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IF YOU HAVE one already, then chances are you know just how handy a Chromecast is. The streaming device allows you to throw up certain Android and iOS apps from the small screen to the big.
If you already know the basics, then there may be a few other things that you mightn’t be aware of.
Allow guests to stream from it
Until December, the only way you could stream a device through a Chromecast was to share your WiFi password with someone.
Now Guest Mode allow you to bypass this requirement. Once you activate it (Go to devices > Guest Mode > On), anyone with a compatible app can connect by entering in a four-digit PIN on the TV.
This feature is only available for Android devices as iOS isn’t compatible with Guest Mode.
Stream local photos/video from your phone
While you can already stream video and photos from apps like YouTube, but what about local content saved on your phone. Well, there are a few apps which allow you to do that -although they’re not perfect – and one example is ES File Explorer File Manager.
By installing it, you can view your photos and play videos through the app and display them on the big screen, saving you the trouble of having to upload them to YouTube or a different app. Other apps like Plex and Localcast are also great for performing the same tasks.
Be warned though, Chromecast is best when it’s streaming from online network instead of a local device so it may stutter at some point during videos.
Look out for offers
Google sometimes throws out offers and deals for Chromecast users which can either be a free movie or credit that you can spend yourself.
There’s a dedicated Offers page highlighting the latest deals although there are a few caveats to be aware of before you get excited. The first thing is you need to be using Chrome on desktop and download the Chromecast extension for it. Once you have that done, you have to agree to the terms
The offers aren’t anything amazing, and most are aimed towards those using it for the first time, but it’s worth keeping an eye on in case something catches your interest.
Add your own photos to the slideshow
You know those images that appear when your Chromecast is on standby? You can customise them to show your own images or choose the content categories instead. When you’re in Chromecast, bring up the navigation drawer and select Backdrop. Here you can select your own photos as well as that of news, lifestyle and satellite photos as well.
For now, the only personal photos that are shown come from Google+ so you will need to save them there first if you want them to appear.
Listen to content through your headphones
While you’re probably wondering what the advantage is to watching Netflix or YouTube through Chromecast instead of through the web or your TV, the answer is headphones.
Localcast is an app which allows you to route the audio to your phone when you’re playing a video on your phone. The only caveat is this only works with local content on your phone, it won’t work if you try to watch a show on Netflix, for example, and you will have to do some experimentation first to ensure the audio and video is aligned.
Play games through it
Alongside a large collection of streaming apps and services, there are a few free games to download for it that you can play yourself or with a friend.
The quality overall isn’t the best – it’s mostly games like Monopoly Dash and Wheel of Fortune – but you can have some fun with friends if you play something like Just Dance Now which tracks your movement using your smartphone.
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I’m an Irish programmer, living abroad, and would like to work remotely for an Irish company. (It’s always a good excuse for visiting home every now and then.) Even with the skills shortage, it seems that no employer is interested.
I’m also in a similar position (living/working in the UK), I like to check in every now and then with job opportunities in Ireland and it’s always 3-5 years industry experience. It seems to be case (to me at least) that you have to move abroad to get your experience before you can come back and apply for these jobs.
I think everyone can agree (having myself being in a similar position) that there is NO SKILLS SHORTAGE.
It is a shortage of desired experience.
Every company requires 3-5 years it seems. None are interested in investing in staff to train/mentor them.
My advice would be similar to other posters for those with no experience: learn how to build a phone app, or try to improve a piece of software from the likes of Sourceforge.net Then put that at the top of your CV.
Exactly – nobody cares if you got 86% in second year in Software Systems – they just want to know what you can do.
I don’t blame companies for wanting experience though – why take on a 22 year old when you can take on a 32 year old? Not like in 30 years time you’ll regret that the older guy is retiring sooner than the younger guy, in the software industry :-P
In my own case I have six years of industry experience with Java, but no one is taking the bait.
Spot on. If you don’t have a github.com account with some interesting projects or contributions, don’t bother.
Software engineering is one of the few jobs that you can MAKE your own experience. As someone who hires developers, I’d sooner hire someone with an interesting github portfolio than someone with more qualifications than you can shake a stick at.
It’s pretty easy to spot people interested in building cool things.
You’re a dying breed Dave. Outside of google very few companies are looking for software developers who are in any way creative. However, they are increasingly looking for staff who are multidisciplinary. Agile is pushing things that way… especially devops.
Software companies want experienced engineers so there is the catch how can you have a constant flow of graduates when they can’t get jobs becuase companies want experienced people.
The other flip side the money is crap starting off.
Money isn’t crap starting off – it’s in line with most other jobs of similar expertise. Companies wanting experienced people is a nuisance though, but I’m not sure how to resolve that.
Software is one of those fields though where you can gain expertise without experience. If your CV has a link to your website, your GitHub profile or some mobile app you’ve worked on they shouldn’t care how long you’ve been working at it.
If you’re passionate about software and have the skills to match, you have the ability to convey this to an employer :-)
Sofware developers are the highest paid graduates of any field. They are even paid more than intern doctors and graduate engineers. Of course those fields catch up fairly quickly.
Is there a list of these vacancies/job specifications?
There is no skills shortage. There is however a bias towards 25-35 year olds, with 5 years experience in a very specific and narrow skill set.
The employers (HR departments) have absolutely no comprehension that a programmer is a programmer, that’s the “skill”, the programming language is usually pretty irrelevant.
If you are over 45 years old, then the employers pretty much ignore you and your wealth of experience.
Irish companies have become very Americanised in the practice of promoting (very) young people to managerial positions, who are then biased towards hiring people their own age.
So what skills are we short of? If it’s technical that’s something to work towards for our universities and students, if it’s language of course it’s going to be easier for people of other nationalities.
So half are picked by Irish residents !
Very poor CV screening, interviewing and technical tests result in a lot of false negatives. I was recently made redundant, and have just been through the process. I picked up a job pretty quickly, but I am genuinely surprised by the lack of opportunities for some of the more junior guys, given that I would be happy to work with all of them again and they have access to great references from everyone at the company.
I constantly see companies that are doing web-development asking about program complexity and solving scalability problems that they more than likely don’t have. If they do have these problems, they are self inflicted by people reinventing the wheel rather than using something off the shelf. Another thing I noticed is the asking of questions assuming knowledge of specific tools. Web summit insisted on degrees from Universities only, with a clear bias towards Trinity college.
I personally would prefer to hire someone with less experience of these kind of things, and the simple ability to do simple things correctly and take direction. I don’t think I would have a problem hiring in the current environment.
Given that we are in the middle of a tech bubble, we should not spend too much time trying to correct these problems at the expense of the exchequer and let the companies who have the problem deal with these self inflicted problems themselves.
I’m an Irish IT graduate with over 10 yrs experience. I’ve taken time out to raise my child. I’ve been trying to get back to work for the last couple of years & companies are unwilling to even respond to my CV. I understand the concepts, am easily retrained & willing to work. It’s not a shortage of skills, I think it’s that companies want an exact set of skills & aren’t willing to re-train people. I know I’m not the only one in this position.
You’re right. as an employer, it’s not efficient to hire someone that will take weeks or months to retrain. The onus is on you to skill up. Not your employer. Ad I’ve stated before, in IT, it’s very VERY easy to upskill and create your own experience in the form of personal projects.
I’m still shocked at those who don’t understand this. Nobody owes you a job and being out of work for 10 years means you’re practically starting from scratch anyway. But that doesn’t matter, it’s very easy to start and build something yourself to modernise your skill set.
I’d sooner hire a 17 year old who just finished their leaving with a decent github profile then someone with 3 masters and no effort put into keeping themselves relevant.
Too few jobseekers actualky put themselves in the shoes of a potential employer.
have your say