Unannounced Google Chromecast is already available at Home Depot

Posted on by Samuel Martinez

The next Google event is scheduled to take place on Wednesday, September 30. We are expecting several new and exciting products, such as the new Pixel 5, the Pixel 4a 5G, new smart speakers that are expected to launch under the Google Nest brand, and a new Google Chrome with Android TV support. However, the Chromecast codenamed Sabrina may have decided not to wait for its official announcement, and it could already be available from Home Depot.

Yes, the new Google Chromecast with Android TV or Google TV is now selling for $49.99 over at Home Depot. The retailer has Sabrina available, two days before it’s official launched, the guys from The Verge have already purchased one, as it was already on store shelves for grabs. The device has also been spotted at Walmart, where Reddit user u/fuzztub07 purchased one to give us a full demonstration of its features.

“The Verge has purchased one such device from The Home Depot and can confirm the retailer is not stopping customers from checking out and taking the pre-release product home.”

Now, the new Google Chromecast with Android TV is not available in every store, as the guys from the verge claim that they tried two stores, and they only found the new Chromecast at the second location. Also, “inputting the universal product code listed on the receipt into the retailer’s website returns no results, so it would appear you can only purchase it early in person.”

The receipt doesn’t describe the dongle like a Chromecast; it labels it as “SABRINA-ABBEY ROCK CANDY,” which is the device’s hardware codename. Google was approached for comments on the matter, but it didn’t respond.

Well, you may want to wait for the official launch of the Google Chromecast, or just go to a couple of Home Depot or Walmart stores to see if you can get one. Remember that it’s just $50, and it will with a remote controller and Google TV support.

Source The Verge

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Google’s upcoming Chromecast detailed in hands-on videos ahead of its launch

Posted on by Nadeem Sarwar

Google’s upcoming Chromecast will be unveiled on September 30, but it is no longer a secret as the device has been popping up in leaks for months now. Some retail stores have already been photographed with the device on their shelf, while one lucky user even managed to buy one ahead of its official release. Now, hands-on images and videos of the Google’s next Chromecast dongle have appeared online, giving us a clear look at its design, the accessories that come with it inside the retail package, and even a UI walkthrough video that shows some of its capabilities and features.  

Image: Reddit – u/fuzztub07

Starting with the leaked images, they come courtesy of a Reddit user u/fuzztub07 who photographed the white variant of the device. The upcoming Chromecast dongle, which has been appearing in leaks under the codename Sabrina, has a familiar pebble-shaped design with a subtle Google branding on the front and power button at the back. As per images of the manual, the device has a USB Type-C interface for connecting to your smart TV. 

Image: Reddit – u/fuzztub07

The elongated pill-shaped remote has a scroll wheel-like navigation setup at the top which actually includes four distinct direction keys. It also had dedicated buttons for YouTube, Netflix, and of course, the Google Assistant. The box contents of the retail package include the dongle itself, the remote and two AAA batteries that go inside it, a power cable, and an adapter. Another Redditor u/jsterninja also posted a quick hands-on video of the upcoming device’s retail package whose branding says “Chromecast with Google TV“.

Scrolling through the chromecast UI for those that were interested from googlehome

But that’s not all. We also get a look at the new Chromecast in action captured on video, giving us a walkthrough of its UI. Additionally, stills of the system info page reveal that Google’s next Chromecast will offer around 4GB of onboard storage and will run Android TV OS based on Android 10. Streaming apps that come pre-installed on the device include Netflix, Amazon’s Prime Video, Disney+, Sling TV and Hulu among others. There are separate rows for games that can be played using the bundled remote or a dedicated gaming controller. 

(sound off) new chromecast? from googlehome

The Redditor also enthusiastically answered queries related to the device in the comments section and some of the key findings include 4K / HDR support, multi-account support, and the ability to sideload APKs from third-party app repositories. The device lacks an ethernet port and was reportedly sold by Walmart at $49.98, which is also the price that leaks have been predicting for Google’s next Chromecast dongle. The device lacks an IR blaster for controlling other appliances and misses out on an ethernet port too. Notably, it allows users to pair it with Bluetooth audio wearables as well. 

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Upcoming Chromecast with Google TV has also appeared in new renders

Posted on by Samuel Martinez

We have more leaks concerning Google devices as we are just ten days away from the next Google event. We recently saw leaked images of the new Google Nest Audio, and now it’s time for the new Google TV enabled Google Chromecast, known as ‘Project Sabrina,’ to get some attention.

The new Google Chromecast with Android TV or Project Sabrina was seen in a couple of new renders. These new images come from the guys over at WinFuture, who also gave us a fresh batch of images for Google’s upcoming smart speaker, which we have been calling the Google Nest Audio. Now, these images let us see some design details of the new Chromecast and its new remote controller.

Sabrina comes with an HDMI dongle, which would help it connect to any external display or TV. We also get to see the ‘G’ logo on what’s the front of the device, the USB-C port, which would deliver power to the device, and what seems to be the reset button on the back. Now, the remote controller gives us more details, as we can see dedicated YouTube, Netflix, and Google Assistant buttons. We can also see the power button, a D-Pad for navigation, the volume control rocker, and it seems that we may also find a programable ‘Favorites’ button in this new Chromecast.

We are also expecting new announcements in the next Google event, as rumors suggest that Android TV will become Google TV with the launch of this new Google Chromecast, and some even claim that the reason behind this is that Google may wish to decouple its TV interface from the Android brand. It would also seem that Google will try to give us more with this device since a report from Protocol explains that:
“Users will be able to install apps for streaming services like Netflix and Disney+ from Google’s Play Store, and the device will be integrated with Google Assistant for voice control. Like other Android TV devices, it will allow users to cast content, and it is expected to support Google’s Stadia cloud gaming service.”

Source 9to5Mac

Via WinFuture

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Google’s upcoming ‘Sabrina’ Android TV dongle could cost just $49.99 as per a retail listing

Posted on by Nadeem Sarwar

We’ve seen and heard a lot about Google’s upcoming Android TV dongle codenamed Sabrina via leaks and firmware digging in the past few months. Now, Home Depot appears to have briefly listed the streaming device (via 9toGoogle), revealing an asking price of just $49.99 for its Rock Candy color option.

The listing has since been pulled, but it can still be accessed via this cached version. Additionally, it has also been discovered that the Sabrina Android TV dongle will come in two more colors – Como Blue and Summer Melon. However, information about a launch date is still a mystery as the device was originally rumored to launch alongside the Google Pixel 4a, but that never happened.

Google is testing a dedicated Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM) for its upcoming Android TV dongle that automatically enables a low-latency mode when it is connected to a compatible smart TV with a native low-latency mode of its own, providing a lag-free gaming experience. A leaked video has shown that the Sabrina Android TV dongle will have a pebble-like design and will plug-in via its USB Type-C connector.

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Google testing low-latency gaming mode for its upcoming ‘Sabrina’ Android TV dongle

Posted on by Lee Kelly

Earlier this month, we had our first look at the renders of Google’s upcoming Android TV streaming dongle that is codenamed ‘Sabrina‘. Now, fresh information extracted from the firmware files by XDA-Developers indicates that the upcoming device might also support a dedicated low-latency mode for gaming.

Within a pre-installed system application called “SabrinaService”, there is a reference to a feature called “allm.” ALLM stands for Auto Low Latency Mode and it is an HDMI 2.1 feature that allows a gaming console, PC, or other devices to automatically enter a low-latency mode in order to provide a lag-free and uninterrupted experience for gaming, video conferencing and other scenarios.

To describe it in simple words, the Sabrina Android TV dongle will automatically enable a low-latency mode when it is connected to a compatible smart TV with a native low-latency mode of its own. And now that Google Stadia can be installed on an Android TV (sideloading it, not officially), it appears that Google’s upcoming streaming device might be the first to come with Stadia support.

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There is now a video of the upcoming Google Android TV streaming device

Posted on by Samuel Martinez
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Yesterday we saw some images that gave us an idea of what the next Google Android TV dongle would look like. The guys over at XDA developers have now posted a video, where they mention the device’s features and more.

The new video from Google’s Android TV device gives us a better idea of what the new device, codenamed “Sabrina,” may deliver. This video was part of a leaked firmware found by the XDA Developers team. It shows a device with a native Android TV built-in, which will come under Google’s Nest brand. This device is expected to launch alongside the Google Pixel 4a, so it seems that we may get to see it until next month.

Source Android Authority

Via XDA Developers

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This is Google’s upcoming Android TV streaming device codenamed Sabrina

Posted on by Lee Kelly

For the past few weeks, we’ve been hearing rumors of a new streaming device from Google that might come with its own remote, unlike the Chromecast lineup. Now, XDA-Developers has unearthed what appears to be official product renders of the upcoming streaming device from Google that will be based on the Android TV platform and is codenamed Sabrina.

The new streaming device from Google looks like an oblong pebble and will reportedly come in black, white, and a light pink color similar to the one we saw on the Pixel 3. It is said to pack an Amlogic chip and will also support Dolby Vision. The price is rumored to fall somewhere around $69, but details about a release date are still under the wraps.

As for the remote, it has a clean candy bar design with rounded buttons, although we only see the top half of it in the leaked renders. The upcoming streaming device might debut under the Nest branding and may introduce a few UI changes as well, such as YouTube TV integration in the Live section, a new Google Assistant interface, and support for Nest home cameras and doorbells alerts.

Google Android TV dongle remote

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