'Google Cast' is replacing the 'Chromecast built-in' brand

Technology@lemmy.world – 156 points – 1 months ago

Well, at least they aren't outright throwing the functionality in the trash.

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I'm not defending Google but I think the change is just an admission that the old "Chromecast" branding is outdated. It wouldn't surprise me if less than 5% of users still regularly cast from a desktop browser.

🙋‍♂️

I would do it more often, if firefox would fucking finally add it into the browser.

And no, that weird plugin doesn't count. It's buggy as hell

It's literally the only reason I have chrome installed

Pretty sure they can't bundle it. AFAIK the libraries required for it ship with Chrome / Android and it's not an open standard. The hacky weird workarounds are people brute forcing it.

How? It's closed sourced tech. Not like Firefox can just add it, they would have to pay Google for it (and that's assuming google would license Firefox for this and remove a competitive advantage from Chrome Browser)

if less than 5% of users still regularly cast from a desktop browser.

Wait, I could do that?! It doesn't matter a ton at the moment, but I might want to do that in future. I'll have to look into it.

All I know is I appreciate their slow roll. Everytime they break something I replace it with the non-Google option. I've got a small nuc as my main HTPC tied into my plex. Been waiting for an excuse to swap my first Gen Google hockey Puck from like 2012 in my bedroom.

I don't even use their browser and if anything I'd want a full video cable replacement and not just stream specific things.

Imo the old UI was way less clunky than the new one with the remote. You didn't need to log into anything, just cast to the screen. EZPZ. The new one, you need to install the app on the Chromecast, log in on the Chromecast, then you can cast n it will work maybe 60% of the time with casting. Casting's broken, but hey, it's cool, we have apps and a remote now, just use those. The stupid remote gets lost all the time, which obviously wasn't an issue before because your phone/ laptop was the remote. Google thought ahead though, and added remote functionality to the home app that also works about 60% of the time.

Tl;dr new Chromecast sucks.