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Hi! Yes, I did think about purchasing the Chromecast Ultra, I have both the Chromecast Audio and Chromecast II. I didn’t purchase the Ultra as offered something I wasn’t particularly interested in, HD 4K. The Chromecast Ultra - to its credit - also has a method of wired Network connection which is achieved through a LAN socket on the AC mains adapter which actually may cause more problems for me than its worth given I already have a AC Network line filter system set up here, the last thing I would want is a conflicting system. Yes, the size of the Chromecast is truly amazing though I have had some Wi-Fi issues and - given the size of the devices - I wasn’t at all surprised. When setting up the Chromecast devices through the Google Home App I kept getting messages about weak Wi-Fi signals, the App kept making suggestions that I should connect to stronger Wi-Fi networks. Anyway both Chromecast II and Audio are now connected ready for me to stream to or remote control at a moments notice. > On 19 Jan 2017, at 7:49 am, Gordon Smith <[email protected]> wrote: > > Hello everybody > > I just posted about the Google ChromeCast Ultra to this group. Unfortunately, > I accidentally clicked on Send before modifying an old draft to update > information. > > So, if you’ll pardon my indiscretion, I shall update that now, for the sake > of completeness. > > The ChromeCast Ultra is, in fact, already available. I have one on order > right now. It is fully accessible via the “Cast” app on the Play Store. > That’s how you set them up. > > I saw one just this morning and I nearly fell on the floor when I saw the > size and build of the device. All I can say is that I wish other brands would > follow Google’s example. This is also born out by the Google Home, one of > which I already own. > > On the subject of the Home, several so-called knowledgeable people said to > me, “You’v e wasted your money! You’ll never get that to work in the UK > because the network parameters are so radically different”, and other such > things. > > All I can say is don’t listen to the salesman, he’s not an expert. Well, > neither am I if truth be told, although I do happen to have quite a bit of > networking knowledge. > > Anyway, with a few small modifications to my network, (very small ones), I > was able to get the Home talking to my router just fine. All I had to do was > to force the router to utilise the 5.whatever the hell it is GHZ band by > default. Actually the US Wi-Fi is quite a bit more bandwidth intensive than > ours. This brings up obvious advantages, of which both range and speed of > access are just two. > > However, be that as it may, I have been able to kid the Google Home that my > default location is in the US and, accordingly, get it to work. But here’s > the clever bit, well OK, maybe not quite so clever. I was able to tell the > Home to search based on my IP address. My IP address is an obvious UK one, so > accordingly, the Home now goes away and starts searching UK resources for > things like fast food, electronics supplies and other generic web resources. > > So, all I do is say: > “Hey, Google” or, “OK, Google! Where can I get an Indian curry?” > > OK, Google!” Or: “Hey, Google” are the two “Wake phrases” which trigger the > device into action. Just utter those words, (either combination), and tell > her what you want her to search for! Invariably, she’ll find something, just > like doing a search on the website. And all this is voice activated, so you > don’t need to lift a finger in order to have something done. > > Your wish is her command or, as isn my own home, my wish is her command! She > can even play music using your Spotify premium account, and much much more. > > In comparison to my other little friend, the Amazon Echo’ and Echo Dot, There > core functionality is similar, yet it isn’t the same. The Amazon device is, > as would be the way of Amazon, quite commercially oriented. There are, of > course, things that you can do with the Echo which do not entail any commerce > at all. Very many things, actually. The Echo can, for instance, integrate > with your Audible library, and stream your books directly. It can play music > from both your own music library, or else from the Amazon Music Unlimited > streaming service. Both of which work very well. And the forty-million songs > which Amazon claim to have available is certainly surreal! I have used many > different formats of music throughout my testing of the devices. I’ve just > completed a report for a commercial client actually on the relative worth of > both of these devices. I cam by my own Google Home based on that client’s > need for informed and objective evaluation. And that, is something which, I > hope, I have now been able to provide. > > Aesthetically speaking, the Google device is much more pleasing than the > taller and more substantial Echo. Both, however, have 360-degrees > surround-sound speakers and both devices produce exceedingly excellent audio. > The Echo has an easy-to-see ring of multi-coloured LEDs on the top of the > device, which change colour depending upon what the device is doing. When > you’re configuring the device, for instance, the ring glows orange. When > you’re using the divide it changes to red and green. For example, when you > issue it a command, if it finds something that it believes is a match for > your voice command, it glows green. If no match is found, it glows red for a > couple of seconds whilst it sadly and mournfully informs you of the lack of > information. > > There are three other variants of the Echo. The Echo Dot, (more about that in > a moment), the Echo Tap, (at least, I think that’s what it’s called), and the > Echo Touch. The Tap and the Touch are used in conjunction with some kind of > video output, and as well as spoken commands they also support multi-action > gestures. However, I don’t personally own those devices, as I have no use for > them. The full-sized Echo incorporates no less than seven microphones, > strategically positioned around the device, so that every directly and every > nook and cranny in your room is covered. > > Now, the Echo Dot. This device is almost the same size as the aforementioned > Google ChromeCast Ultra. It fits easily into the palm of the hand, and can > also be purchased with a custom case, to protect the plastic edges of the > device from being scratched or bumped. There are two cases; black leather, > (feels a bit like an elephant’s rump, to be honest), and either Black or Red > Nylon. > > The Dot only has a single speaker, and a single omnidirectional microphone. > But essentially, in every other respect, the Dot is the same as the big > brother, or should that be sister! For those who are paranoid about machines > listening to every word they utter, there is a “Cut-off” button for the > microphone or microphones on all of these devices. However, there is one > element of the Echo which I found somewhat alarming. > > Because of the Echo’s integration with Amazon, it is possible to have it > place orders using your Amazon account. There is, as far as I know, no way to > disable this, and no password option that I’ve discovered. That isn’t to say > that there isn’t an option , I just haven’t found it. I tested this out by > re-purchasing another of a device that I’d already bought. I wanted one any > way so it wasn’t an issue. But all the same, I was at no time prompted to log > in or to enter a password. It just used my default payment option to execute > the transaction. > > That, to me at least, is a horrible oversight which I have taken up with the > Amazon customer services personnel and on which I am awaiting a response. > > If and when I receive one I shall certain let the group know ifs, for no > other reason, only to allay any concerns. Of course, if any other member of > the group who owns one of these things knows more on this point, I would be > most receptive to that information. > > In summary then, three great devices all things considered. My daily life has > changed dramatically since I started using them. Speech recognition on all > devices is unsurpassed. > > Finally, I have yet to acquire any smart switchable devices so have not yet > tried out those skills. But all of these devices are updated daily, firmware > updates happen seamlessly and quietly so as not to disturb your daily > activities. > > Back to the ChromeCast Ultra, I shall comment in detail on that device too > when I receive and have got it up and running. > > ======================================== > > My compliments and kindest regards > Gordon Smith: > <[email protected] <mailto:[email protected]>> > > Accessibility & Information Technology Support Specialist. > Mobile/SMS: > +44 (0)7907 823971 > > ———————————————————— > > > ********** Those of a positive and enquiring frame of mind will leave the rest of the halfwits in this world behind.
