Google TV

Google burst onto the video streaming scene way back in 2010 with Logitech in the form of the Google TV-powered Revue. While early hardware was a mixed bag, Google has successfully evolved their offerings over the years with Android TV, Chromecast, and Google TV once again to remain a notable player in the space — often with partners, like NVIDIA and TiVo. As with Android smartphones, a primary Google selling point is a high degree of device customization compared to Apple TV and Roku.

Best Google streamers of 2021

Below is a reverse chronological listing of Google streamer updates.

Google To Acquire Nest (for truckloads of cash)

Earlier than expected and for a sum that cannot be calculated rationally, Google has entered into an arrangement to purchase Nest for 3.2 billion in cash. Which totals more than two Instagrams and two Flips… combined. While Nest has grown rapidly, now exceeding 200 employees with healthy buzz and presumably solid sales (which the company does not disclose), the acquisition strikes me as a move to lock up the Nest team and product/service pipeline – before someone else does. Of course, this isn’t Google’s first foray into home monitoring and control. But unlike the short-lived Google powermeter the upside, via retail sales and Google service tie-ins, will be much higher. And, with the connected home as the next frontier, this gives Google one of the hottest players in the game ahead of whatever the likes of Sony or Apple might be working on. (Related, we can’t help but wonder if Apple will keep Nest on store shelves.)

Vizio Smart Audio: A Jambox With Android Benefits

In the category of products that may never come to market, but nonetheless inspired us at CES, are the Vizio Smart Audio Android boomboxes. Beyond Vizio’s sharp industrial design and decent sound (which did seem to distort at max volume), wouldn’t you prefer your Jambox-esque device ship with a display? Better, yet, how about directly … Read more

Hours Away From The New Samsung Galaxy Note Pro and Tab Pro

What Might Amazon's TV Streamer Look Like?

Having missed the ever so lucrative holiday hopping season, we stop to wonder what Amazon might pack into their forthcoming TV streamer (after failing to reach a deal for the Netflix-backed Roku a few years back).

First, given pulled and presumably filled job openings, one technology Amazon’s Lab126 Kindle division has been interested in is MHL – something we’ve seen leveraged by the Roku streaming sick, as means of doing away with the set-top box. Of course, the M in MHL is “mobile” and this could equally refer to the Kindle Fire line of tablets — either on their own or as a means of interfacing with a Kindle streamer. However, we fully believe any Amazon TV stick or set-top would act as an endpoint to the Kindle Fire’s Miracast capabilities.

DISH Hopper App Consolidation Underway

DISH Anywhere Android and iOS apps have both been updated to expand their Sling Hopper capabilities from mere streaming to also include DVR recording downloads. Now the functionality isn’t new, but consolidating down from three apps to two is a good move – and one we’ve seen from a variety of service providers (like Verizon) who … Read more

My Wife, The Gadget Flipper (Kindle Fire HDX)

While I’m the CTO of the Zatz household, my wife Melissa is also capable of making tech purchasing decisions… and living with the consequences. What follows is her realization that one gadget doesn’t fit all.

Dave’s pattern of flipping gadgets must be contagious because I’ve caught the bug! More importantly, I’ve inherited his appreciation (or lack thereof) of a gadget’s usability and functionality. As such, technology is frequently coming and going in our home.

A year ago I wrote about swapping my iPad 3 for the new iPad Mini. At the time I wanted a smaller device that I could more comfortably handle when lounging around; a gadget I could use for mundane web browsing and video streaming. But, the Mini and I had a short lived love affair as I quickly starting yearning for something sexier. The lack of retina display was hard to get used to and I never adjusted to the fonts. Having to constantly pinch and zoom the screen became annoying. My $330 toy started collecting dust.

My iPhone became my “go to” device when doing non work-related web browsing. But as close to perfect as the iPhone is, size does matter! I was missing a larger screen. A larger screen that I could still easily hold without needing a stand or case. When the iPad Mini retina display launched earlier this year I was tempted to buy one. I’m a loyal Apple fan who loves their sleekness and simplicity. But, I didn’t want to indulge myself by purchasing the new model knowing that I would likely want something new sometime soon! Yup, I’m a true Zatz!

When we got up Sunday morning,

Chromecast Screen Mirroring vs. Miracast

Fellow tech enthusiast and DC neighbor Joel Ward continues his role as a ZNF contributor. Beyond Zatz Not Funny, Joel can be found at Joel Explains It All and @joelsef on Twitter.

When the Google Chromecast came out over the summer, one of the first things many of us wanted to use it for was phone, laptop, and tablet screen mirroring. Basically, something like Miracast (or WiDi). Alas, I was under the impression that Google’s initial implementation only allowed for mirroring of tabs in the Google Chrome browser…on a computer, not a tablet or phone. Of course there’s the baked in support for Netflix, YouTube, Hulu Plus, Pandora and a handful of other apps beyond the Chrome tab mirroring, but I wasn’t aware of official full screen sharing.

As it turns out, Google includes an experimental feature that allows full screen mirroring — only on desktop operating systems, via a Chrome browser plugin, and currently without audio. We can assume this experimental feature will eventually become an official feature, and hopefully include full audio, better performance, and Android support.

We have been playing with the Chromecast ($35) screen mirroring and comparing it to Miracast, and it seems to work in a very similar way, though with some differences.

3 Signs More Chromecast Apps Are On the Way

Given how stupidly easy it is to use the Chromecast device with supported apps, it should come as no surprise that Google wants to encourage further integration with third-party software. While the company locked down its streaming stick a while back, there are several signs that the restraints are about to be lifted.

1. Official Chromecast Hackathon – Google hosted a hackathon this weekend in Mountain View, letting developers in to try out the Cast SDK and consult with company engineers. There’s no official list of attendees, but a few folks have mentioned receiving invitations including Koushik Dutta, creator of the AirCast app for streaming local content, and various other developers posting on industry forums. (Remember- you can already cast locally-stored photos to the Chromecast, but only if you go through a Chrome browser.)

I was hoping to hear that someone from ESPN would be in attendance, but when I talked to a spokesperson with the company, she had no knowledge of anyone at ESPN planning to go. I’d also like to see a videoconferencing app supported through Chromecast. Personally I use Tango, but Chromecast support might nudge me to spend time with Google Hangouts.