Chromecast Audio and Chromecast 2 – Review

Chromecast 2 and Chrimecast Audio (Photo – google.com).

It’s a great time to be a Chromecast fan! Google just released two new products for their Chromecast ecosystem: the Chromecast Audio and the Chromecast 2.

By Robert Gauna

First off, Chromecast 2: What’s new?

It looks different –it’s like half a headphone with a dongle. The cool part is that there’s a short HDMI cable that sticks out of the puck. It’s magnetic, so it’s easy to put away. It comes in three colors: black, yellow and red, which is not really all that useful since it’s hidden at the back of the TV anyway, but it’s stylish if that’s your thing. One thing that’s really useful is that it’s a bit more intelligent and can handle different Wi-Fi or congested Wi-Fi areas, reducing stutters and buffering while watching videos. At $35, it’s still the best-featured streaming device for the price.

What’s more? The App! HBO Go, Netflix and others are even better with Google’s own unified search. Search on the Chromecast app and it will find your intended show and let you know where you can stream it. The downside of the new device is the same as the old: you still need a phone or tablet as a remote control for the puck, which is all not that bad, considering the price.

And now, Chromecast Audio!

Imagine yourself salivating on those sweet Sonos speakers and yet you still have your aging 5.1-system lying around. Not to worry anymore, Chromecast Audio to the rescue!

It works the same as Chromecast, but for your audio devices! It’s dead simple to install, just plug into your speaker system (shelf or amped). Download the apps that support it, and start streaming! It works via accessing the audio source directly from the Internet so there’s no lag between your phone and the device. Even better is that it’s also $35 dollars compared to the Sonos Connect, which costs $199.

Audio-wise, it’s acceptable. If you a hardcore audiophile, I don’t think this will satisfy you. It does support Spotify out of the box along with Rhapsody, Deezer, iHeartRadio and Songza. Podcasts also work with the device.

There you have it. It’s still a good buy for Christmas or Hanukah as a stocking stuffer this coming holiday. So go on and stream on!