Google has a Chromecast 2 for 2015, and it's built to be more reliable and easier to use than its first media streaming dongle, yet it's just as inexpensive.
The new Chromecast is on sale right now through the Google Store for an easy $35 (£28), but the media streaming landscape has changed since the first edition launched two years ago.
It faces competition from the fuller-featured new Apple TV and new Amazon Fire TV, and for a direct comparison, other HDMI streamers like Roku Streaming Stick and Amazon Fire Stick. In a few days, we're bound to see a Roku 4K set-top box.
Then there are 20 million Chromecast 1 buyers who have pressed that "Cast" button 1.5 billion times to beam their phone's movies, television shows and app content to a big-screen TV. What about them?
Is it worth upgrading to this device with the same name? Let's take a hands on look at this video and audio streaming device now that we've tried it out.
Design
The new Chromecast 2 streams the same app content as its predecessor, but Google gave this refresh extra flavor when it comes to the design.
It takes the form of the circular Chrome logo with an attached HDMI cable sticking out of one end. This disk-like shape is certainly different from what had looked like an oversized thumbnail drive.
It's also easier to plug in because the HDMI cable gives you extra room to let the Chromecast hang behind the television. It's as if the Chromecast HDMI Extender accessory comes built-in.
Noting that it hangs behind the TV out of sight, it's curious to see that Google decided to liven up the Chromecast with different colors: Lemonade (yellow), Coral (pink) and the normal Black.
But there's a hidden reason for this. The Chromecast 2 is designed to travel, so just in case you also have the new and very similar Chromecast Audio, you'll be able to tell them apart by color.
Chromecast's other portable design perk is that its has a magnetic back. This enables the HDMI cable curl and cling to the back for easy stowing. It's a small, but convenient change.
Features
Google has made its new Chromecast more reliable with the inclusion of new Wi-Fi antennas, giving us the newer 802.11ac standard and the less congested 5Ghz band.
Between the 2.4GHz / 5Ghz and the built-in extender, the Chromecast 2 should put an end to those annoying buffering moments that prevent you from getting lost in a movie or TV show.
The device itself feels a bit heavier in my palm as a result, but it's still just 39.1g or 0.086 lbs. Given the superior antenna, I'm okay with that - it won't weigh down my television mount.
The Chromecast 2 works with the same devices, including Android phones and tablets, iPhone, iPad, Windows, Chromebook and even Macs.
Sadly, you still won't be able to project your entire iPhone or iPad screen onto a television. Mirroring is still limited to Android and the Chrome browser, and that's not really Google fault.
Google isn't pairing the Chromecast 2 with a physical remote either, which means one of these phones, tablets or computers is required to initiate app streaming. Sometimes it's nice to get away from phones and tablets, but the new Chromecast skips that and any sort of central hub menu on the TV.
Apps
You're not going to miss out on any new apps if you don't upgrade to the new Chromecast. That said, Google did announce a fresh set of partnerships to keep your stream flowing.
New additions like Spotify, NFL Sunday Ticket by DirecTV, YouTube Kids and Google Photos are all recent additions for movie, music, sports and photo streaming content.
There isn't a central hub on the main screen, however Google has designed an app that culls "featured content" across all of the apps on your casting device. The job of figuring out what to watch a tad less of a chore, but it is displayed on the smaller screen.
Google is trying to position its Chromecast 2 to stay on the screen indefinitely. Its latest update allows you to customize a TV with photos from Flickr and Facebook (so, not just Google+ now).
It is also readying the ability to "cast" games like Angry Birds Go Gold, Driver Speedboat Paradise and Just Dance Now. Friends and family can join in on the multiplayer fun using their phones as a "personal" game controller. Google isn't ready to design a Chromecast-compatible gamepad of its own just yet.
Early verdict
The Chromecast 2 is still the cheapest way to make your dumb television a lot bit smarter in a jiffy. And at $35 (£28), it streams app content to the big screen with the push of a button.
The fact that Google made it more reliable and added a new content partners like Spotify means this dongle is more worthwhile than ever. Think about it: two years ago, Chromecast launched with zero sports apps. Now it feature 43 sports apps on its website.
I'm still waiting for a way to natively stream Amazon Instant Video from my phone to a Chromecast, or mirror iOS devices to the TV with it. I'm not holding my breath for either. Amazon and Apple obviously aren't fans of the ultra-cheap Chromecast.
It may not be worth replacing an existing old Chromecast, but the new version is the most affordable choice for anyone who hasn't bought into Google's streaming platform yet. Alternatively, you could also give yourself the excuse that you need to get a second one in the house, or have one in a bag for travel. After all, it packs up nicely in its new, smaller form factor.
from TechRadar: Technology reviews http://ift.tt/1RfvETB
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