Here is my unboxing video for the brand new 2015 Google’s streaming device Chromecast
Tag Archives: 2015
New 2015 Chromecast 2 Arrives!
Surprise! Mr. Fedex delivered my new Chromecast today and I couldn’t wait to unbox it and have a look.
First, the packaging is not made of quality material. It feels very cheap and the actual box is made of some recycled material that came apart once I removed the label. This doesn’t concern me much as I am not paying for the box. If the previous generation Chromecast is of any indication, this one should more than live up to the hype.
The actual device looks much different than previous generation. Google has gone away from the USB dongle form factor. The new Chromecast almost resembles a small hockey puck or a headphone. If you extend out the HDMI extension, it can almost pass as an Christmas ornament. If you have the need to remove or move the Chromecast, the HDMI extension attaches to the body through a magnet and it quite firm.
On the rear of the new Chromecast, it has these inscriptions: Model NC2-6A5 | FCC ID: A4RNC2-6A5 | IC: 10395A-NC26A5 | CAN ICES-3 B/NMB-3 B | Made In China
Then at the bottom: Designed by Google | 1600 Amphitheater Parkway, Mountain View, CA 94043.
It also has other symbols indicating HDMI, do not dispose and others such as serial number.
I did have a bit of an issue setting it up but this is likely due to my WiFi and not due to the device.
I’ll shortly update this post with an unboxing video as well as an install guide.
Chromecast Updates from Google’s I/O Conference
Google recently had their annual I/O Conference in San Francisco, CA where they discussed upcoming features to be launched to the Chromecast. Google’s I/O Conference is a gathering of developers to hear from Google execs on support for the next generation devices, apps, and software. I/O stands for input and output and also “Innovation in the Open” which attests to Google’s philosophy of having open web technologies like Android, Chrome, Google API, Web Toolkit, App Engine, and others. Google’s I/O conference first started in 2008 and was held between May 28-29 this year 2015.
At the Google I/O conference, two major announcements were made on the Chromecast front which would improve the functionality and experience for users like us.
Queuing between apps
One major frustration as a user is the inability to smoothly transition between different apps. As great as the support has been for Chromecast, your experience is limited to a single app and any queue you have saved will be lost once you stop casting and open another app to cast. Google plans to change this by the creation of a auto-queueing functionality to allow you to line up videos in a playlist from different apps. You will be able to manage the sequence, remove, and initiate a cast at will regardless of which app you have opened.
Chromecast Game Manager API
The second announcement is for the casual gamer who wants to play multi player games using Chromecast. Google announced the launch of Game Manager Application programming interface (API) which will allow more than one device connected to a single Chromecast. Previously, developers had to code this themselves but Google’ has made this much easier to do.
Google’s also launched Remote Display API which allows gamers to control their TV using their handset. This can allow you to use your phone as a motion sensor similar to Nintendo’s WiiMote.