suggests. For example it shows you what’s trending on apps like ESPN, YouTube, and Netflix among others.

A new feature called “What’s On” from the Chromecast app will allow users to see what is happening in real time, which will be especially useful for live events or TV (Chromecast now supports Sling TV) such as Major League Baseball or NHL games.

The new Chromecast is like the old Chromecast as it still streams media to your TV. The Chromecast Audio will connect to your existing speakers or amplifier through a conventional 3.5mm jack (phono/RCA or optical SPDIF), essentially turning any speaker into a wireless-enabled one. It’s a collaborative approach to photo albums that a few other apps have, but when you have every photo you’ve ever taken in Google Photos…well the experience is superior. In terms of gaming, now developers can render a game on both your smartphone’s screen and your TV, making your mobile device a type of controller or remote for what’s on the display.

Both the new Chromecast and Chromecast Audio go on sale Tuesday for $35 each.