A new Nexus 7 and Android 4.3 weren't enough for Google, the tech giant also introduced a new online video viewing solution called Chromecast.
The 2-inch dongle will cost $ 35 (about £22, AU$ 38) and serves as a way to bring online content to the box in your living room. Google focused heavily on YouTube (duh), but Chromecast also works with Google Play Movies & TV, Google Play Music and Netflix.
Greater app support is coming soon, the G-team noted , including putting Pandora in the Chromecast corner.
Once Chromecast is plugged in, users are able to go to a supported app, press a new Cast button, and pull the video from the cloud to their television set.
Chromecast is available for order in the U.S. starting today through Google Play, with Best Buy stores selling the dongle on July 28. It's expected to be available in other countries in the coming weeks. Early purchasers will get three months of Netflix free, a pretty sweet deal if you need to catch up on House of Cards.
Update: Chromecast is seemingly off to a rousing start. While initially U.S. shipping dates were given as 1-2 days, that's now been pushed out to Aug. 7, or two weeks.
Chromecasting stones
Chromecast works with smartphones, tablets and laptops. It runs a simplified version of the Chrome OS, and features full device playback.
While it plugs into your TV via an HDMI port, it does require an external USB power adapter to juice up. The Wi-Fi packing insert max output video resolution is 1080p, and Chromecast is CEC compatible. But enough of the dry details, here's Google's first promo video for Chromecast:
Get the idea?
Chromecast lets users continue to use their device while a video is in session, clutch if you need to text a buddy about the trick slam dunk you just witnessed or shoot off an email. You can also search for videos without breaking your viewing.
Google is keenly aware that not everyone has an Android device, so Chromecast will work on iOS, Chrome, Mac OS 10.7 and higher and Windows 7 and up.
A feature that's still in beta is the option to project Chrome directly to your TV. The demo onstage at Google's event was shown using a "standard" Windows 8 laptop, while projected photos and videos pulled up via Chrome onto a TV screen.
There is a Google Cast SDK going up today for Windows, Chrome for Mac and Chrome OS. Google's aim is to create a cohesive Chromecast experience over time, allowing devs to create a high-quality multi-screen experience.
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