2054

I don’t think this ever would have worked as a Google product. Problem here is Google’s track record for cancelling product lines. No one is going to buy into that. As a subscription model with no game purchases like e.g. XBox Game Pass, Stadia would have worked great. As a service where you have to pay full price for games on a rickety service run by Google, no. As both, lol.

2055

Okay, obviously Stadia’s problem is that nobody understands Stadia.

This brand new video will help explain the nearly year-old service so people feel comfortable throwing money at it.

Still have questions about Stadia? We’ve got you covered here. Grab the devices you already own and play the latest and greatest games on Stadia, which is totally free to try! No installs. No downloads. No waiting. Just click to play your favorite games now.

https://youtu.be/YUX3trjOJgc

2056

“Play without expensive subscriptions” uh huh

2057

Yes, whatever you do, don’t grab the device that Google has just released.

2058

That little black ChromeCast device they show in the video is the new one right?

2059

Nope. I assume it’s a Chromecast Ultra. The new one isn’t available in black and is a different shape

2060

That line needs to be changed to “Play a tiny selection of games…many of which came out on other platforms years ago”.

2061

New one looks like a tampon or Gwyneth Paltrow Jade Vagina Egg:

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image1400×1400 233 KB

2062

It’s totally crazy. Like, somebody there finally woke up to the fact that this is like the only edge they have, and made the appropriate pivot in marketing. Good. But they still didn’t make it possible to actually get Stadia without the subscription, so that message . The only point of entry is still to sign up for the free trial to Stadia Pro and then cancel.

The trash fire of product incompetence burns ever brighter. Have to feel a bit sorry for the engineers :-/

2063

Does not look like a tampon… but yes I see the visual difference now.

2064

Yeah, you’re right. I misremembered my fleeting glance of it. I thought the longer remote was on a wire.

2065

I am not a fan of Amazon and Google not giving these things obvious model numbers. This same name (X generation) stuff is so annoying, and makes it difficult to know what anyone has.

2066

They do have product numbers, but only for internal use apparently. But you can find the model numbers on the devices as well. Apple started that shit btw.

2067

Yeah I can go turn my little box around and peep at the model numbers written there but hell if I can get a family member to tell me what they have, or what they just bought or set-up or you know what is being sold half the time.

Apple did this. Well I’ll just add this to the notch of yet another reason the only Apple product I have is the one work forced me to use.

2068

Technically the new one’s name is “Chromecast with Google TV”.

2069

I just had to try to find a replacement AC adapter for my 2nd gen Echo speaker and there’s nothing anywhere on it that identifies which model or generation. Thought it was 1st and CSR looked it up as 2nd. Out of warranty and they don’t replace/sell an OEM one but give 15% off a third party PWR branded one.

2070

The branding makes no sense; people understood what a Chromecast did, and now they went and fudged it all up. Chromecast’s beauty was in its simplicity. Not that I ever wanted one myself.

They’re trying to resurrect the Google TV after fudging that up back in the day, so why not simply call their device the “Google TV”? That’s too simple for them, I guess.

2071

It’s Peak Microsoft-era naming bad.

Google TV Now With ChromeCasting with Premium Offers 2021 Live Du-Lux

2072

That’s because there wasn’t any beauty in it. If there was, maybe you would’ve actually wanted one.

Chromecast was a garbage experience in the beginning compared to others. They were still trying to pitch their Googleness while everyone else was on the let’s make streaming for people who get confused with more than 4 buttons train. And that train has streamers in a ton of households now.

2073

I’ve played with them; the UX was unparalleled, it was just mobile app-centric and I didn’t care about that. A lot of young people consume content on their phones and this let them easily play it on the big screen.

Me, I want a remote control. But my preferences don’t necessarily encompass everybody.