What you need to know
- Google TV's "glanceable cards" appear to be rolling out more widely.
- These cards display contextual information in ambient mode, such as Google Photos images, weather reports, content recommendations, and more.
- However, the personalized screensaver appears to be limited to third-party streaming devices for the time being.
Google announced the new glanceable cards for Google TV alongside personalized profiles last October as part of its effort to provide consumers with tailored content when their streaming device is in ambient mode. While the latter is still missing in action, the search giant appears to be gradually rolling out the swipeable cards for a wider group of users.
As spotted by 9to5Google, Google TV's ambient mode now displays a personalized screensaver with glanceable cards. Each card shows contextual information based on your profile, including music playlists, weather updates, podcasts, a YouTube video recommendation, and more content suggestions.
That said, the glanceable cards look a bit different from when they were first unveiled to the public. The interface shows a carousel of actionable cards that are smaller than what Google teased late last year. They are also located at the bottom of the screen rather than in the center.
9to5 also noticed that the content recommendations change each time Google TV switches to ambient mode, though the layout remains consistent.
However, it doesn't look like the personalized screensaver is available on the best streaming devices, like the Chromecast with Google TV. Oddly, the feature has appeared in the notification panel of Mecool's KD3 streaming stick, which runs Google TV. Clicking on it brings you to a new Google Assistant settings page, which displays options for how you'd like personal results to appear.
These are similar Assistant settings you can find in the Google Home app when you want to change how personal results show up on your smart display, such as the Nest Hub (2nd Gen).
Given its limited availability, it's safe to assume that the feature is being rolled out as a server-side update via Google Play Services.
At the moment, these cards recommend content in the screensaver based solely on your profile, seeing as personalized Google TV profiles have been delayed. But with Google I/O 2022 drawing closer, it's only a matter of time before these features become available on many Google TV-based streaming sticks.
Anyone looking for the best smart TV experience should consider Chromecast with Google TV. You can get smart content recommendations and hands-free access to your favorite shows, movies, and apps thanks to Google Assistant and Google's AI prowess.
