Google Cast Now Fully Built Into Chrome

Google is making it even easier to extend the Web to the biggest screen in your home.

The Web giant on Monday announced(Opens in a new window) that Google Cast is now built fully into Chrome, meaning you can beam content from your favorite websites to your TV using Chromecast ($29.98 at Walmart)(Opens in a new window) without having to install or configure anything. In the past, showing content from Chrome meant having to download the Google Cast browser extension(Opens in a new window), which has been around for two years.

Now, when you’re on a Cast-friendly website(Opens in a new window), and on the same network as a Cast device, you’ll see the Cast icon appear on your screen. Just press that and with a couple more clicks, you’ll be able to view that page on your TV or listen to music through your home speakers.

For websites that aren’t integrated with Cast, you’ll need to navigate to the Chrome menu and select “Cast…” to view that content on the big screen — an option Google rolled out last month.

“With Google Cast and Chrome, you can share what you love to watch with those around you,” Chrome Product Manager Stephen Konig wrote in a blog post. “We’re excited to make this available to everyone.”

To try out this new built-in Cast functionality, just make sure you’re running the latest version of Chrome.

Meanwhile, if you’re a Cast user and in the market for a new monitor, LG has you covered. The company on Monday unveiled(Opens in a new window) new ultra-wide LG monitors, which feature built-in Google Cast, letting you easily stream your favorite shows and music from your smartphone or tablet to your computer screen.

LG has three new 21:9 ultra-wide monitors(Opens in a new window) to choose from: a top-of-the-line 38-inch curved model (38UC99), available in mid-September for $1,499; a 34-inch 144Hz IPS curved model for gamers (34UC79G), coming in mid-October for $699; and a 34-inch flat model (34UM79M), available mid-November for $599.