We were right about a lot of things about that were unveiled at today’s Google event. We just saw and got our hands-on the Nexus 6P and Nexus 5X from Huawei and LG. And as we’ve speculated, the Internet giant has prepared not just one but two new Chromecast variants: Chromecast 2 and Chromecast Audio.
Finally after two years, we have a new Chromecast. The device looks very much different from the previous dongle form as the latest model is now round, like a hockey-puck. The blurry images we saw a couple of weeks ago turned out to be true and the device comes in three colors: Black, Coral, and Lemonade. The coral and lemonare are actually bright orange and bright yellow. It now comes with is own HDMI cable plus a magnet so the cable will remain attached to the Chromecast especially when not in use.
Google describes the 2nd-gen Chromecast with a “significantly improved Wi-fi support”, featuring a better antenna for ultra-fast connectivity. Another model, the Chromecast Audio, turns your ordinary speakers into a smart audio system. (Thank you Google!) The device simply plugs into any speaker with a standard headphone jack (3.5mm aux) but optical inputs and RCA are also supported if you have a more advanced home entertainment system.
Just like the older model, both Chromecast devices need to be connected to two systems–one plug to connect to power and another one going in to a TV or to a speaker. As expected, a new Chromecast app will be available to accompany the new Chromecast 2 and Chromecast Audio.
The difference between the two is that the Chromecast Audio looks more like a vinyl record what with those grooves (lines) you see on the surface. The Chromecast 2 only has a smooth and shiny surface and we have three color choices while we only have black for the Audio version.
The round design of the new Chromecast plus the extended cable seems to make it ‘out of the way’ unlike the HDMI stick design. Insert the cable and you can place the hockey-puck somewhere a bit farther from all the other cables. WiFi support is now at 2.4/5GHz. It’s faster but we have yet to test the speeds and know how significant the change is. It’s definitely faster than the old model.
The Chromecast (2015) and Chromecast Audio will each come with a $35 price tag–same as the price of the original Chromecast. Google said it will be ready for purchase from several retailers soon but you can now get one from the online Google Store.
