Last Updated on April 14, 2023 by
Google Chromecast has made it easy to turn your ordinary TV or monitor into a smart one. A family of external devices that connect to your televisions or other screens through an HDMI cable, Chromecast opens up a whole new door to entertainment without you needing a Smart TV.
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How Does Chromecast Work?
The external Chromecast device connects to the home Wi-Fi network, and it then allows you to control the device from your smartphone, tablets, or even Android laptops. That means you can in a way mirror your phone or any wireless device, and open apps like YouTube, Spotify, Netflix and over a thousand other apps on your TV! Your devices essentially become the ‘remote’ while Chromecast is connected.
Once your device is connected to the TV via Chromecast, you can enjoy high-quality video on the big screen as opposed to on your tablet or phone. Chromecast is especially great for gaming. When you connect Android laptops you can enjoy online gaming on the big screen instead of your 15-inch laptop. That means a bigger and better gaming experience.
Chromecast may somehow mirror your phone but it lets you multitask without any interruption. So while you can connect Netflix to your TV, you can still respond to incoming texts or scroll through Instagram while watching your TV series. When your phone is connected, you can even use voice-enabled commands for hands-free help, and you won’t have to log in to your apps just because they’re connected via Chromecast.
Smart Devices That Support Chromecast
Here’s a list of some smart home devices that are Chromecast compatible. That means you can connect them to your TV and have access remotely as well as through voice command.
1. Google Nest Hub 2nd Gen
With the Google Nest Hub Chromecast audio is possible. It is a multipurpose device that looks like any ordinary tablet except it is essentially a voice assistant featuring the Google Assistant, which serves as your smart speaker as well as a communication center of sorts.
The Nest Hub lets you play all your music from YouTube and other music apps, and watch Netflix too. It supports hands-free help that means you can resume your TV show from where you left off by just saying ‘Hey Google’. It is compatible with other smart devices around the household like smart lights, smart thermostats and smart cameras, and can also keep track of your schedules, reminders as well as any upcoming events from your calendar.
2. August Wi-Fi Smart Lock 4th Gen
A door lock that is keyless and tamperproof, what could be better than that? And safer in fact! The August Wi-Fi Smart Lock like its name suggests, connects directly to the home Wi-Fi network without the need for any additional bridge to gain access to the device.
Featuring its own mobile app, you can do more than just lock and unlock your door remotely. Whether you are at home or away, check your door lock status and lock it in case you previously forgot to. But that probably won’t be much of a problem since there is the option to enable auto-lock seconds after the door closes. There is also the auto-unlock feature that unlocks your door when it detects you walking up to it.
The August Smart Lock’s mobile app allows you to monitor your door activity as well – whenever the door has been opened throughout the day. And you can send temporary codes to family and friends so they can unlock your door while you’re away. The fact that this device connects to Chromecast makes it easier to have hands-free help; locking and unlocking your door with simple voice command or just control through your TV.
3. Wemo Wi-Fi Smart Plug
Another useful smart home device that connects to Chromecast is the Wemo Wi-Fi Smart Plug. By connecting to the home Wi-Fi network this smart plug can be controlled wirelessly, remotely and with voice control all thanks to its mobile app and its ability to sync with voice assistants – as well as through Chromecast too, of course.
So whether you’re cozied up on the couch or away from home, anything that’s plugged into the Wemo Smart Plug can be controlled easily; from heaters to lamps, to curling irons or even the microwave if you’re using the smart plug for that. Set schedules for the plug to automatically switch on or off, to protect your device from random power surges, and to save electric power consumption in the process.
The above mentioned are Smart Home devices that are compatible with Chromecast. When Chromecast was introduced it made having a smart TV easier – you didn’t have to necessarily own a Smart TV to use Chromecast, if you already had an Android device in the house! That’s the plus side of this beautiful tech. Just one android device and you could mirror it onto your TV and connect all other smart devices around the house at the same time.
Head on over to First Energy Home’s website if you’re looking to buy any of the three smart devices we listed above!
