The Internet of Things is turning household appliances into smartasses. Not so with my television, which behaves like a hillbilly on mescaline at the best of times.
But Chromecast gives the most stupid television a PhD in connectivity. Plug it into the HDMI slot, and stream music, film, photos and other content, from a handheld device or PC.
Google’s new generation Chromecast dongle is supposedly smarter on account of its improved Wi-Fi aerial that cuts down on buffering and produces higher quality streaming.
The device speeds up the process by pre-loading apps and content. It also has the power of prophecy. Netflix, for example, can automatically upload its player and predict what you’re going to watch next. The new Chromecast comes with games, including Angry Birds.
Google is also launching Chromecast Audio for streaming audio to Hi-Fi’s. Google’s Play Music, Deezer and TuneIn radio, and Spotify pledged their support.