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Tag: android tv

  • Google May Be Releasing a Chromecast With Google TV

    Google May Be Releasing a Chromecast With Google TV

    Google may be prepping a new Chromecast with Google TV, one that could be a significant upgrade over previous devices.

    Google’s Chromecast is a streaming TV dongle powered by a version of Android TV called Google TV. The existing versions of the Chromecast have been a bit underwhelming, but 9to5Google says there’s reason to believe the next version could be an improvement.

    While the 9to5Google has not been able to confirm any details or specs, the outlet is hoping to see a faster processor, more storage, and a second USB-C port.

    The Apple TV has long been a superior device to any of Google’s options. If the next version of the Chromecast does include meaningful updates, however, it could finally be a contender.

  • Google Announces New Android TVs, Google Cast Speakers

    Google has a few bits of living room news out of CES. These surround both its Android TV and Google Cast lines.

    On the Android TV front, new TVs from Sony, Sharp, and Philips are being shown off.

    “Android TV brings apps, games, movies, shows, music and more to the biggest screen in your home,” Google’s Adrienne McCallister says in a blog post. “From smart TVs to cable box operators, many devices support the Android TV experience. Now you’ve got even more options to find the device that’s right for you. If you’re looking for a new TV, you can select an Android TV from Sony, Sharp and Philips. Later this year, Android TV will be available from Arcelik, Vestel, RCA, Hisense, TCL and Bang & Olufsen. And, for our users in Indonesia, Linknet now has an Android TV offering.”

    In Cast news, Google says in the coming months, you’ll be able to take advantage of Google Cast built into speakers from Sony, LG, B&O Play, Harman Kardon, Onkyo, Philips, Pioneer, and Raumfeld.

    “Google Cast, the same technology built into Chromecast, is now embedded directly into speakers, sound bars, and A/V receivers so you can cast music from your favorite app on your phone or any music streaming website on Chrome,” says McCallister. “Throughout 2016, you’ll be able to enjoy Google Cast speakers from B&O Play, Harman Kardon, Onkyo, Philips, Pioneer, and Raumfeld. Sony and LG, who were among the first to include Google Cast in their speakers, are also refreshing their speaker lineups. Cast-enabled software and hardware from Frontier Silicon and StreamUnlimited will make it easier for more audio companies to join the Google Cast family.”

    Last month, Google announced multi-room support and high resolution audio of up to 96KHz/24bit lossless audio playback for Chromecast Audio.

  • Google Cuts Google TV Dev Support, Focuses On Android TV, Cast

    It’s hard to believe, but it’s been just shy of five years since Google first unveiled Google TV at Google I/O in 2010. There were a lot of hopes for the platform that launched with partnerships with Sony, Logitech, and Dish, but few of those hopes ever panned out. It just didn’t catch on.

    Now, the company is officially putting Google TV out to pasture. In the summer, Google unveiled Android TV, and at the Consumer Electronics Show this week, Google’s partners are showing off their new TVs that support it. These are due out in the spring.

    On the Google TV Developers Google+ account, Google discusses the transition, informing developers that their existing Google TV apps will continue to work, but while some of them will be updated to Android TV, the majority of them won’t support it. Here’s the message:

    With the launch Android 5.0, Lollipop, Android TV is now fully launched, and we’re working closely with OEMs to release Android TV devices going forward. By extending Android to the TV form factor, living room developers get the benefits, features and the same APIs available for Android phone and tablet development. Going forward, we will focus our living room efforts on growing the Android TV and Google Cast ecosystem.

    What does this mean for Google TV? Existing Google TV devices and all of the features of these devices will continue to work, and so will the apps you’ve developed for the Google TV platform. A small subset of Google TV devices will be updated to Android TV, but most Google TV devices won’t support the new platform. We expect to see an exciting lineup of Android TV devices in the coming year, including TVs from Sony, Sharp, and Philips, as well as other set-top and over-the-top boxes.

    Thank you for being passionate developers creating great content and apps for the living room. With this shift, we encourage you to transition your living room development efforts to Android TV apps and Cast-enabled apps. While the Google TV libraries will no longer be available, we’ve made it really easy to transition apps to Android TV using familiar Android development tools, as well as our new Leanback support libraries. Learn more at developer.android.com/tv.

    It’s no surprise that Google TV is on the way out. The writing has been on the wall for quite some time, and even beyond Android TV, it’s clear that Google has a much bigger hit with the Chromecast. Google is smart to build on the Cast ecosystem, and Android TV also gives users and developers a more familiar ecosystem they can work with.

    If you search for Google TV on Google, it’s almost as if it never existed, as you are greeted with an Android TV search result and Chromecast shopping results. The latest post on the Google TV blog is about the now defunct Redbox Instant becoming available.

    Rest in peace, Google TV.

    Image via Google

  • CES: New Android TV Devices On The Way

    CES: New Android TV Devices On The Way

    Google unveiled Android TV at Google I/O back in June. Today at the Consumer Electronics Show in Vegas, the company announced that its partners are showing off some new devices for it, which will be shipped in the spring.

    These include models from Sony, Sharp, TP Vision/Philips.

    “These have all the goodness of Android TV built in so you won’t need to plug anything extra into your television,” says VP Engineering Hiroshi Lockheimer. “You can use a single remote to watch live TV channels and play games, movies or shows from Google Play and your apps. These televisions feature voice search, to help you quickly find what you want, and they’re Google Cast Ready so you can cast your favorite entertainment from your phone or tablet to the big screen. Android TV will come to life on screens big and small, including brilliant 4K displays, thanks to the work of our partners.”

    “If you want to get in on the action using your current television, Razer just announced a gaming console powered by Android TV,” Lockheimer adds. “Razer’s Forge TV has high-performance specs, a wireless game controller and allows you to stream PC games to your TV. It will start shipping to consumers in February. Huawei is also working on an Android TV streaming media player that will be ready later this year.”

    Google also counts chip makers ARM, Broadcom, Imagination Technologies, Intel, Marvell, MediaTek, MStar, Nvidia, Qualcomm, and STMicroelectronics as Android TV partners.

    Here’s the Android TV presentation from Google I/O:

    On Monday, Google revealed Google Cast for audio, which enables cast functionality with compatible speakers, also due out in the spring.

    Image via Google

  • Google Announces Android 5.0 Lollipop, New Nexus Devices

    Google just announced that the new version of Android is called Lollipop. It also announced a trio of new Nexus devices: the Nexus 6 smartphone, the Nexus 9 tablet, and the Nexus Player Android TV device.

    First things first. Google showed off the new Android at Google I/O back in June. Here’s the presentation if you want to familiarize yourself:

    It includes over 5,000 APIs and what Google calls Material Design:

    Google considers it its most ambitious Android release so far. The company says:

    Lollipop is made for a world where moving throughout the day means interacting with a bunch of different screens—from phones and tablets to TVs. With more devices connecting together, your expectation is that things just work. With Lollipop, it’s easier than ever to pick up where you left off, so the songs, photos, apps, and even recent searches from one of your Android devices can be immediately enjoyed across all the other ones.

    As you switch from one screen to another, the experience should feel the same. So Lollipop has a consistent design across devices—an approach we call Material Design. Now content responds to your touch, or even your voice, in more intuitive ways, and transitions between tasks are more fluid.

    Lollipop lets you adjust your settings so only certain people and notifications can get through. They can also be seen directly from the lockscreen. There’s also a new battery saver feature, which Google claims can extend your battery life by up to 90 minutes, and new privacy and security features.

    Now for the devices…

    Google worked with Motorola to develop the Nexus 6 smartphone, which has an aluminum frame, a 6-inch Quad HD display, and a 13 megapixel camera. It has dual front-facing stereo speakers and a “Turbo Charger,” which Google says will give you up to six hours of use with just 15 minutes of charge.

    The Nexus 9 tablet was built with HTC, and includes brushed metal sides and an 8.9-inch screen. It has a keyboard folio that magnetically attaches, and folds into two different angles.

    The Nexus Player is the first Andorid TV (also introduced at Google I/O) device. Google worked with Asus on this one, and describes it as a “first-of-its-kind Android gaming device.”

    “With Nexus Player you can play Android games on your HDTV with a gamepad, then keep playing on your phone while you’re on the road,” Google says. “Nexus Player is Google Cast Ready so you can cast your favorite entertainment from almost any Chromebook or Android or iOS phone or tablet to your TV.”

    The Nexus 9 and Nexus Player will be available for pre-order on October 17th and in stores on November 3rd. The Nexus 6 will be available for pre-order in late October and in stores in November. There will be an unlocked version though Google Play, as well as a monthly contract or installment plan through AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, U.S. Cellular, and Verizon.

    Lollipop will also be available for Nexus 5, 7, 10 and Google Play edition devices in the coming weeks.

    Here’s a video in which Google compares Android to the Wright brothers:

    Images via Google

  • Android TV Unveiled at Google I/O

    Android TV Unveiled at Google I/O

    Google unveiled its successor to Google TV today at the I/O keynote – and as expected it’s called Android TV.

    Although previously believed to be some sort of set-top box (like an Apple TV), Android TV is instead a software platform meant to be baked into various smart TVs and set-top boxes from third-party manufacturers.

    As you would expect, you’ll be able to control Android TV with your Android smartphones and tablets, as well as with voice search. It’ll also work with the newly-released Android Gear smartwatches.

    “Android TV brings all that you love about Android apps and games to your living room. Android is baked directly into your TV-watching experience, through a set-top box or as part of your TV. You can use voice search to find a live TV show, a good flick from Google Play, or a music video on YouTube. Plus, because it’s Android, you’ll be able to play your favorite Android games, reimagined for TV and with a gamepad. Android TV, which, like Chromecast, supports Google Cast technology, will ship with products from a range of consumer electronics companies later this year,” says Google.

    The games thing is a new focus for Google in their attempt to take over the biggest screen in your house. Users will be able to play their favorite Android games via their tablets and smartphones, as well as a gamepad, and beam them straight up to their TVs.

    Google has this information for developers:

    In addition to Google Cast apps that send content to the TV, you can now build immersive native apps and console-style games on Android TV devices. These native apps work with TV remotes and gamepads, even if you don’t have your phone handy. The Android L Developer Preview SDK includes the new Leanback support library that allows you to design smoother, simpler, living room apps.

    And this is just the beginning. In the fall, new APIs will allow you to cast directly to these apps, so users can control the app with the phone, the remote, or even their Android Wear watch. You’ll also start seeing Android TV set-top boxes, consoles and televisions from Sony, TP Vision, Sharp, Asus, Razer and more.

    Google’s never been very successful in taking over your living room, but it looks like they’re giving it another full-on shot.

    Image via Google, Android TV