Google Home

Chromecast (which is part of the Google Home lineup) is the app that goes along with the product called "Chromecast".

Essentially, the purpose of this app is to make it easier to broadcast content to the Chromecast, or Google Home. This app is interesting because it integrates into other apps. Many popular media apps, such as Netflix, have a Chromecast option within the app. If a user presses it, the Chromecast app is invoked, but the user doesn't actually see it open.

The configuration itself is fairly straightforward for most internet connections. However, because it requires some specific configuration options that everyone may not have on their routers, setup can be a hassle. Once it is set up, however, you won't have to even open the app again. Assuming your technology is in order, the interface is very simple.

Chromecast (Google Home) is the only component that costs money. The actual application is free. However, you can only use it with the official product. "Knockoff" products are not supported by the application. One major downside of this application is that it is prone to freezing during playtime. Unfortunately, backtracking options are limited, and you will most likely need to restart your phone in order to get it to work correctly. This can majorly hamper movie night, and even though Google claims to have fixed this, it still happens intermittently.

Pros:

• Official app from Google Home for their product
• Is now supported by almost every major app
• Setup once and then never look at it again

Cons:

• Lots of networking issues that can cause app to stall
• Requires an active WiFi connection for both devices (Android and Chromecast)
• App hangs at times

Over the next few weeks we’ll be rolling out the following:

Check out the updated controls for popular smart home devices including fans, air purifiers, vacuum cleaners, blinds, TVs, and more.