With the release of Chromecast in a many countries, it’s a good idea to get familiar with the Android apps that you can use with this mighty dongle. While the Play Store has a bunch available, they’re not always listed in the most useful or intuitive way. Here are a few of our favorite Chromecast apps for Android.
- What is Chromecast? Google’s brilliant streaming device explained
- Google Chromecast review: stream media from your Android to your TV
iHeartRadio
iHeartRadio isn't just one of the best Chomecast apps, it's also one of the most frequently overlooked Android apps, period. With thousands of radio stations to choose from, this easy-to-use app lets you tune in and start listening to your favorite music for free. The iHeartRadio app also features sophisticated algorithms to create custom stations for you based on your favorite music, and also covers news, sports, comedy and more. Completely free and Chromecast friendly, it's one not to miss.
Pocket Casts
Pocket Casts is one of the highest rated apps on Android with over 100,000 installs and an average rating of 4.7. Strictly a podcast manager, catch up on "Serial", "The Comedy Button" or whatever podcast you're into with this one-stop shop for podcasts. Featuring a wonderful interface, Pocket Casts even allows you to set up your favorite podcasts to download in the background automatically so you're always up to date! And it supports video too! Pocket Casts is a paid app for 3.99 USD, but just check out the (notoriously unkind) Google Play Store comments if you don't believe us that it's worth it. It's a must for Podcast fans.
(I actually emailed the devs to ask how they explained the app's success and response I received was: "Blind luck? Pure skill?...or my preferred interpretation: we won it in a game of Pazaak ;)" - you gotta' love these guys!)
Crackle
We've already talked about Crackle in our how to watch Movies and TV for free on Android article, and it's undeniably one of the best choices on Chromecast for watching movies. It's an ad-based app, so it doesn't rely on a subscription like Netflix, but includes Hollywood movies, cartoons, TV series and more! Naturally, you aren't going to find the latest and greatest content, but as a free alternative to Netflix, it's a solid effort.
Hulu Plus
Hulu, like Netflix, is a great TV and movie watching service where you can watch unlimited amounts of either on your Android smartphone or tablet for 7.99 USD per month. It’s received high acclaim for offering a great selection and the latest episodes for your favorite shows. A great thing aboutHulu Plus is that it allows you to cast whatever you are watching to your TV using Chromecast, as well as Xbox One, PS3 and PS4.
Google Play Movies and TV
Google Play Movies & TV is a great way to buy and even rent movies and TV shows on your Android device. TV shows are only available in the USA, UK, Japan, Canada and Australia for the time being. The app also supports Chromecast so you can watch whatever you’ve purchased in the comfort of your living room on your TV.
Pandora
Streaming music is a great way to discover new artists, songs and even new genres. Pandora lets you personalize up to 100 different radio stations, as well as discover those made up by others, and genre stations created by the developers of Pandora. In addition to music, you can listen to comedy programs. Make sure you are using Wi-Fi when using Pandora, as opposed to Wi-Fi, however if you are at home, you are likely to be using the first option anyway. With Chromecast support, you can have play, control and customize your radio stations right on your TV.
Plex
Plex is a personal multimedia app that lets you to stream your videos, music, photos and home movies to your Android phone from your computer which is running Plex Media Server. You can organize, easily browse through and then enjoy it on any connected device, enriches your media. It allows for media syncing from your phone, as well as from Google Drive, Dropbox and other cloud storage services, so that you can view this on your phone even when offline. And now it goes a step further with Chromecast support: you can enjoy the services Plex has to offer on your HDTV. The media server itself is free, but the mobile app will run you $4.99 on the Play Store.
VEVO
VEVO is your music video service so you can watch the latest and best that artists are making. You’ll be the first to know when a new video is out, discover new and upcoming genres and artists, create your own playlists and share these with your friends. Of course, with Chormecast support you can get an even bigger and badder experience on your TV.
BBC iPlayer
For our UK audiences, the BBC iPlayer app is one of the best you can use if you have bought yourself a Chromecast dongle. The app lets you watch live TV, and download the latest programs. The app could use fixer-upper we must admit with quite a few users complaining, but for the most part, this is a great app that you can now cast right on your TV.
AllCast
One of the most popular apps currently available for Chromecast is AllCast. It can easily cast content from your mobile device straight to your device, including music, videos, and photos. AllCast supports numerous formats, including Roku, Apple TV, and the Xbox 360/ One. There is a free version that you can use to try out AllCast, however it has limits on the video length you can play. The premium version is available for $4.99.
MyCastScreen
Chromecast comes with a default home screen, the one that rotates through stock photos and displays the time in the corner. If you’re looking for something with a little bit more functionality, check out MyCastScreen. The app itself costs $0.99, but it lets your cast cards with the time and date, local weather and traffic information, as well as news headlines. While it is still pretty new, the developer is promising more options and customization on the way.
Dayframe
Want to be able to turn your television into a giant slideshow while entertaining? With Dayframe, you can cycle through your favorite social media photos and have them displayed on your television. The app connects to a bunch of different social media services, including Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Google+, among others. Not only can you search your own photos, but you can also have it choose a bunch of random topics of your choosing. The app itself is free, but shows a small logo at the top of the screen. In order to get rid of it, you’ll need to upgrade to the Prime version for $0.99.
GamingCast
For $1.99, GamingCast brings some classic games to your television while using Chromecast and your mobile device. Choose from Snake, Pong, Xonix, or Tetris and try it out for yourself on your giant screen. While the selection is rather limited now, the developer has promised to bring more classic titles to the app in the near future.
Cast Store
If you’re looking for other types of apps available for Chromecast, make sure to check out the Cast Store. It brings a bunch of apps together in easy to find categories, so that you don’t have to search high and low in the Google Play Store.
What apps do you enjoy using with your Chromecast dongle?
No comments:
Post a Comment