Up till now, Google’s Chromecast line has been largely centered on making it straightforward to observe reveals and films in your favourite large display. However with the brand new Google TV Streamer, Google lastly has a correct set-top field for binging content material that additionally helps a wider vary of sensible dwelling controls.
Design: From dongle to wedge
Coming only a week forward of Google’s upcoming Made By event, maybe the largest change for the TV Streamer is switching from being a easy dongle that hangs off your TV to a very standalone gadget that lives in your media console. Google says its wedge-shaped design is supposed to mix in simply along with your decor when sitting in entrance of your TV in order that it provides higher reception for its included distant and different sensible dwelling units (extra on that later).
Google has additionally given the Streamer TV a large {hardware} improve in comparison with the Chromecast with Google TV from 2020, together with a 22 p.c quicker CPU, double the RAM (4GB as a substitute of 2GB) and 4 instances extra storage (32GB whole). Which may not sound like a ton, however contemplating that the earlier mannequin typically ran out of area for downloading fundamental streaming apps, that’s a much-needed enchancment. Streaming decision caps out at 4K/60fps, although you do get help for HDR, Dolby Imaginative and prescient, Dolby Atmos and spatial audio (when paired with Google Pixel Buds).
Moreover, there’s an HDMI 1.1 jack, a powered USB-C port and a devoted Ethernet slot for individuals who need peak bandwidth for streaming. Google additionally made the distant a contact longer whereas transferring the amount rocker to the highest and including a customizable button that may be set to launch your favourite app, change inputs or summon the brand new sensible dwelling management middle. And similar to earlier than, there’s a built-in microphone and a button for summoning the Google Assistant.
Good dwelling: Turning into a correct gadget hub
This brings me to the Google Streamer’s improved sensible dwelling capabilities. Not solely does it help Matter, it additionally includes a built-in Thread border router for simply speaking with the opposite units in your home. On prime of that, the TV Streamer is getting its personal model of the Google Home panel (which we’ve seen on earlier Pixel telephones and Nest Hubs) in order that it is simpler to regulate issues like sensible lights whereas additionally supplying you with the flexibility to view feeds out of your safety cameras and video doorbells.
New AI options
Lastly, it wouldn’t be a 2024 Google gadget with out some new AI options. Because of Gemini, the TV Streamer can create customized suggestions based mostly on the type of content material you watch and generate summaries, evaluations and even season-by-season breakdowns for stuff you haven’t. There’s additionally an ambient TV mode that lets you pull screensavers or recollections out of your Google Pictures library. Nonetheless, if you need one thing a bit extra distinctive, you may as well use AI to generate one thing fantastical. In the meantime, if you happen to lose the distant, you’ll be able to ask the Google Assistant (not Gemini) that can assist you discover it or you’ll be able to merely press the devoted button on the again of the field.
So whereas I haven’t had a lot likelihood to dive into its options, with the brand new TV Streamer, ultimately it appears like Google has a considerably extra succesful sensible dwelling hub that’s additionally a real rival to the Apple TV 4K and different Android-based packing containers just like the NVIDIA Shield TV. The Google TV Streamer prices $100 and is offered for pre-order at present with official gross sales starting September 24. Will probably be accessible in two colours: porcelain white and hazel, the latter of which might be accessible completely from the Google Retailer.
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