Once upon a time, Chromecast was a great little device that offered users a better experience casting their favorite shows, movies, and videos. All seemed right with the world. But then Google, as it is wont to do, decided to make things worse for its customers. Sure, showing TV and movie recommendations makes sense, but now Chromecast with Google TV is playing product ads on the home page. With rumors of a new Chromecast with Google TV in the works, I can’t help but wonder: is this product even for consumers anymore?
Are ads getting out of control?
When your streaming device recommends food instead of programming, you know there’s a problem
I get it, ads are everywhere. We live in a world powered by ads, and this isn’t really anything new. In the olden times when cable TV (and satellite) ruled the land, we had to live with commercial breaks — and I must confess, I don’t hate commercials. Sometimes ads can be fun to watch. They also offer an opportunity to use the restroom or grab a refreshment when you might otherwise hold out because you simply can’t bring yourself to pause the action. But when ads become so pervasive that you feel there’s no escape, that’s a problem. And that’s what we’re facing with Chromecast with Google TV.
Picture this: you turn on the TV, looking for a show to watch. Where you might normally get a recommendation for a series “you may also like,” you instead have a video advertising products such as cars, body wash, or food. That’s not a prediction of where we’re headed — it’s what’s happening right now on Chromecast with Google TV. We’re now in an era where no space is safe from ads, and the broader implications of this are a little unsettling.
When you sit down to watch a show, you’re looking to relax, take it easy. The last thing you want is for a device you purchased with your own money to be filled with ads for things that are completely irrelevant to what you’re doing. It begins to feel a little like one of those dystopian sci-fi films where everything is an ad.
Perhaps the time has finally come to bust out a pair of sunglasses from They Live. Do I want to eat a chicken wrap while watching the newest episode of Star Trek Discovery? Of course, I do. Does that mean I need my streaming device to remind me how much of a fast-food addict I am? Absolutely not.
A streaming device should be just that: a device that streams content. You pay for a user-friendly UI because, otherwise, why not just use the built-in TV apps?
Is Google serving us, or are we serving Google?
Ads in streaming content are here to stay, and that’s okay. We already had our honeymoon phase where we paid for streaming services and enjoyed ad-free entertainment. If you’re unwilling to shell out extra cash to avoid ads, you have to accept a return to commercial breaks. However, placing product ads within the UI of a streaming device is crossing a line. It’s invasive and makes viewers feel even more like dollar signs than we already do.
If the rumors are true and a new Chromecast with Google TV is coming, it won’t feel like Google is filling a need. It will feel like Google is filling its pocketbook.
It’s not just the ads that are a problem
Chromecast with Google TV would make Mr. Freeze jealous
Intrusive ads aside, Chromecast with Google TV simply doesn’t work well. The overall performance is not great; you’ll often encounter issues with playback lagging or just altogether freezing. Of course, there are fixes to common Google Chromecast issues, but at what point does it become more trouble than it’s worth?
We live in an age where most TVs already have integrated streaming apps. Wouldn’t it be easier to save yourself the extra cash (not to mention the extra USB port) and just use those built-in streaming apps? And if your TV doesn’t have them, you likely own a game console with built-in apps. Heck, you can even download streaming apps to your phone and connect to your TV that way. It’s not perfect, but at least it won’t turn your television into a billboard like Chromecast with Google TV would.
A new Chromecast with Google TV might be too little, too late
Is now really a good time for a new Chromecast with Google TV? At this point, it seems senseless to indulge in a product that may only exist to create a new stream of ad revenue for Google. I’m perfectly happy sticking to my TV’s built-in apps.
Plus, Xfinity hooked me up with a free Flexbox that I rarely use. This goes to show that a new Chromecast with Google TV would bring nothing to the table except another reminder that I can get two chicken tender wraps for $6.
Google’s refreshed 4K Chromecast might be around the corner
It will seemingly launch with a new remote and retain its $50 price tag
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