The Chromecast has made the way we stream video to our television a lot easier and more user-friendly. Just watch a movie via Netflix or YouTube and it will appear on your television with one push of a button. But there is even more possible with the Chromecast.
apps
Tip 1 - Allcast
That you can swing videos from Netflix to your television with the Chromecast is of course fantastic, but what about videos that you already have on your iOS and/or Android device? Chromecast will never be integrated on iOS anyway, because Apple naturally prefers to plug in its own Apple TV. Fortunately, there is the Allcast app. With this app you can stream the photos and videos on your iPhone or your Android to your Chromecast at the touch of a button. Small disadvantage: the free app has a limit of five minutes, if you want to watch longer you have to buy the Premium version for 4.99 euros (iOS) or 3.65 euros (Android). However, you do get a lot in return.
Price: Free (+ in-app purchase)
Tip 2 - Google Play Music
With the popularity of Spotify, you would almost forget that Google also has its own music service, namely Google Play Music (also a tenner a month) and you don't have to do it without Taylor Swift. And the great thing about the Google Play Music app is that it is available for both iOS and Android and has built-in Chromecast functionality. If you have never heard of Google Play and are curious, you don't have to subscribe right away, you can try it out for free for a month (don't forget to cancel).
Price: Free
Tip 3 - Qcast Music
The previous app isn't the only one that lets you stream music to the Chromecast from your phone or tablet. With Qcast (also for iOS) you can flawlessly send music from Google Play or Spotify to the Chromecast. But perhaps the best thing about this app is that you don't have to do it alone. Anyone on the same network can send music to the playlist, giving you an ultimate mix of the music that people around you like. Ideal for parties of course.
Price: Free
Tip 4 - Big Web Quiz
Of course, what you do on your television with Chromecast does not have to be just passive consumption. With the right apps, you can turn the Google Chromecast into an interactive entertainment system. Created by Google itself, Big Web Quiz is, as the name suggests, a quiz fueled with questions (and answers) from the internet. You can play it with five others and whoever answers the fastest (correctly) eventually wins the quiz. The gameplay is of course somewhat limited, but it is certainly very inventive and entertaining.
Price: Free
