One of the most popular products Google has ever made is the Chromecast, and I bought at least one of each version that Google has released. If you thought the $49.99 Chromecast with Google TV was the best Google could do, prepare to be surprised.
Google developed a more expensive version that replaces the Chromecast completely without losing access to streaming (casting) abilities. The Google TV Streamer is available to order beginning today for $99.99. It won’t start shipping until September 24th, though, so you still have a while to wait.
Most TV sets available in stores today are smart TVs with Chromecast capabilities. Connecting a Chromecast to your smart TV might seem overkill, so why buy the more expensive Streamer 4K version? Well, Google turned the device into a more ambitious gadget that might be more appealing to some people than an out-of-the-box smart TV experience.
The Google TV Streamer does more than let you stream video content from your favorite sources. It also integrates Gemini AI, Google’s generative AI chatbot that will be in nearly every product Google ships.
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Gemini AI will help you find new stuff to watch, keep track of the watching preferences of everyone in your home, and even offer more information about the movies and shows you want to watch:
Thanks to Gemini technology on Google TV, you can now get full summaries, reviews and season-by-season breakdowns of content, so finding your next marathon-watch just got easier.
I told you recently that I’ll never watch Netflix without ChatGPT by my side. I often have questions about the shows I’m streaming, and genAI chatbots are a great companion for that. Google TV Streamer’s Gemini AI integration is a step in that direction.
The chatbot also lets you generate screensavers with voice or text prompts for when you’re not watching TV.
If that’s not enough, the Chromecast replacement also doubles as a hub for the smart home. It integrates with Google Home and Matter devices. It also features a built-in Thread border router that lets you connect smart home devices like locks and motion sensors.
The Streamer will show a new Google Home panel on your TV with support for surveillance cameras and other smart home gadgets. The panel will be synced to your Google Home app on your phone.
All these features likely require more power. Google says the Streamer offers “a giant leap in performance,” thanks to an improved processor, double the memory, and 32GB of storage. The new smart home gadget supports 4K HDR with Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos, and Wi-Fi and Ethernet connectivity.
Google also says it designed the new Chromecast replacement to better fit your home. The Streamer is much larger than the previous TV dongles. It won’t dangle behind your TV like before; instead, it’ll sit in front of the TV like other set-top boxes. This should also improve connectivity and cooling.
The Voice Remote is almost unchanged, though Google says it redesigned it to make it more comfortable to hold. That means a textured back and an optimized button layout to fit hands of all sizes. The remote also supports button customization, a win in my book.
The remote lets you talk to your Streamer and Gemini about content. It’ll also let you use your voice to find it if you lose it, as long as you have a Google Assistant speaker or a Pixel phone nearby. A button on the back of the Streamer box will make the remote play a sound.