At a mere $35, it is very easy to put off this Chromecast gadget just by a look at its price tag.
On second thoughts, it is again very hard to think of why you shouldn’t be having such a cheap gadget with you.
While many who own one of these devices may just be using it for its primary purposes and functionality that includes streaming of media onto TVs, this device is very versatile and you can also do quite a number of amazing things with this tiny gadget. In essence, the Chromecast mirrors what you would have seen on a rather smaller screen of a tablet or smartphone onto a larger TV screen. It is also possible to cast any of your laptop views onto a larger display as long as you are using Chrome web browser.
So, what else can you do with your Chromecast?
Playing video games
The Chromecast is not even remotely close to the PlayStation 4, but still, it can be used to play some amazing and fun-filled family games. You can go ahead and test your trivia skills with playing Jeopardy or walk down memory lane with a nice Sonic Jump Fever.
You can download games on your iOS or Android smartphone or tablet and use any of these devices as the controller of your games as you play it on your TV. There are over 100 Chromecast games that you can download from the official Google Play Store alone.
Changing Chromecast background
It is possible to change the background of your Chromecast by using either your own photos or choosing from a collection of Google’s beautiful art, satellite imagery and landscape photography selection. For the Chromecast background, go to your Chromecast app and select Navigation>Backdrop to choose whether you want to use your photos or go by the available selection from Google.
Chromecast for viewing photos
Rather than use an old-school projector or slideshows to view pictures, you can use an Android or iOS application like PhotoCast for Chromecast to view photos from your device on a TV. You can also view photos from your Facebook account, iCloud, and Google+.
Play music on TV using Chromecast
You can use your TV as a DJ with the help of Chromecast. However, you must first of all download a Google Play Music application for your Android or iOS device. Once you have installed the app, click on the cast icon and from the list of devices that shows up, choose Chromecast. Follow this selection by choosing the music file you want to play on your TV. You can get more from this Google Play Music app by going premium with the $9.99 per month subscription. If you are looking for an experience that is more of a radio, you can opt for Pandora.
Using Chromecast in quiet environments
It is possible to still enjoy streaming using Chromecast even when in a quiet environment. When you don’t want to disturb others and you still want to use your TV, go for an application like LocalCast and install it on your Android device. Using this application, you can cast video on your TV while keeping the sound on your Android device. All you need to do is to plug in your headsets and you’ll be good to go.
At the moment, there is no iOS version for this app. Furthermore, the Android app is still in beta and as such, you can expect some errors and bugs when using this app.
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