Chromecast
Latest
JBL's first Dolby Atmos soundbar has detachable speakers
Ahead of CES this week, JBL has unveiled its first Dolby Atmos-compatible soundbar. The JBL Bar 9.1 features four Dolby Atmos drivers that point upwards to bounce audio around the room.
Google Assistant can now stream Hulu to your Chromecast and Nest Hub
If you own a Chromecast, TV with Chromecast built-in or Google smart display, you'll soon be able to ask Assistant to play and control content from Hulu. The update, first spotted by Android Police, is currently rolling out to the Google Home app, according to a statement from the search giant.
Walmart's best Black Friday deals: Roku, Oculus, Instant Pot and more
Fighting a crowd the day after Thanksgiving isn't for everyone. If you'd rather avoid the chaos and shop from the comforts of home, we've got you covered. Walmart revealed its Black Friday deals already, a mix of gadgets for gaming, TV streaming and more. There are also lucrative gift card offers when you buy a new phone, and that amount can increase if you have a worthy trade-in. We've listed the links to current product pages below. The deals go live online at 10PM ET on Wednesday, November 27th and they'll be available in-store on Thanksgiving Day at 6PM local time (except for the phone offer).
Vizio is updating SmartCast TVs to stream Disney+ via Chromecast
Vizio is promising Android users that they'll be able to beam Disney+ to their SmartCast TVs by the end of the year. Currently, iOS users can cast the Disney+ app to the TV using AirPlay 2. But Android users were left in the dark. Now, Vizio says it will roll out a Chromecast update beginning in early December. That will allow Android users to cast the Disney+ app to their Vizio SmartCast TVs via the built-in Chromecast.
Google's Files app now streams local media to your Chromecast
Google just made it decidedly easier to beam your personal media collection to your Chromecast device of choice. An updated version of the Files by Google app includes long-in-the-making support for playing your audio, photos and videos on any Chromecast-capable device, whether it's a speaker, smart display or TV. You only have to dive into a section containing media and choose a target. After that, you'll have on-screen playback controls to steer the action from your phone.
Google demos Stadia UI and lists several missing launch features
In a run-up to the November 19th Stadia launch, Google did a Reddit AMA showing how game casting will work for the streaming service. Stadia Director of Product Andrey Doronichev and publisher lead Beri Lee also revealed all the things that will be missing at launch, and unfortunately, it's a laundry list. That include support for existing Chromecast Ultra devices (you'll need a firmware update that will be delivered after launch), family sharing, game-sharing features like Crowd Play and more.
Google streamlines music transfers between Home and Nest devices
Moving music between different Google Home and Nest devices has been a convoluted process for a while now, but Google is at long last making it easier to do just that. The company is introducing a new feature called stream transfer that allows you to ask Assistant to move music and podcasts between different Chromecast, Google Home and Nest devices. One example the company gives is, "Hey Google, move the music to the living room speaker."
Apple Music for Android finally works with Chromecast
Apple's been busy adding new elements to Music, including a dark mode and real-time lyrics. Now, one of the most frequently-requested features finally has support: the music streaming service on Android now works with Chromecast. After becoming available with the beta version last month, the feature has now rolled out to the stable app, and users can start listening to music through Chromecast devices soon.
The first Braun speakers in 28 years are unexpectedly modern
When the news broke in July that Braun Audio's speaker line was making a comeback, pretty much everyone at Engadget was immediately hooked. Thanks to a deal with Proctor & Gamble, Pure Audio now has the rights to the iconic speaker name. While many of us expected a similar aesthetic to the Dieter Rams-designed devices from 1959, Pure is taking a decidedly modern approach with the revival of the LE line. They still have a minimalist look, but have been entirely redesigned both inside and out. This means that all the modern features are along for the ride. And it means the company is taking direct aim at Sonos.
B&O's first soundbar packs Dolby Atmos, Chromecast and AirPlay 2
Bang & Olufsen isn't waiting for IFA to share its news for the week. The high-end audio and television company is using Venice Biennale, an annual arts exhibition in Italy to reveal its latest product: the Beosound Stage. Believe it or not, this is actually B&O's first soundbar. The company does have the Beosound 35 which it debuted at CES 2016. However, despite its look, that aluminum-wrapped speaker was designed for music rather than complimenting your TV.
Apple Music for Android works with Chromecast devices in the latest beta
Good news for Apple Music users on Android: the music streaming service now works with Chromecast displays and speakers. The feature is available through the latest beta of the app.
Google's first-gen Chromecast will no longer receive major updates
The Chromecast is a simple device that does exactly one thing and does it well. Six years after its debut in 2013, the original Chromecast is still useful, even after the Chromecast Audio came and went, and the introduction of the more powerful Chromecast Ultra.
Disney+ will have apps for iOS, Apple TV, Android and Xbox One
The debut of Disney's highly anticipated streaming service, Disney+, is almost here. But, leading up to the November 12th launch date, the company is starting to share more details about it. Today we're learning about how you'll be able to watch content on Disney+, which includes new original series like The Mandalorian, every season of The Simpsons and Disney's entire movie library. And while we knew Disney was planning to bring Disney+ to "your favorite" smart TVs, phones, laptops, tablets and gaming consoles, the only devices it had actually named were Roku and Sony's Playstation 4. Now, in addition to those, Disney's making it official that Disney+ will support iOS, Apple TV, Android, Android TV, Google Chromecast and Xbox One at launch.
Sennheiser Ambeo Soundbar review: A full bag of tricks
Sennheiser has spread the gospel of its Ambeo tech for years. The broad pitch is incredibly immersive audio for AR, VR and your living room. As far as consumers are concerned, though, Ambeo is just a headset that records 3D audio and headphones for Magic Leap. At CES 2018, Sennheiser revealed it was cramming the technology inside a soundbar, so we could all use it for a more common activity: watching TV. It took the company another year and a half to release the $2,500 Ambeo Soundbar, and the wait was mostly worth it.
Google's $10 Stadia Pro plan includes one free game per month
During a Reddit "Ask me Anything" session, Director of Product Andrey Doronichev dished some more details about Google's Stadia online gaming service coming in November. Questions covered number of subjects, from social features to technical details to Google's commitment to the platform. Perhaps the most pertinent thing that Google revealed, however, is how the Stadia Pro subscription will work and what you'll get.
Amazon Prime Video finally works with Chromecast and Android TV
Here's proof that Google and Amazon have truly buried the hatchet: Prime Video is finally available on Mountain View's streaming devices. The two tech giants ended their streaming video spat in April, paving the way for their services to become available on each other's hardware products. That means you can now cast Good Omens or The Man in the High Castle from the Prime Video app to screens bigger than your phone or laptop using Chromecast devices (or Chromecast built-in) or play the shows through the application on an Android-powered smart TV.
Roku continues to dominate TV streaming in the US
It's no secret that Roku has many devotees, but how big is its lead in the TV streaming world, really? Quite large, according to Strategy Analytics -- and importantly, growing. The analyst firm's latest sales research indicates that Roku is expanding its dominance in the US, with over 41 million active media streaming devices (about 15.2 percent of the market) under its belt. That's a 36 percent advantage over the next-closest platform, Sony's PlayStation line.
Google and Amazon end their ridiculous streaming video spat
Google and Amazon haven't historically been the best of friends, at least when it comes to their respective streaming video services. Amazon's Prime Video app hasn't worked with Google's Chromecast or Android TV devices, while YouTube was pulled from Amazon's Fire TV in late 2017. Well, there's good news for fans of both ecosystems: the Google / Amazon Cold War is thawing. YouTube will be available on Amazon's Fire TV devices in the coming months, and Amazon Prime video will work with Chromecast and Android TV devices as well. A Google spokesperson told Engadget that the main YouTube app is coming first, but YouTube TV and YouTube Kids will follow afterwards.
What we're buying: Google's discontinued Chromecast Audio
In this week's IRL, Senior Editor Terrence O'Brien sings the praises of Chromecast Audio, which Google killed off in January. But that doesn't mean he's giving up on it. On the contrary, it's now more precious to him than ever.
Apple Music code hints at Chromecast support
Whether or not Apple Music is coming to Google Home, there are signs you might get to use it with some Google-powered devices. The 9to5Google team has found multiple lines of code in Apple Music's Android app that reference Chromecast support, including some added through recent updates. While there's no guarantee this would be implemented any time soon, it suggests you could soon pipe Apple's latest Drake exclusive to a compatible Chromecast dongle, speaker, smart display or TV.
