The Gen 3 Chromecast has been leaking thanks to its arrival at Best Buy in the US, and now it’s leaked again as part of a new ‘Smart TV Kit’.
The leak has come via the /r/GooglePixel subreddit, where user /u/LitheBeep has shared a picture of the new ‘Smart TV Kit’ containing the now familiar looking re-designed Chromecast Gen 3 and a Google Home Mini in Charcoal.
The pairing of a Google Home Mini and Chromecast is apparently a common thing, at least in the US, with the bundle usually called simply ‘Google Home Mini + Chromecast’ and sold exclusively at Walmart.
This bundle however is being labelled the ‘Smart TV Kit’, so it’s a re-branding exercise that may possibly utilise the new Bluetooth functionality that was discovered when the device went through the FCC back in August.
Calling the Chromecast + Google Home Mini a ‘Smart TV Kit’ makes far more sense in the US. There Google Assistant on Home Mini is able to play, pause, skip, fast forward and rewind content from 10 content providers including Netflix, Crackle, CBS All Access, Google Play Movies and more whereas here in Australia we’re limited to simply Stan and Netflix.
As the Google Home Mini + Chromecast bundle isn’t available here in Australia, and given the small array of content providers available to use it with, it’s unlikely we’ll see the new Smart TV Kit launching here any time soon.
Leila can I ask when you say foxtel now works are you talking about casting it from your photo be to chromecast or can you ask google home/min to play something from foxtel now like you can with Netflix/Stan ?
If you want more functionality and same Oz price as Googles TV kit get your mini and use a Broadlink Mini Ir R3 Blackbean or the “pro” that’s Rf+Ir. Capture your remotes with Broadlink App give signals names add names to scenes in “ihc” app. Enable voice and join Broadlink to your Mini’s home automation and use “Activate” command. So long as Google doesn’t have another inexplicable device outage, deprecate or kill functionality or Broadlink’s European GDPR compliance doesn’t “Bork” it you’ll be happy.
I currently use my google home to control my Netflix on the lounge TV. Can’t see why the mini would be any different !?
It’s not at all different, just far fewer partners.
Foxtel Now works too.
I don’t have Foxtel Now, can’t test – all I can go on is the official list which only has Stan and Netflix.
Not just Stan and Netflix… You’re forgetting Google Play and YouTube.
No, Google Play Movies and TV isn’t officially working here in Australia, only in the US. YouTube kinda does, but not with all the same functions.