Chromecast gets option to connect via ultrasound

The Google Chromecast will use ultrasonic sound to connect to mobile devices. Currently, only people who are connected to the same Wi-Fi network as the Chromecast can connect to the HDMI streaming dongle.

Humans can’t hear the sound, according to Gigaom. However, according to Google, the microphone of Android devices could pick up these sounds, allowing them to connect.

Users can enable the option in their Chromecast’s settings menu and then search for nearby devices. Once a device is detected, the user can stream their content to the Chromecast. Currently, however, only the Youtube app would be compatible with this way of streaming; users connected to the dongle can complete a playlist in the app. John Affaki, chief engineer of the Chromecast, did say that this feature will soon be available in the Chromecast SDK, allowing multiple apps to build in support for ultrasound connectivity.

For security, an option has been added that requires users to enter a PIN before they can stream to the dongle. According to Affaki, the aim of the new technology would be to make the ‘social use’ of the streaming dongle in the living room easier.

In addition to the support for connecting via ultrasound, users will soon also have the option to customize the home screen of their Chromecast. They can use their own photos for this, choose to display the weather and show the latest news updates on the home screen. All updates will come to the Chromecast in the coming weeks, according to Google.