The Google TV Streamer: The Fourth Generation is Here (and It Will Be Here) in the Google Store, And It Will Come With a Remote Finder

There is still over a month and a half to go before we all learn about the Google TV Streamer, which will be available on September 24th for $99.99.

On the software side, Google is putting together full summaries, reviews, and season-by-season breakdowns of content for viewers to peruse as they browse. The new features, such as helping context for movies, are not exactly game-changing since the current interface already provides personalized recommendations and helpful context. People will try the new screensaver once or twice, and then never use it again, because it sounds like a thing that will only work if the TV is in ambient mode. The ambient mode can also showcase your Google Photos albums, which I’ll definitely use.

The bundled remote looks similar but has undergone some nice design tweaks: the volume buttons are now right on the face instead of on the side, and Google has added a customizable button. You can set it to open the aforementioned Google Home panel, launch your favorite streaming app, or switch HDMI inputs. One of the best additions of all is a remote finder button on the back of the Google TV Streamer. Press it and the remote will emit a sound that can be heard in the couch cushions.

There is a presumption that the Google TV Streamer will become a central part of the smart home. The search engine’s Home panel will let you dim lights, view cameras, and set automations. There’s Matter support and a Thread border router baked right in, too.

The sloped, low-profile device comes in two colors: porcelain (white) and hazel (dark gray), with the latter being exclusive to the Google Store. Unlike the Chromecast, which could be hidden away behind your TV, the Google TV Streamer is designed to sit underneath it and be seen — without standing out from your other home decor. It is part of the reason why the device is placed out in the open.

Both devices have some form of artificial intelligence, along with long-awaited hardware improvements, and elegant designs that better blend the tech into your home. They arrive a day before the event where they are expected to reveal new phones, headphones, and accessories.

Nine years have passed since the third generation of the thermostat was introduced, but the fourth generation is finally here. The company has a new smart thermostat. The new version of the Chromecast streaming device is available the same day as the new Google TV Streamer.

So Google decided to focus on a higher-end device, and it viewed the Nvidia Shield — long praised as the most performant Android TV streamer — as something to strive toward. The gold tier price point of the Shield was what we are going to be using with the GoogleTV Streamer. That’s why we’re very excited about it,” Govil-Pai said.

A few commenters were frustrated that the 22 percent boost in CPU speed was not what they had been looking for. There’s a good chance this thing will still benchmark underneath the fairly ancient Shield. Is it possible to drop a chip into it?

The Streamer has to keep its price acceptable for average consumers. The market tells us that people are probably not ready for it and that features that would actually convince them to buy higher priced items are not known.

The main justification for a living room device from Google isn’t expected to be that it has more power. “Over time, do we have enough functionality, let’s say from a Gemini perspective, that actually make it worthwhile to spend even more money? We will definitely look at it after that. I think we want to play at a competitive price point.