Google has launched its second-generation Chromecast dongle in India, alongside the new Chromecast Audio dongle, both priced at Rs. 3,399.  It has launched the second generation of Chromecast in India, six months after they were launched in the US. Instead of one, there are two successors to the Chromecast – one for video and the other for audio.

The new Chromecasts look like disks instead of dongles. The company is offering a free Saavn Pro subscription and free Hooq subscription – 6 months each – with both dongles.

To recall, the company had refreshed the Chromecast dongle and globally launched it with the new Chromecast Audio dongle September last year.

 The Chromecast is like the older streaming dongle with hardware and design upgrades, While the Chromecast Audio is a high fidelity music streamer.

The second-generation Chromecast’s design is significantly different from the original’s. The new dongle has an HDMI cable looped inside a circular Chromecast logo-shaped unit. Connectivity has also improved, with three onboard antennas and dual-band 5GHz 802.11ac Wi-Fi for stutter-free high quality streaming. It comes with Fast Play, allowing the Chromecast to start a video or audio streaming much more quickly once the Cast button is pressed.

There are two ways to steam content to your speakers and TV with the Chromecasts — from a compatible app or the Chromecast app.

“Chromecast turns any TV into a smart TV for a fraction of the cost. The new Chromecast has an updated design, making it easier to fit into TVs with crowded ports. It supports the latest WiFi standards and adapts to changing WiFi conditions in most homes, ensuring higher quality video with less buffering. In addition to movies, TV shows and music are available through apps including Netflix, Hooq, Eros Now and YouTube. Chromecast also offers a range of popular single and multi-player games including Angry Birds Go and Just Dance Now,” said Google.

The new Chromecast dongle also enjoys the Feeds feature, which can be controlled via the Chromecast app, letting users choose what content the Chromecast will display on screen when on standby – from social media feeds to image feeds. Unlike the first generation Chromecast dongle, the new media streaming device will be available in three colours – Black, Red, and Yellow.

The Chromecast Audio dongle  lets users stream music to regular, dumb speakers without wireless connectivity directly from their smartphone or laptop. It works with Android and iOS devices, apart from PCs. The device supports high-quality audio, 2 watt RMS, and an optional optical digital out that sits in the hybrid port.

Chromecast Audio dongle additionally includes a feature called guest access, allowing others to stream even if they are not connected to the user’s Wi-Fi network.

“With Chromecast Audio, it is now possible to create a seamless home audio system with unmatched compatibility and affordability. The small device plugs into existing speakers to stream music, radio and podcasts over WiFi, similar to Chromecast. It works with a number of apps including Saavn and Wynk Music. The multi-room feature makes it possible to connect multiple speakers throughout a living space,” said Google about the Chromecast audio.

The new Chromecast will be available on Flipkart, Snapdeal, Paytm and retailers like Reliance and Croma among others.

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