Google gets romantic with Chromecast fireplace visualizer
The Web giant continues to amp up its low-cost streaming media dongle with various small features.
Nothing sets the mood like a toasty virtual fireplace, at least in theory.
Just in time for Valentine's Day, Google has launched a kitschy little feature for Chromecast -- it's a virtual fireplace visual that can be displayed while streaming music to a television, computer, phone, or tablet.
"When you listen to Google Play Music on your Chromecast, you can display a cozy fireplace on your TV while your music plays in the background. And yes, it's just as awesome as it sounds," Google wrote on Google+. "So stay in, sit back, and crank up those love songs."
The feature is enabled by clicking the gear icon in the upper right corner in Google Play Music and selecting "Labs" -- there users will see the option for the "Chromecast Fireplace Visualizer."
While fireplace visualizers are nothing new, having the feature on Chromecast could be a sign of times to come with Google offering other types of visuals for the device, such as photos from Google+, fish tanks, or landscapes.
Google has big plans for Chromecast in 2014, including international distribution and widespread app support later this year. According to Google, the $35 streaming media dongle represents the company's desire to integrate users' various media obsessions into one efficient device.