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Three Years Later, Google Chromecast Is Back on Amazon

A year after announcing plans to add Google's media streamer back to its digital store shelves, Amazon has finally made good on that promise. The move comes three years after Amazon pulled Chromecast and Apple TV from its store because neither of them ran Prime Video.

Angela Moscaritolo
 & Angela Moscaritolo Managing Editor, Consumer Electronics

Our team tests, rates, and reviews more than 1,500 products each year to help you make better buying decisions and get more from technology.

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Planning to buy someone on your list a Google Chromecast media streamer? Now you can order one on Amazon with Prime two-day shipping.

A year after announcing plans to add Google Chromecast back to its digital store shelves, Amazon has finally made good on that promise, as Android Police first reported.

The move comes more than three years after Amazon pulled Google Chromecast and Apple TV from its virtual store in October 2015 because neither of them ran the company's Prime Video streaming service.

"Over the last three years, Prime Video has become an important part of Prime," an Amazon spokesperson told CNBC at the time. "It's important that the streaming media players we sell interact well with Prime Video in order to avoid customer confusion. Roku, Xbox, PlayStation, and Fire TV are excellent choices."

Amazon added Apple TV back to its digital store in December last year, and the device quickly sold out. Now, the third-generation Chromecast, and Chromecast Ultra are available for purchase on Amazon. Unlike the Apple TV, Chromecast still does not offer access to Amazon's Prime Video app.

Priced at $35, the new third-generation Chromecast, released in October, earned a "good" rating in PCMag's review. We like its inexpensive price tag but noted that its lack of 4K support makes the device "much less appealing than the competition." The $69 Chromecast Ultra, meanwhile, earned "excellent" marks for its "reliable 4K streaming" and affordability. The major downside we noted is that Chromecast Ultra requires a smartphone, tablet, or PC.

"It's the most affordable 4K media streamer on the market, but … it's twice the price of the 1080p model and comes very close in price to other 4K media hubs that don't rely entirely on another device for playback," we wrote.

About Our Expert

Angela Moscaritolo

Angela Moscaritolo

Managing Editor, Consumer Electronics

My Experience

I'm PCMag's managing editor for consumer electronics, overseeing an experienced team of analysts covering smart home, home entertainment, wearables, fitness and health tech, and various other product categories. I have been with PCMag for more than 10 years, and in that time have written more than 6,000 articles and reviews for the site. I previously served as an analyst focused on smart home and wearable devices, and before that I was a reporter covering consumer tech news. I'm also a yoga instructor, and have been actively teaching group and private classes for nearly a decade. 

Prior to joining PCMag, I was a reporter for SC Magazine, focusing on hackers and computer security. I earned a BS in journalism from West Virginia University, and started my career writing for newspapers in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia.

The Technology I Use

My little Florida beach bungalow is brimming with smart home tech. I have a smart speaker or display in every room, allowing me to control other connected devices by voice. The Nest Hub on my bedside table lets me set wake-up alarms, control my smart light bulbs, and set the temperature on my smart thermostat. I use the Amazon Echo Show 8 on my kitchen counter to browse recipes, reorder protein powder, check the weather, and watch the news while I do dishes. 

Because I suffer from allergies, air purifiers are essential. My favorite model is the Dyson Purifier Cool TP07, which doubles as a fan and continuously sends indoor pollution data to its companion mobile app. 

My pitbull Bradley sheds, so a good robot vacuum is a must. I currently use a premium Ecovacs Deebot that can both vacuum and mop, empty its own dustbin, and wash its own mop cloth. 

For fitness, I like to mix up my routine with cycling, indoor rowing, running, and strength training in addition to yoga. I take classes on the Tonal 2 smart strength training machine, I row indoors on an Aviron machine, and track my beach runs with an Apple Watch while listening to music on my Apple AirPods Pro. On the weekends, I love riding e-bikes like the rugged, beach-friendly Aventon Aventure for fun and fitness.

My job involves a lot of virtual meetings, so a quality webcam, microphone, and ring light are important. I use the Jabra PanaCast 20 webcam, the Elgato Wave: 3 microphone, and a Yesker tripod ring light. 

As for my preferred phone platform, I'm an iPhone person, but I've also extensively used Android for product testing.

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