In Spain smart televisions have become one of the most sought-after pieces of technology. Despite that, there is still a lot of silly gadgets, so to speak, that work perfectly.
New Chromecast with Google TV: features, price …Google has presented its new Chromecast, the first with a remote control, Android TV and support for the new Google TV platform.
For them, Google introduced the original Chromecast many years ago, but in 2020 the idea has evolved by adding neither more nor less than Android TV.
We have spent a few days testing the new Chromecast with Google TV and these are our impressions.
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Chromecast features with Google TV
- Processor: Amlogic S905X3 1.9 GHz quad-core Cortex-A53 with Mali-450 GPU
- RAM: 2 GB
- Memory:8GB eMMC
- Operating system: Android TV 10
- Output resolution: 4K 60 Hz
- Connectivity:
- Bluetooth 4.2
- Dolby Audio and DTS Surround Sound
- Dual-Band Wi-Fi
- HDMI (2.0a)
- USB-C port
- Others:Google Assistant
- Remote control: with Bluetooth and support for voice commands
For lack of colors it will not be …
One of the most striking aspects of this new device is being able to buy it in various colors. We have model White, one light blue and one pale pink. If we look at the remote controls, we can understand that Google wanted to give them a certain aesthetic, but we were surprised to see that the receiving device itself is also the same color. And batteries. Yes, the batteries included for the remote control are the same color as the one we have chosen for the Chromecast.
The set is still exceptionally simple, with an HDMI port for connecting to the TV and a USB C input for connecting the charger, which is included in the box. We have a physical button to restart the device and a remote control that we will talk about next.
A very comfortable and responsive controller
Take it backwards: this will happen to you many times
For the first time Google has launched a Chromecast with a remote control. This is quite logical since instead of being a mere support for the mobile phone, this device can work completely independently and for that we need a control system.
We can install the android tv app our mobile and use it as a remote control, but it is much more comfortable to use a physical device with buttons, as we do with any television.
The remote has the normal buttons to control Android, a crosshead with a central execution button similar to that of the controls of other devices such as a DVD player or televisions and a button with a slightly different shape, which serves to launch the voice assistant.
In addition, at the bottom it has a button expressly dedicated to opening Netflix and another to opening YouTube. And on the right side we have two buttons that control the volume.
It is important to note that in the process of configuring the tutorial itself we are invited to configure the remote to be able to turn the television on and off as well as control the volume, something tremendously useful to avoid having to depend on a second remote control.
More fluid than expected
In recent months and years I have had the opportunity to test various devices with Android TV, from set top boxes to televisions. Something that is very noticeable is the amount of RAM that different manufacturers implement.
I say this because it shows, for good, the 2 GB of RAM that Google has implemented in the new Chromecast, although the 8 GB internal memory may fall short to install heavy games. In fact, almost half is occupied by the system.
Of course, let’s remember that the main function of this type of device is the reproduction of movies, series and music, but in streaming. For this we have support for 4K resolution and HDR 10 technology.
10 reasons to buy a television with Android TVWe tell you why you should consider buying a television with Android TV when you are going to change devices at home.
Still, if we want, we can connect different devices such as hard drives or peripherals. This will be especially appropriate if we want to use this device as a substitute for a console.
In addition, we can configure the TV as another speaker to send music or to form a group with other Google devices.
New interface with Google TV
It is neither the first time nor will it be the last that Google has confused us and gave us the nomenclature of its products. In recent years Android TV has begun to take on some relevance and just when it seemed that it was beginning to be known by many people, the Californian company has decided rename Google TV.
Google TV has arrived to take the place of Android TVGoogle TV, which arrives in the new Chromecast presented by Google, is preparing to replace Android TV in the next two years.
At the moment Google TV is an interface that runs exclusively on this device but what will be the natural interface of Android TV sooner rather than later.
How to have Google TV on your television: complete tutorial and step by stepA few days ago we discovered that the Google TV launcher could be installed on any Android TV. Today we show you how to make it your main screen.
If Android TV remembers the mobile operating system in terms of the configuration of the home screen or the settings, in Google TV we have an interface more typical of services such as Netflix or HBO, where movies and series take center stage and where it is even difficult to install an application.
We have not found anywhere a button that says Google Play Store, although it is true that we can install applications by searching for them with the Google assistant, which will take us directly to the Play Store screen to install them.
We can also open movies and series like this, simply with a voice command. The system will recognize which application it is in and will leave the screen ready to hit Play.
How to change the buttons on your Android TV remote controlWe tell you how you can change the applications and functions of the physical buttons of the remote control of your Android TV or Android TV.
Another novelty is the global search Since when you start the configuration of this device we will tell you what streaming platforms we have so that when we look for something, you can search all the streaming apps that we have installed.
Here we have to complain about the absence of a colossus like HBO but the fact that this application is only available in Spain, the United States and some other country has made Google not take it into account. However, we can download and install it easily, although it will not be integrated into the system search.
We have a section called Collection that allows us to have in one place all the series and movies that we want to see later. To do this, we press and hold the central button of the crosshead in a title and add it to the list.
A great way to make a TV smart
Personally, I am a big fan of Android TV as a system for televisions and the integration with the voice assistant is very good and there are very few platforms that do not already have an application perfectly designed for this operating system.
Although the original Chromecast was a perfect device for the economic and the simplicity of its use, there has come a time when the possibilities of it were too limited.
As expected, In the new Chromecast with Google TV we have a system to send the files from the mobilel so that they are reproduced directly on the television, but if we want to use it without our phone we can also.
This is one of the best ways to turn a normal TV into a Smart TV. And 69.99 euros seems to us a correct price for it, although it could be lower, as we see in the Amazon or Xiaomi proposals.
Buy Chromecast with Google TV
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