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Tag: Chromecast

  • Amazon Fire TV Stick Is Now Shipping

    Amazon Fire TV Stick Is Now Shipping

    Amazon’s Chromecast competitor, the Fire TV Stick, has now begun to ship.

    According to Amazon, the pre-order buzz for the new device was the most impressive the company has ever seen.

    “Fire TV Stick has been our most successful device launch ever,” said Dave Limp, Senior Vice President, Amazon Devices. “We built a ton of these, but customer demand still outpaced our supply. We’re excited by the overwhelming customer response and the team is working hard to build more as quickly as possible.”

    Amazon first announced the Fire TV Stick late last month, It’s a few dollars more than Google’s Chromecast ($39 vs $35) – but Amazon sold it at a lower price point to Prime subscribers. Once you plug it in to your TV, It’s controlled by a separate remote or by the Fire TV remote smartphone app.

    Like its competitors, the Fire TV stick offers access to all the most popular content providers – Netflix, Hulu Plus, Watch ESPN, etc. It isn’t launching with HBO Go access, however, which shouldn’t be a surprise to anyone who’s followed Amazon product launches of the past few months. April saw Amazon launch its original Fire TV (set-top box) without an HBO Go app.

    Image via Amazon

  • Chromecast Mirroring Hits Galaxy Note 4

    Chromecast Mirroring Hits Galaxy Note 4

    In July, Google launched Android screen mirroring via Chromeast with the Chromecast app’s “Cast Screen” feature. It had previewed the feature, which automatically makes the Chromecast device roughly a billion times better, at Google I/O earlier in the summer.

    The feature launched, but it only supported certain devices.The list has grown slowly in the meantime. Last month, the feature became available for the Sony Xperia Z3 series. Now it’s available for the Samsung Galaxy Note 4.

    Here’s the full list of supported devices as it stands now:

    Nexus 4
    Nexus 5
    Nexus 6
    Nexus 7 (2013)
    Nexus 9
    Nexus 10
    Samsung Galaxy S4
    Samsung Galaxy S4 (Google Play Edition)
    Samsung Galaxy S5
    Samsung Galaxy Note 3
    Samsung Galaxy Note 4
    Samsung Galaxy Note 10
    HTC One M7
    HTC One M7 (Google Play Edition)
    LG G3
    LG G2
    LG G Pro 2
    Sony Xperia Z3
    Sony Xperia Z3v
    Sony Xperia Z3 Compact
    Sony Xperia Z3 Tablet Compact
    Sony Xperia Z2
    Sony Xperia Z2 Tablet
    Tesco hudl2
    TrekStor SurfTab xintron i 7.0

    Google still notes that support for additional devices is coming soon.

    Earlier this week, Google announced the launch of some “family-friendly” games for Chromecast as well as support for Starz and Showtime.

    Via 9to5Google

    Image via YouTube

  • Chromecast Gets New Games, Support For Showtime & Starz

    Google announced the launch of new “family-friendly” games for Chromecast as well as new support for Showtime and Starz, immediately upping the device’s value to consumers.

    “Unlike other streaming devices and gaming consoles, Chromecast games are unique because they use the phone (or tablet) in your hand as the game controller and the TV screen in front of you as the game board,” a Google spokesperson said in an email. “Many of the new games are a twist on classic games like Monopoly and Scrabble, but we also have dance and trivia games too.”

    Games include Wheel of Fortune, Hasbro’s Monopoly Dash, Scrabble Blitz, Connect Four Quads, Simon Swipe, Just Dance Now, Big Web Quiz, and Emoji Party. Big Web Quiz is a trivia game, which actually uses Google’s Knowledge Graph to create questions. Hopefully the answers are accurate.

    As far as content goes, Showtime and Starz are welcome additions. It was just revealed, by the way, that Starz is getting an Evil Dead series.

    In order to get more holiday sales, Chromecast currently comes with two free months of Hulu Plus and 90 days of Google Play All Access. You do need to be a new subscriber to these services, however, to take advantage of the deals.

    Last month, Google revealed that users had tapped the cast button about 650 million times (up from 400 million three months prior). It also said a new version was on the way, and that over 6,000 developers are building over 10,000 apps for it.

    Chromecast is gaining new app support all the time, and that means the $35 device automatically gets more useful and attractive as time goes on. More support means more entertainment options for users.

    Image via YouTube

  • Amazon Announces Fire TV Stick To Rival Chromecast

    Amazon just announced its own competitor to Google’s Chromecast, which is more expensive and includes a separate remote. It’s called the Fire TV Stick, maintaining the brand of its previously released streaming device.

    The Fire TV Stick connects to the HDMI port on an HDTV just like the Chromecast. While it’s only $19 for Prime members for two days only, its regular price is $39. Chromecast is typically $35, but can be found for less from some retailers. Walmart is selling it for $28.32 with 2 months of Hulu Plus for free at the moment. In fact, you can even get it for the same price on Amazon itself.

    Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos says, “Fire TV Stick is the most powerful streaming media stick available—a dual-core processor, 1 GB of RAM, 8 GB of storage, dual-band and dual-antenna Wi-Fi, included remote control, voice search with our free mobile app, easy set-up, an open ecosystem, and exclusive features like ASAP for instant streaming. The team has packed an unbelievable amount of power and selection into an incredible price point—Fire TV Stick is just $39.”

    While it comes with a remote control (unlike the Chromecast which you can simply use with your phone, tablet, or computer), you can still download the Fire TV Remote app to use your phone as a remote. Some additional features include:

    Instant streaming with ASAP—No more waiting for your movies and TV shows to buffer—ASAP (Advanced Streaming and Prediction) predicts which movies and TV episodes you’ll want to watch and buffers them for playback before you even hit play so videos start instantly.

    Fling movies and TV shows from your phone or tablet—Fling movies and TV shows from your Fire tablet or Fire phone to Fire TV Stick, turning your TV into the primary screen and freeing up your phone or tablet to provide playback controls, a customized display for X-Ray, or simply a place to email, browse the web, and more, while you watch a movie. Fire TV Stick supports standards like DIAL so you can also fling services like YouTube, Spotify, and coming soon, Netflix, from your Android phone or iPhone.

    Mirror your phone or tablet display—Wirelessly mirror your tablet display to your Fire TV Stick from Fire tablets, Fire phone, and Miracast-enabled phones or tablets including devices from Motorola, Samsung, LG, and Google without any additional apps or software.

    X-Ray for movies and TV shows—Using Second Screen on your Fire tablet or Fire phone, you can see X-Ray information as your movie or TV show plays on your TV via Fire TV Stick. See information about cast and crew, the names of songs as they play, as well as a list of music in the movie or TV show, trivia items in context with the action on the screen, and character backstories so you can easily remind yourself of the character’s history. X-Ray is exclusive to Amazon and is powered by IMDb.

    X-Ray for music—Lyrics display and scroll line-by-line automatically as the song plays, so you can follow along with songs.

    Great for casual gaming—Play your favorite casual games like Monsters University, Ski Safari, and Flappy Birds Family.

    Personal photos and videos—Play slide shows and choose your favorite album for the screen-saver on Fire TV Stick. Photos or videos you take on your phone or tablet can be automatically uploaded to Amazon Cloud Drive, so they appear on your Fire TV Stick.

    There’s also an Amazon Fire TV Voice Remote, which you can get for an additional $30.

    Amazon boasts about all the services and content you can access with the Fire TV Stick, including Netflix, Prime Instant Video, Hulu Plus, WatchESPN, NBA Game Time, Twitch, SHOWTIME ANYTIME, Prime Music, Spotify, Pandora, Vevo, Plex, A&E, PBS, PBS KIDS, WATCH Disney Channel, and YouTube.com.

    One of the services people care about the most, however, is missing in action, just as it was at the launch of Fire TV itself. While Amazon touts the fact that you can watch shows like Game of Thrones and The Wire, there’s no mention of HBO GO. Amazon struck a deal with HBO earlier this year to license old HBO content, but that doesn’t include current seasons of its shows, which you need HBO Go to stream. There were reports earlier this year that the service would be coming to Fire TV, but we’re still waiting on that one.

    It’s going to be even more important for devices to get HBO Go if they want to stay competitive in the future, as HBO is talking about turning it into a standalone service for those who don’t subscribe to any cable television packages.

    Amazon launched Fire TV in April. Last week, the company gave an update on it, saying that it has tripled the amount of available apps. There are over 600 available now.

    As you might expect, Amazon is giving away a free 30-day Amazon Prime trial with Fire TV Stick purchases.

    Image via Amazon

  • Chromecast Usage Growing Rapidly, New Version On The Way

    Google’s Mario Queiroz spoke at a Gigaom event, and talked about the company’s hit streaming device Chromecast. He provided some new numbers (some of which are encouraging for users), and confirmed a new version of the device is on the way.

    While we don’t know much about what the new version will bring to the table, we did know another one was in the works. Reports recently surfaced about a device appearing in an FCC document .

    Gigaom recaps part of Queiroz’s talk:

    Three months ago, Google claimed that Chromecast users have tapped the cast button about 400 million times, signaling how fast the streaming device has grown in the marketplace. That number is now at 650 million, Google VP of product management Mario Queiroz said at Gigaom’s Structure Connect conference Tuesday.

    And it’s not just Chromecast’s popularity with consumers that’s growing. Queiroz also said more than 6,000 developers are building more than 10,000 apps for the Google Cast ecosystem, signaling a rising developer community.

    Chromecast is gaining new app support all the time, and that means the $35 device automatically gets more useful and attractive as time goes on. More support means more entertainment options for users.

    The device also recently got a pivotal update with Android screen mirroring, enabling users of certain Android devices to cast whatever is on their screen to their television, which lets you get around a lack of direct support from other apps. The device list for this is growing as well.

    Chromecast also recently got an update to include a more personalized experience, enabling users to display photos from their own collection on the screen when the device isn’t actually in use.

    Image via YouTube

  • Firefox For Android Gets Chromecast, Roku Support

    Firefox For Android Gets Chromecast, Roku Support

    Mozilla announced that Firefox for Android will now let users send supported videos to their televisions via Roku and Chromecast.

    In a blog post, the company explains:

    You might be entertaining friends and want to share a clip from your recent vacation or a news video from sites like CNN.com. Whatever the reason, sending videos to your TV has never been easier. All you need to do is find and start to play a video in Firefox for Android. You’ll then see the ‘send to device’ icon in the video playback controls and the URL bar. Tap on the icon for a list of connected Roku or Chromecast device(s) that are on the same WiFi network. Simply select the device you want to send your video to.

    You can choose the content you want to view in your living room and can play, pause and close videos directly from the Media Control Bar in Firefox for Android. This appears at the bottom of the screen on your Android phone when a video is being sent and stays visible as long as the video is playing, even if you change tabs or visit new Web pages.

    Of course the Chromecast app itself lets you mirror your Android device’s screen (at least for the growing list of supported devices), and more and more apps (including Chrome) enable casting on their own.

    The addition of Roku support is the standout feature with Mozilla’s offering. While it doesn’t offer any specific plans, the functionality would seem to suggest that Firefox could add support for additional streaming devices.

    Image via YouTube

  • Google Gives Chromecast Users More Image Options

    One of the nice things about Google’s Chromecast other than its incredibly attractive price tag, is that it keeps getting better on its own thanks to both Google’s own updates and increasing adoption from other apps.

    Google announced one of its own updates today, enabling users to tap into a wider variety of pictures for the images that appear on the Chromecast screen while you’re not watching something. Historically, Google has determined what images you see. They are admittedly pretty pleasing to look at in general, but they lack the personalization that comes with the user being able to choose what they want to be displayed.

    Apparently a lot of people have requested such a feature, and now they have it.

    There’s a new backdrop option. You can use your own photo albums from Google+, artwork from galleries and museums from the Google Cultural Institute, “news and lifestyle” images from The New York Times, The Guardian, Saveur, etc. (U.S. only), satellite imagery from Google Earth/Maps, or other photos from the Google+ community.

    To customize your experience, open the Chromecast app on your phone or tablet, and select the “Backdrop” option from the left menu. There, you can tell Google want you want to use.

    You can learn more information about the pictures you’re seeing by going to the Chromecast app and tapping on the card under “Backdrop” or even asking the Google app “What’s on my Chromecast?” with a voice command.

    This whole Google thing is really all starting to come together, isn’t it?

    The update is rolling out. More on setting up Backdrop here.

    Image via Google

  • Chromecast ‘Cast Screen’ Feature Now Supported By Sony Xperia Z3 Phones

    In July, Google launched Android screen mirroring via Chromeast with the Chromecast app’s “Cast Screen” feature. It had previewed the feature, which automatically makes the Chromecast device roughly a billion times better, at Google I/O earlier in the summer.

    The feature launched, but it only supported certain devices. That list has now grown to include the Sony Xperia Z3 series. The unofficial Xperia blog pointed out that the devices were quietly added to the list in Google’s support documents. The full list of supported devices is now as follows:

    Nexus 4
    Nexus 5
    Nexus 7 (2013)
    Nexus 10
    Samsung Galaxy S4
    Samsung Galaxy S4 (Google Play Edition)
    Samsung Galaxy S5
    Samsung Galaxy Note 3
    Samsung Galaxy Note 10
    HTC One M7
    HTC One M7 (Google Play Edition)
    LG G3
    LG G2
    LG G Pro 2
    Sony Xperia Z3
    Sony Xperia Z3 Compact

    Google still says additional device support is coming soon.

    As the device list for Cast Screen support grows, so does the list of supported apps, which recently grew to include Sling, Disney, Twitch, iHeart Radio, DramaFever, and others.

    Image via YouTube

  • Less People Use Game Consoles For Netflix As More Use Media Players

    Less People Use Game Consoles For Netflix As More Use Media Players

    People are using digital media players more and video game consoles less to watch Netflix on their televisions, according to a new report from GfK.

    Consoles are still the most common hardware for Netflix viewing on TVs, but things appear to be trending in a different direction.

    According to the report, 28% of those who stream Netflix on a TV use a digital media player (Roku, Apple TV, Chromecast, etc.) compared to 15% last year and 6% in 2011. Ownership of such devices has increased from 2% to 21% since 2010, it says.

    28% reported using streaming capabilities built into their TVs compared to 20% last year and 13% in 2011. Meanwhile, those reporting console use dropped to 43%, down 5 percentage points from 2013, and nearly 20 points from 2011, when it was 62%.

    “The wide variations in devices used – and in preferred device by age – speak to a need for Netflix and other SVOD providers to optimize the user experience for each situation,” said David Tice, Senior Vice President at GfK and author of the report. “Not only do the device interface and remote control need to be user-friendly, but things like on-screen font size and menus need to be age-appropriate. With a quarter of Netflix users also being Amazon Prime or Hulu viewers, there is a potential battle in user experience as well as in variety and exclusivity of content.”

    As long as we’re on the subject, here’s a look at some new titles getting ready to hit Netflix.

    Image via BusinessWire

  • Sling Adds Chromecast Support

    Sling Adds Chromecast Support

    Google’s inexpensive Chromecast device keeps getting better and better, and it’s mostly not even by Google’s own hands (though the recent launch of screen mirroring was pretty big). More third-party apps continue to offer support, and today the device gets a big one.

    Sling, which lets people watch their own TV set-ups remotely by way of mobile app, now supports Chromecast, meaning users can watch from any TV with a Chromecast (and they’re quite portable) just as if they were in their own living room.

    Sling says in a blog post:

    If you’re not familiar with Chromecast, here’s a quick rundown: It’s a dongle (don’t you love that word?) made by Google that you plug into a TV’s HDMI port. It lets you “cast” content onto the big screen wirelessly from apps running on your mobile device. When paired with the Slingplayer app, you’ll be able to watch any of your cable or satellite programming (live or recorded) on any TV that’s been set up with Chromecast. Remember, both the Chromecast device and Slingplayer-equipped mobile device must be on the same network. And when they are, you’ll be able to control your TV with a soft remote interface that shows up on your phone or tablet:

    Chromecast, like the other popular Sling-supported video streamers including Roku players and Apple TV, is compact (less than three inches long) and inexpensive ($35). We feel this will present a simple but powerful solution for our Sling customers who want to watch on multiple home TVs without setting up more than one set-top box, or would like to use Sling to watch their home content on a TV in a hotel, vacation home, office or anywhere else.

    Chromecast support is available for iPhone, iPad, and Android Phones, with Android tablet support on the way.

    The news follows Google’s announcement this week that Chromecast has also gained support from Twitch, Disney’s TV apps, iHeartRadio, and DramaFever. Other recent additions include Watch ABC and NPR One.

    Image via Sling

  • Google’s Chromecast Gets Support From More Apps

    Google’s Chromecast Gets Support From More Apps

    Google announced a handful of apps that have added Chromecast support, including WATCH Disney, WATCH Disney Junior, WATCH Disney XD, Twitch, iHeartRadio, and DramaFever.

    The Disney apps will give users access to titles like Girl Meets World, Doc McStuffins, and Star Wars Rebels. They do, however, require a login from a supported TV provider, and there are some (like Time Warner Cable) missing from the list.

    Chromecast director of global content Shanna Preve writes on the Chrome blog:

    Music aficionados can now cast and blast music from the best speakers in the house with iHeartRadio. The app lets you listen to more than 1,500 live radio stations from all over the U.S. or customize your own.

    You can also join 60 million gamers on Twitch to watch and talk about video games. Get insights from both casual gamers and some of the biggest professional players competing in sold out stadiums. Cast Twitch content from the web, Android and iOS apps.

    The inclusion of Twitch is notable as it is being acquired by Amazon after Google reportedly backed out of a deal to purchase it. Amazon’s own Instant Video app doesn’t even offer Chromecast support at this point, though it did just become available for Android via the Amazon Appstore, and some newer Android devices have the ability to mirror their screens using the Chromecast.

    DramaFever, if you’re not familiar with it, gives users access to over 15,000 television episodes from international markets, including Korean dramas, Latin American telenovelas, and various Asian TV shows.

    The WATCH ABC and NPR One apps recently gained Chromecast support as well.

    Image via YouTube

  • Netflix Launches Post-Play For Chromecast

    Netflix Launches Post-Play For Chromecast

    Netflix announced that it has added its Post-Play feature to its Chromecast experience. Here’s how Netflix described the feature when it originally launched in 2012:

    When you finish watching an episode of a TV show, we’ll minimize the credits and tee-up the next episode. If you do nothing, the next episode will start to play in 15 seconds. You can also stop it to get more information or select another episode.

    When you finish watching a movie, we’ll minimize the credits and offer you three recommendations to try next. If those don’t suit you, you can always go directly to search from post-play or go back to browsing to find something else.

    Chromecast users will get the functionality within the next few days. It will first be available to users with mobile phones and tablets. PC support will come later.

    Last week, Netflix launched a new social media recommendation feature, but that’s not available for Android yet.

    Image via Netflix

  • YouTube Gets Better For Chromecast

    YouTube Gets Better For Chromecast

    Google just announced a new feature that will make watching YouTube videos a little better for Chromecast users. You can now queue up videos to play as you watch.

    In an announcement on Google+, YouTube says:

    Are you casting from www.YouTube.com to your TV and lost in a sea of browser tabs? Good news, matey. Now you can keep playing a video as you browse and queue the next ones to play – all in one tab. Also, within the next few days you’ll see a new look for the watch page on www.YouTube.com that lets you more easily create playlists and share videos across social media, as well as puts the whole video description in one spot.

    If you were using the YouTube mobile app, you could already browse and queue up videos while playing another video, but it’s nice to see Google make the experience better for desktop users.

    Last month, Google launched the ability for Android users to mirror their screens to the TV using the Chromecast, though the functionality was only made available for certain devices.

    Image via Google+

  • Google Launches Chromecast In Ireland

    Google’s Chromecast online video streaming device has become available in the Google Play Store in Ireland, according to various people who have spotted it for sale.

    This comes after Google launched Play Movies in that country a couple weeks ago.

    Google announced availability of the device for Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, and the UK in March.

    Google’s Sundar Pichai said at the time, “In addition to your favorite apps like +YouTube, +Google Play Movies, +Google Play Music, +Netflix (where available), we’re working with local content providers to bring even more of the movies and TV shows you love to Chromecast.”

    Here’s the Chromecast site for Irish users, which gives you a look at some of the apps that are available. Here are the ones Google recommends:

    Here in the U.S., Google’s device has been steadily attracting support from apps. Last week, Google launched Android screen mirroring for supported devices, making the device instantly even more useful.

    Google has had other attempts at connected television devices, but this one, based on its growing support and very low price, seems to be a winner. The company will no doubt continue to expand its availability to more countries as time goes on.

    Via 9to5Google

  • Chromecast Lets You Mirror Your Android Screen To The TV

    Google announced at Google I/O a couple weeks ago that it would bring Android screen mirroring to the Chromecast later in the summer. Apparently later is now.

    Google announced the launch of the feature today, enabling Android smartphone and tablet users to mirror their screens on their televisions using Google’s $35 Chromecast device. Google says in a blog post:

    Chromecast makes it easy for you to enjoy your favorite entertainment on the biggest screen in the house. Starting today, you can mirror your Android phone and tablet to the TV so you can see your favorite apps, photos or anything else, exactly as you see it on your mobile device—only bigger. To start mirroring, simply select “Cast Screen” from the navigation drawer in the Chromecast app and select your Chromecast device. On Nexus devices, this feature is also available through the quick settings menu.

    “Now, anything on your Android device will appear on the TV,” says Google’s Ambarish Kenghe. “You can share photos stored on your phone with a group of friends, or scope out the scenery for your next family vacation together on the big screen using Google Earth.”

    The feature is rolling out over the course of the next few days. It requires the 1.7 update of the Chromecast app, which will be hitting Google Play, as well as one of the following Android devices: Nexus 4, Nexus 5, Nexus 7 (2013), Nexus 10, Samsung Galaxy S4, Samsung Galaxy, S4 (Google Play Edition), Samsung Galaxy S5, Samsung Galaxy Note 3, Samsung Galaxy Note 10, HTC One M7, HTC One M7 (Google Play Edition), LG G3, LG G2, LG G Pro 2.

    Google does say it will support more devices soon.

    More on casting your Android screen here.

    Images via Google

  • Aereo Adds Chromecast Support On Android

    More and more online video content services are adding support for Google’s $35 Chromecast streaming device since Google launched the SDK earlier this year.

    On Thursday, Aereo announced that it now supports the device. The Aereo app for Android is available for download in the Google Play store (here), and subscribers can access its antenna and DVR technology to record and watch live broadcast television with Chromecast.

    Aereo lets users pause, rewind and fast-forward live TV, and save programs for future viewing. It’s supported on iOS, Android, Chrome for Mac and Windows, Safari, Internet Explorer 9, Firefox, Opera, Apple TV, and Roku. It costs $8 per month, but for $4 more, subscribers can get 60 hours of DVR storage.

    So far it’s only available in New York, Boston, Atlanta, Miami, Houston, Dallas, Detroit, Baltimore, Cincinnati, San Antonio, and Austin. More cities are planned for this year.

    Earlier this week, Google announced that the WatchESPN app, MLS Matchday, and Crunchyroll have all added Chromecast support. These join MLB.tv, Crackle, Rdio, Vudu, 5by, Netflix, HBO Go, Hulu Plus, Pandora, YouTube, Google Play Movies & TV, Google Play Music, Songza, Red Bull TV, Vevo, Plex, PostTV, Viki, and RealPlayer Cloud.

    Google also expanded Chromecast availability to Australia, Belgium, Japan, Korea, Portugal and Switzerland.

    Image via Google

  • Chromecast Users Get More To Watch

    Chromecast Users Get More To Watch

    Earlier this year, Google took its Chromecast SDK out of beta, paving the way for developers to go wild adding support to their apps, which in turn means that users of the $35 streaming device get access to more and more content.

    Google announced a few new supported experiences today. These include the WatchESPN app and MLS Matchday app (in time for the World Cup) as well as Crunchyroll.

    It looks like users in Aereo’s coverage areas are about to get some good news as well (via GigaOm).

    Google also announced support for Google+ photos and videos. You should find a cast button in the Photos view of Google+ on Android and iOS.

    In April, MLB.tv added support. Other recent additions include Crackle, Rdio, Vudu, and 5by. Additional supported apps include: Netflix, HBO Go, Hulu Plus, Pandora, YouTube, Google Play Movies & TV, Google Play Music, Songza, Red Bull TV, Vevo, Plex, PostTV, Viki, and RealPlayer Cloud.

    This week, Google also expanded availability of Chromecast to Australia, Belgium, Japan, Korea, Portugal and Switzerland.

    Image via YouTube

  • Crackle’s ‘Comedians In Cars Getting Coffee’ Season 4 Gets Release Date

    Crackle, Sony’s online video streaming service, announced that it’s getting the fourth season of Jerry Seinfeld’s Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee on June 19th.

    The show on Sony’s free service, which recently added Chromecast support, has featured guests like Louis CK, David Letterman, Ricky Gervais, Tina Fey, Sarah Silverman, Chris Rock, and Seinfeld alumni Larry David, Jason Alexander, and Michael Richards in the past.

    The upcoming season will include Aziz Ansari, Robert Klein, Sarah Jessica Parker, Jon Stewart, and George Wallace.

    According to Crackle, Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee has been streamed over 40 million times since its debut in July 2012. Seinfeld was nominated for an Emmy for it. The aforementioned Chromecast support should only serve to increase the popularity of the show, especially as it continues to get interesting guests.

    Here’s the trailer for the new season:

    Image via YouTube

  • You Can Now Watch Live Major League Baseball Games On Chromecast

    MLB.TV has added Chromecast support so paying customers of its Premium service can now stream live out-of-market major league baseball games using Google’s $35 device.

    Users can download the MLB.com At Bat app from the Google Play Store or Apple App Store.

    Google opened up developer support for Chromecast in February, paving the way for a plethora of apps to support it. We’re still in the early days on this, and the inexpensive device is only going to become more and more attractive to users as more options become available.

    A couple weeks ago, Crackle, Rdio, and Vudu added support, and earlier this week, StumbleUpon launched support for its 5by video discovery app on iOS (Android was already available).

    Other supported apps include: Netflix, HBO Go, Hulu Plus, Pandora, YouTube, Google Play Movies & TV, Google Play Music, Songza, Red Bull TV, Vevo, Plex, PostTV, Viki, and RealPlayer Cloud.

    Google held its Q1 earnings call yesterday. It didn’t reveal how many Chromecasts have been sold, but said the device has been a “real hit”.

    Image via YouTube

  • StumbleUpon’s 5by Video Discovery App For iOS Now Compatible With Chromecast

    StumbleUpon announced today that its 5by video discovery service has partnered with VICE Media, Tribeca Enterprises, and DEFY Media. These are its first-ever media partnerships.

    As a result of these partnerships, users will be able to navigate partner channels to watch “freshly curated” video playlists. Partner experiences will appear on the home screen or as channels, depending on time of day and individual preferences.

    With the partnership news, the company also announced that the iOS app, like the Android app, now supports Google’s Chromecast as a living room viewing option.

    “We’re ecstatic to launch these new channels and introduce great content and brands to our growing audience. Innovation is in 5by’s DNA and we’re thrilled to grow with VICE, Tribeca, and DEFY,” said 5by CEO Greg Isenberg. “These partnerships represent a growing interest in 5by advertising across different categories, but our focus remains on building a great product.”

    “We’re excited to add some of our original video content from the ScreenJunkies, AWEme, Break, and SmoshGames properties on 5by,” added Barry Blumberg, EVP Content and Programming, Defy Media. “We’re committed to distributing our award-winning content across emerging platforms, including mobile, and this provides another avenue our viewers can use to discover and consume our videos when and where they want.”

    StumbleUpon acquired 5by last fall, and launched the apps for iOS and Android in January. Read our interview with Isenberg here and our interview with StumbleUpon CEO Mark Bartels here.

    Isenberg told us that the plan was to continue to expand to new platforms, and “really take over the living room. TV apps, gaming consoles, you name it.”

    Bartels similarly discussed interactive TVs and gaming consoles.

    Image via 5by

  • Crackle And Rdio Launch Chromecast Support [Update: So Does Vudu]

    Update: Vudu has also launched Chromecast support.

    Google already has a hit on its hands with the Chromecast, and it’s only going to get better as more apps support it. Google launched the SDK out of beta just last month, essentially giving developers the license to go wild and make their own products Chromecast-ready.

    Today, Crackle and Rdio both announced support.

    If you’re unfamiliar with Crackle, it’s a unit of Sony Pictures Television, and features free movies and shows, and even some originals. Crackle says:

    Google Chromecast owners can now watch Crackle’s curated collection of hit movies and television shows, including genres like action, comedy, crime, horror and sci-fi; as well as original Crackle series such as Jerry Seinfeld’s Emmy nominated “Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee,” “Chosen,” starring Chad Michael Murray and Rose McGowan and “Cleaners,” starring Emmanuelle Chiriqi and David Arquette. Fan favorite shows available on Crackle include “Seinfeld,” “The Shield,” “Damages” and much more.

    Crackle has apps on Android, iOS and Chrome for Windows and Macs.

    Rdio is a service for listening to, discovering and sharing music. It’s available on iOS and Android.

    “Rdio on Google Chromecast marks another milestone in Rdio’s commitment to delivering the best music experience everywhere,” said Rdio CEO Anthony Bay. “Music fans can access Rdio’s massive catalog of over 20 million songs or start a station easily, all from Chromecast on their TV.”

    Chromecast recently expanded into the UK. Meanwhile, the competition is heating up.

    Image via YouTube