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Google bringing off-network ultrasonic-controlled device pairing to Chromecast

Google is developing new ways to connect your mobile devices to its Chromecast and one of these alternative methods will be through ultrasonic sounds. The company recently announced support for off-network casting during its I/O developer conference in San Francisco and Chromecast engineering manager John Affaki said during a presentation that Google was looking to refine the platform’s social experience.

Similar to features found in Google’s YouTube app, the Chromecast SDK will be adding features that let developers create support for collective playlists in their applications. One of the biggest issues that comes with managing a group-controlled casting party is the need to get everyone on the same WiFi network. This new pairing option will bypass password sharing and will let participants broadcast their content with a lot less fuss.

To set up this feature, a Chromecast owner needs to enable support from nearby devices. Once configured, any user within range can issue requests from supported apps. The Chromecast will play an ultrasonic transmission through your TV’s speakers that will be detected by nearby mobile devices.

If you’re worried about your Chromecast’s high pitched screech bothering your neighbor’s dog, users will also have the option of using an onscreen pin to manually connect to Google’s media stick.

(via Gigaom)

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