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Vizio works on making its 4K TVs even better in 2019
While many other manufacturers chase new technology with 8K and HDMI 2.1, Vizio is enhancing its 4K TV lineup, starting from the lower-priced V series all the way up to its top-of-the-line P-Series Quantum X. The V series steps in where Vizio's E line of TVs used to reside, with smart TV features, Dolby Vision HDR and up to 16 zones of local dimming, with models ranging from 40- to 75-inches.
Google's Home Hub is more like a Chromecast than an Android tablet
At first glance, Google's new Home Hub looks like any other smart display featuring the company's Assistant platform. It features both voice and touch inputs, giving consumers the option to manually control their smart home, watch YouTube videos and see appointments for the week ahead. However, underneath the hood, Google has done things a little differently. Unlike Lenovo, JBL and LG, Google's Home Hub doesn't run a stripped-down version of Android -- in fact, it's closer to a Chromecast.
Five years later, the Chromecast still holds its own
There aren't many gadgets that I'm still using five years after I buy them, except for maybe a laptop. Even then, that's getting quite long in the tooth given how quickly upgrades arrive these days. Chromecast and Google Cast are still things that I use multiple times a day, every day. When Google introduced the Chromecast in 2013, the company promised to make any TV with an HDMI port a smart display with the combination of a thumb-drive-like dongle and your home WiFi. That it did, but in the months that followed, Google expanded the tech undergirding its TV accessory well beyond that $35 device.
Panasonic SC-GA10 review: A smart speaker that fails to stand out
Alexa and Google Assistant have been taking over homes for a few years now, so it's probably easier to name the companies that haven't made a smart speaker. The options are seemingly endless. Audio gear that harnesses a virtual assistant comes in all shapes and sizes, with some making big claims about the quality of sound they get out of such small devices. Panasonic is doing just that with its $250 SC-GA10; however, the company's promise of "premium hi-fi sound" failed to make a lasting impression.
Westinghouse's 43-inch 4K Android TV set costs $350
Perhaps one of the best developments for tech consumers over the past few years has been the arrival of cheap, surprisingly feature-rich 4K TVs from companies like Vizio. That trend continues this year at CES 2018, as Westinghouse has unveiled a series of 4K models with Android TV starting at just $350. Don't expect miracles in terms of picture quality, but it's definitely a cheap way to get Netflix streaming, smart home control, Google Cast and other features.
More hotels will let you watch your own Netflix
StayCast, a Google Chromecast-powered service for hotels, could fulfill your dream of being able to watch whatever you want to as a guest -- especially now that it's become much easier to get. AT&T has just announced that hotels can get DirectTV HD systems pre-loaded with StayCast, so make sure to look around or ask if you can stream your own stuff if the property offers the carrier's satellite TV service. All you have to do is download the service's Hotel Cast app for iOS and Android and connect to the hotel's WiFi to start streaming your own Netflix, Hulu and other Cast-enabled apps.
Vizio's color-rich M- and P-series 4K TVs go on sale
Vizio's 2017 M-series TVs were intriguing when we saw them in April. In some ways, you're getting better image quality than far more expensive sets. And now, you can give them a try -- the company has started shipping its latest M- and P-series TVs in the US. The mid-range M line is actually more affordable than we first heard: it starts at $700 for a 55-inch model and tops out at a still reasonable $2,500 for a 75-inch variant. The higher-end P-series ranges from $1,000 at 55 inches to $3,500 for 75 inches. As we mentioned earlier in the year, there are some worthwhile upgrades (particularly in the M-series) -- at least, so long as you didn't want that included Android tablet from last year.
Gear VR streams to your TV thanks to Google Cast
For as much fun as you can have donning a VR rig and slipping into a virtual environment these days, it's still pretty awkward to watch as an outside observer. Now that Google has partially solved the VR spectator problem by building Cast into the next version of Daydream, Oculus and Gear VR are joining the party and adding their own support for Google's streaming solution.
Google Cast beams Daydream VR to your TV
As slick as Google's Daydream VR can be at times, there's a simple problem: you can't easily share your experiences with others. That's about to get better. When the Daydream 2.0 Euphrates update arrives, it'll include support for Google Cast -- if you want to share a game or a 360-degree video on your TV (or other video devices), you just have to pick a source and start streaming. You won't usually get the immersive stereoscopic effect, of course, but this could be important for everything from education to social situations.
Chrome casting tweak streams all videos directly to your TV
As a general rule, you send an entire Chrome browser tab to your Chromecast (or other Cast-ready devices) as a last resort. The quality is lousy enough that you only really want to use it when a service doesn't have native casting support, like Amazon Prime Video. Google may soon give you a good reason to use this option more often, though. The latest developer version of Chrome includes rough support for a feature that preserves the quality and performance of video when you cast a tab. If you choose to take a video full screen while casting, the software now sends the video's raw bitstream to your TV. You shouldn't get muddy, stuttering video as your PC struggles to deliver content you don't need to see.
NVIDIA's Shield TV upgrades to 4K for Cast and Google Play movies
Despite all the 4K material NVIDIA's Shield TV can handle, there have still been a few gaps: you couldn't play Google Play Movies & TV content in 4K, for instance, and you definitely couldn't Google Cast the 4K videos of your choice. Thankfully, NVIDIA is plugging those two holes today. An update lets all Shield TV boxes play both the content you Cast and Google Play titles in the ultra-sharp resolution, so you don't have to be quite so picky when looking for material beyond 1080p.
Google Home support coming to LG's Music Flow speakers
LG's Music Flow speakers are based on Google Cast (now "Chromecast built-in") and on its site, LG specifically shows a home with a multi-room setup. Yet, while both Sonos and B&O products work with Google Home and Google Chromecast Multiroom, so far, LG's Google-specific models do not. However, it looks like that's changing soon: An LG representative said on the company's product forums that both Google Multiroom and Home support are coming "before the end of February.
Sony's Chromecast soundbar and sub blast the bass under your sofa
A number of companies have added Google Cast, er, "Chromecast built in," to speakers and soundbars in the last year and Sony has a new model that includes the handy tech for CES. The HT-MT500 is a compact soundbar that pairs with a wireless subwoofer you can slide under your sofa or stand upright near your TV. There's a specific setting for each of those two locations so the sound adjusts accordingly. Spotify Connect is also available on the HT-MT500 and there's a HT-MT300 model for people who don't need to employ that Google tech. It still includes Blueooth and NFC pairing, but you won't get the added benefits of Chromecast.
Sony upgrades its 4K line with Dolby Vision ... and OLED
If you can't beat 'em, use 'em. That seems to be the logic of Panasonic and now Sony, which is announcing its first OLED TV. The XBR-A1E Bravia uses a trick we just heard about from LG Display, which embeds a sound system within the screen itself. That's thanks to the thinness of the OLED panel, which Sony claims makes for an "unmatched visual and aural experience" called Acoustic Surface. The OLED TV will be available in 55-, 65- and 77-inch models.
Altec Lansing's SmartStream speakers are another Sonos alternative
While Sonos remains the go-to option for multi-room audio, a number of companies have debuted similar devices over the last couple of years. 2016 saw the likes of Sony, Vizio and others introduce WiFi-connected speakers that allow you to control music all over your house with a mobile app. At CES, Altec Lansing is pulling the wraps of a trio of speakers that offer the same functionality starting at $99.
Google drops 'Cast' branding in favor of 'Chromecast built-in' (updated)
Has that seemingly ubiquitous Google Cast branding on media devices felt uninspiring, or even a bit confusing? Google might just agree with you. The company has been phasing out the Google Cast name over the course of recent weeks, both for its own products as well as supporting hardware from third parties like Toshiba and Vizio. Instead, it's increasingly referring to embedded streaming technology as "Chromecast built-in." To top things off, Google just renamed its @googlecast Twitter account to @chromecast.
Facebook Video now plays nice with Chromecast and Apple TV
If you've been dying to get Chewbacca Mom on your television, the latest update to Facebook's video product is directed at you. Starting today, you can now send Facebook videos to your nearby Apple TV or Google Chromecast from any web browser or iOS device.
Google's 4K Chromecast emerges in an image leak
Those rumors of a 4K-capable Chromecast dongle just got more substantial. Evan Blass (who has a knack for accurate leaks) has posted an image of what he says is the Chromecast Ultra. The device itself isn't remarkable -- surprise, it's a puck with an HDMI cable attached. However, it might just say a lot about Google's plans. To start, its very existence corroborates talk that Google's October 4th event is about much more than new phones. And notice how it replaces the Chrome logo from earlier Chromecast models with Google's increasingly ubiquitous "G?" That lines up with the logo seen on the back of the company's leaked Pixel phones, as well as test versions of Chromecast firmware. Clearly, Google is aiming for more harmonious hardware branding.
Vizio's SmartCast soundbars don't work well with Spotify for now
Vizio's line of SmartCast soundbars and speakers tout Google Cast for wireless audio streaming from a variety of apps. One of those apps is Spotify, a massively popular music streaming service. Unfortunately, the Cast functionality with that particular library of tunes isn't working like it should. There are a number of posts in both Spotify and Google's forums from users who say Vizio's latest soundbars don't show up as an option for Casting in the streaming app. Spotify's software isn't recognizing the speakers as available gadgets for playing music. Reports of the issue go back as far as late July, over a month after the SmartCast soundbars went on sale.
B&O Play speakers get Google Cast multiroom support
In its battle to cover consumers' homes with connected speakers, B&O recently began outfitting its gear with Google Cast functionality. Operating like a Chromecast does on your TV, the company's speakers can directly pull music from the streaming service you're using instead of either your smartphone or tablet. That's on top of its existing AirPlay, DNLA and Bluetooth support. After initially allowing owners to Cast their music to individual speakers, B&O confirmed today that the technology has been opened up to work seamlessly with the other B&O speakers in their multiroom setup.
