Google Photos to get Chromecast support, shared albums and people labelling
(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push();
In case you missed the memo, Google Photos is now no longer a part of the Google+ app which means it gets to be updated independently whenever the fancy takes its development team. As it turns out, it’s about to get a nice little update which is going to introduce Chromecast support, shared albums and people labelling – the report says that these features will all be announced at Google‘s event tomorrow – failing that, the update will just be pushed out via the Play Store.
Chromecast support is probably the one thing that many Google Photos power users will have been pining for and even lets you customize your Chromecast experience with your personal photos rather than the stock (but still awesome) images. The shared albums feature aims to group photos together that were taken on the same day or same event and puts them in one place – though it’s not clear how the sharing of this will work. Finally, the people labelling update will let you tag people with custom labels, be it something endearing or nasty, but will no doubt help you sift through your photos quicker.
What do you think about this Google Photos update? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
Source: Android Police
The post Google Photos to get Chromecast support, shared albums and people labelling appeared first on AndroidSPIN.
A 2nd-gen Chromecast device and Chromecast Audio could show up at Google’s event tomorrow
It looks like the LG-made Nexus 5X and Huawei manufactured Nexus 6P won’t be the only devices showing up at Google’s event tomorrow. Android Police is reporting that the Chromecast will see its first refresh, according to trusted sources.
Codenamed “Earth,” the dongle will have the same design as the original device, only come packed with a few more features, such as 4K compatibility and improved performance. It’ll also come in three new colors–Black, Lemonade, and Coral. This refreshed Chromecast should retain the $35 price point.
Interestingly, Google is also rumored to show off a Chromecast Audio device. This dongle will have an 1/8″ headphone cable to add Cast for Audio Wi-Fi capabilities to speakers, televisions, car stereos, and obviously much more, according to a leak from 9to5Google.
There aren’t many details, but if this rumor holds any weight, we’re less than 24 hours away from seeing what the new Chromecast and Chromecast Audio is all about.
The Chromecast app for Android is also expected to go through a major revision, putting content discovery at the forefront. In this revision will be a new search function enabling users to explore Chromecast-compatible content from applications you have installed, such as YouTube and Netflix. There’s also a “What’s On” feature that’ll automatically pull content and present it to the user. You could look at it as the wild card of content discovery.
Suffice to say, tomorrow’s event is turning out to be much more than just a Nexus refresh.
source: Android Police
Come comment on this article: A 2nd-gen Chromecast device and Chromecast Audio could show up at Google’s event tomorrow
Chromecast Audio to WiFi-enable your speakers, codenamed “Hendrix”
A few days ago we got a glimpse at what the new Chromecast will offer. It is expected to drop at Google’s Sept. 29th event, along with the highly-anticipated pair of Nexus phones. Now we have some more info on the Chromecast Audio part of that launch, which is allegedly codenamed “Hendrix” within Google.
To recap, Chromecast Audio is said to be a separate Chromecast device, specifically aimed to set your home speakers free. This means that it will plug into your audio setup and wirelessly connect to your WiFi router.
This will allow you to remotely control the speaker through your smartphone or tablet. If this kind of thing sounds familiar to you, you may be remembering the Moto Stream. But Google may feel like they should do to speakers what they’ve done to TV’s. And it should be competitively priced.
The Chromecast Audio should have multi-room support, so you can utilize every speaker in the house to raise the roof. Communication via WiFi means you can have them rock out with the same track in unison. However, to do this, it is assumed you would need a Chromecast Audio for each speaker.
The Chromecast Audio will mirror the audio from your Chrome browser or Android device. If you’re worried that this operation will sacrifice precious bytes of music data, Google is said to be focusing on “high-quality” audio for the device.
We should know the full scoop next week, stay tuned! Do you like this audio extension to the Chromecast portfolio?
Source: 9to5google
The post Chromecast Audio to WiFi-enable your speakers, codenamed “Hendrix” appeared first on AndroidGuys.
Google has sent out invites to Sept 29th event to likely announce new Nexus devices
(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push();
It was foretold that September 29th would be the day that Google would be announcing something, and now Google has sent out invites to an event that day. In the not-so-subtle invite, Google says to “join us for some tast new treats and much s’more” – in case that’s too much of an Americanism for you, a smore is a cracker sandwich with marshmallow and chocolate inside. No doubt this is referring to the official release of Android Marshmallow, though in true Google style, doesn’t give away anything else.
However, that’s not going to stop us speculating about what’s going to be at the event. Based on the rumours we’ve heard, Google will be announcing the LG Nexus 5X and the Huawei Nexus 6P, two new Nexus smartphones – and we’re interested to see how they are differentiated despite being similiarly sized. We’re also expecting to see a new Chromecast with slightly more bulbous frame, as well as a new Nexus Player, but we don’t have much information on this one. We doubt there’s going to be anything else announced, but we’re always up for being pleasantly surprised.
What do you think about Google’s event on September 29th – what are you expecting to see? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
Source: Android Police
The post Google has sent out invites to Sept 29th event to likely announce new Nexus devices appeared first on AndroidSPIN.
Google sends out invites for September 29 event, Nexus devices and updated Chromecast incoming
Google just made its September 29 event official. Invites are beginning to roll out. Google fans can expect to see new Nexus devices announced in addition to an updated version of the company’s Chromecast.
Google will indeed hold an event on September 29 in San Francisco. We are expecting to see an announcement of the LG Nexus 5X as well as the Huawei Nexus 6P. A recent report also suggests we could see an updated version of Google’s Chromecast media streaming player with new options and faster Wi-Fi support.
The Nexus 5X and the Nexus 6P will debut Android 6.0 and will most likely have Google’s new Android Pay service pre-installed and ready to go. Both devices will likely include fingerprint scanners to support Google’s new Fingerprint API and built-in NFC for mobile payments. One can also expect to see good hardware, high-resolution cameras, fast processors and extraordinarily unique designs.
According to Google’s teaser image, the event will start promptly at 9:00 PT. If you’re not attending, Google will have a live-stream on its YouTube channel at youtube.com/google. We hope you’re as excited as we are.
Come comment on this article: Google sends out invites for September 29 event, Nexus devices and updated Chromecast incoming
Google’s likely Nexus/Android event is happening September 29th
Google just sent over an invite for “some tasty new treats and much s’more” September 29th in San Francisco. It didn’t say what will be revealed but based on the timing, we’re thinking Android Marshmallow release, plus new hardware in the Nexus and Chromecast families? Recent leaks have pointed to Nexus phones from both LG and Huawei, while the Chromecast family may be expanding and getting rounder. Amazon and Apple debuted new devices for the TV this month, and we can’t see the folks at Google/Alphabet letting that go without a response. Whatever desserts Google is bringing, we’ll be there at 12PM ET / 9AM PT on September 29th to find out.
[Image credit: AFP/Getty Images]
Google Play Music has completely overhauled Chromecast integration
In an announcement welcomed by tech-savvy music lovers everywhere, Google Play Music is rolling out a new update that focuses on improving the popular music app’s integration with Chromecast.
Previously, using Google Play Music with Google Cast would occasionally stop playback between songs, which could really throw a kink into your house party’s groove. Also, the Google Play Music/Chromecast combo had a nasty habit of inserting little gaps between songs, breaking the flow of songs which were intended by artists to transition seamlessly into each other. Most frustratingly, Chromecast used to go completely silent if the owner of the casting device left the building to grab some more snacks for the party. Now, in addition to fixing those other bugs, Google Play Music will keep the party going over Chromecast even in your absence!
Google Play Music users who don’t regularly Chromecast won’t notice anything different about this new update, which leaves user interface and most features as they were. It’s certainly not a major update by any metric, but it does fix some long-linger issues that had been plaguing a minority of users for quite some time.
For those who aren’t in the know, Google Play Music is a service provided by Google that’s fairly similar to Pandora Radio on the surface. Non-subscribers have access to ad-supported radio stations that can be seeded by artists, specific songs, or whole albums. You can also browse radio stations based on genre, decade, or situation (radio stations exist for “Having friends over,” “Going for a Late Night Drive,” and “Taking a Sunny Stroll,” for example). Paid subscribers to Google Play Music gain on-demand access to an extensive database of millions of songs that can be added to the user’s personal library, compiled into playlists, streamed from any device, or downloaded for personal use.
Thanks to this update, Google Play Music now combines even better with Chromecast, which is a product released by Google in July 2013. The Chromecast device is a small dongle that looks a lot like a USB drive, but it plugs into your television’s HDMI port. Chromecast connects to your Wi-Fi network and acts as an intermediary between your television and other devices like your smartphone or tablet. With Chromecast, you can “cast” media content like music or videos to your television seamlessly. It’s an excellent little device with a queue function that will revolutionize your next YouTube “That’s pretty good, but check out this one” video-binge party.
New Chromecast app to help users discover content, other apps
Google appears to be poised to launch new hardware at the end of the month including their new Nexus smartphone options and according to rumors, their second generation Chromecast device. The original Chromecast is quite old in terms of technology, although it continues to be a popular dongle for users who want to stream content to their TVs. Sources now say Google is preparing to overhaul the Chromecast app with new features that will help users discover content along with managing their device.
One new section of the app appears to be named “What’s On” and will display movies, videos and other content available through other apps that users have installed on their mobile device. Another section of the app appears to be a rebranded version of the current “Discover apps” portion of the app. Currently, Discover apps just takes users to the Chromecast section of the Play Store for users to find apps. The new functionality looks like it may be curated based on other apps a user has installed and will appear in app.
Although some leaked images are blurry, the new app also appears to get an overhaul of the user interface. The current app does have a nice Material design to it, but due to its limited features, there is not much there. With new features being added, sources think the app may have more of a tabbed interface similar to the Play Store interface.
Sources have not indicated whether all of the new features will be available in the app for use with the first generation Chromecast devices or whether they will be limited to use with the second generation only.
source: 9to5Google
Come comment on this article: New Chromecast app to help users discover content, other apps
2nd gen Chromecast launch imminent, new design and features in tow
It’s been over 2 years since the original Chromecast debuted (yeah, time flies). And while the little streamer that could is still working fine for the lot of us, that doesn’t mean there aren’t improvements to be had. Allegedly, this is what Google has in store for us soon.
According to a leak spotted by 9to5Google, the 2nd gen Chromecast will be a pretty hefty update, both in design and capability.
While the images don’t have the best quality, we can tell the device will leave behind its dongle appearance for something circular. We also have choices in color now. Both of these factors spark my curiosity. Why is design such a focus for a device that just sits in the background? On my TV, it’s plugged in the back, out of view. Will the new Chromecast serve more of a purpose?
Updates are said to include faster WiFi, faster initiation of content, and new software capabilities (such as content feeds on the Chromecast home screen). The original Chromecast supported 802.11b/g/n, so it would make sense for the newer 802.11ac WiFi standard to be brought on board.
A new feature called “Fast Play” is said to make the Chromecast quicker to follow your commands. It seems that Google recognized the slowness when initiating the Cast connection. Fast Play should bring a quicker response and more seamless experience when selecting to Cast your device.
Another Chromecast extension is said to be “Chromecast Audio”. As can be guessed, this will be for folks who want to utilize their higher quality audio setups. The Chromecast will plug directly into the audio system via auxiliary cord. It is also said that this feature will have multi-room support and the ability to mirror Chrome or Android audio.
The original Chromecast could stream at 1080P. I would hope that the 2nd gen has updated computational power to keep up with the times and play 4K content. We don’t have word on this yet.
Google has an event on Sept. 29th, and it is expected that the new Chromecast will be announced alongside the new Nexus devices. Hopefully Google will continue its aggressive pricing. Are you ready for a new Chromecast or fine with what you have?
The post 2nd gen Chromecast launch imminent, new design and features in tow appeared first on AndroidGuys.
New Chromecast said to be coming this month, looking rounder than before
(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push();
For the longest time it seemed like Google was content with its media-streaming Chromecast just the way it was, but a new report suggests that a new Chromecast is just around the corner, and it looks… different. Spotted in what appear to be internal images from Google, the new Chromecast appears to be more bulbous than the current dongle, which kind of looks a bit weird, but no doubt allows for better Wi-Fi connectivity, which is something I think we can all get excited for.
Other interesting tidbits from this report include the possibility that the new Chromecast will have the ability to plug into a sound system via a cord, which can be useful in certain situations. The report also says that this new dongle will be announced at the Google event rumoured to be happening on September 29th – while we still have no official word on whether this event is happening, the announcement of two Nexus smartphones, a Nexus Player, and now a Chromecast will need to come at some point and a big event would seem like the logical forum for this. We’ll have to see if this ends up going down, but all we’re hoping is that Google keep the cost of the new Chromecast down like its predecessor’s.
What do you think about the new Chromecast? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
Source: 9to5google via engadget
The post New Chromecast said to be coming this month, looking rounder than before appeared first on AndroidSPIN.
AIVAnet 