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Chromecast Support Coming To Mobile Firefox

Posted by samzenpus on from the watch-it dept.

sfcrazy (1542989) writes "Chromecast is a great device, and concept, however it is more or less limited to Google's Chrome browser and supported apps. That seems to be changing: Mozilla is working on bringing Chromecast support to its Firefox browser. Mozilla meeting notes from 14 May clearly mention Chromecast support for the browser: 'Work week in SF, making good progress. Hoping to have Netcast and Chromecast support landed by the end of the week.'"

26 comments

  1. Only for mobile Firefox by halfdan+the+black · · Score: 1

    The article says chromecast is only being developed for mobile Firefox. Is there any technical reason why the desktop Firefox can't / won't support ChromeCast???

    1. Re: Only for mobile Firefox by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      DRM doesn't work yet.

    2. Re:Only for mobile Firefox by MillionthMonkey · · Score: 1

      Is there any technical reason why the desktop Firefox can't / won't support ChromeCast???

      Have you asked Google?

  2. Yay... by lloy0076 · · Score: 1

    Maybe we need an integrated e-mail client, too...oh, wait. Hang on a minute...

  3. WEBP by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    Just need to add WEBP Image support now :)

  4. Before mobile Chrome? by symbolset · · Score: 1

    That would be amazing.

    --
    Help stamp out iliturcy.
  5. Firefox for elite by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I don't have a Chomecast so this feature is totally bloat.

    Why don't they add "search [your search provider of choice] this image"? That's the only feature I miss from Chrome when I'm using Firefox.

    And while you're at it do it for mobile AND desktop.

    1. Re:Firefox for elite by nurb432 · · Score: 1

      I dont think they care that you personally do or do not have a chromecast nor do they care if you dislike having a feature you dont use. You are clearly not their target market.

      Hate to break it to you, but the world does not revolve around you. You are a minuscule, irrelevant, nothing in the grand scheme of things.

      --
      ---- Booth was a patriot ----
  6. No Android browser can currently cast a tab by rklrkl · · Score: 4, Insightful

    People are moaning why desktop Firefox isn't going to cast a tab at the same time as the Android Firefox will. Firstly, I believe they *aren't* using the Chromecast SDK so the chances are good that desktop Firefox will follow not too long after Android Firefox. Secondly, no Android browser can currently cast a tab, so Mozilla are actually heading for a platform first - embarrassingly beating Google to it! - if they concentrate on Android Firefox first for tab casting.

    1. Re:No Android browser can currently cast a tab by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Secondly, no Android browser can currently cast a tab, so Mozilla are actually heading for a platform first - embarrassingly beating Google to it! - if they concentrate on Android Firefox first for tab casting.

      No Linux browser can cast a tab either. That's why I'm moaning about Firefox.

    2. Re:No Android browser can currently cast a tab by caspy7 · · Score: 1

      I wish you were right, but I've spoke with one of the main developers about this and Firefox is indeed using the SDK.
      Unless Google opens up things on the desktop, Firefox will likely not be getting Chromecast support anytime soon.

    3. Re:No Android browser can currently cast a tab by rklrkl · · Score: 1

      Er, Google Chrome on desktop Linux can cast a tab with the Google Cast extension extension in the Chrome store, so I've no idea why you claim no Linux browser can do this. If you use CentOS 6 like I do, you can even get Google Chrome running with my script.

      The Firefox bug for all this seemed to be swaying backwards and forwards between using the SDK and not using it. Latest updates seem to suggest it *is* using the Chromecast SDK now, which unfortunately means desktop Firefox and Firefox OS may be left out in the cold initially.

  7. Er... by pushing-robot · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Chromecast is a great device, and concept, however it is more or less limited to Google's Chrome browser and supported apps. That seems to be changing: Mozilla is working on bringing Chromecast support to its Firefox browser...Hoping to have Netcast and Chromecast support landed by the end of the week.

    So the Firefox app will now support Chromecast, so Chromecast will no longer be limited to apps that support Chromecast. Got it.

    --
    How can I believe you when you tell me what I don't want to hear?
    1. Re:Er... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Interesting

      pushing-robot is doing a lot of mental gymnastics here so he can to make his post relevant. Unfortunately, he doesn't have any original ideas or information so this is all we get.

      For those that aren't familiar, the Google Chromecast (retail $35) is a locked device that only supports official approved applications with approved streams. The only exceptions to that are videos "cast" from Google Chrome on your desktop or a hacked device if you were lucky enough to get one.

      The difference between the apps and video from your browser might be about $7.99 - $8.99 per month. You want to watch your favorite shows without the premium version? We Can't Do That(tm). You can't watch TV on your TV without paying even if it plays for free onto your phone.

      What the original poster is trying to say, and what pushing-robot is doing everything he can to misinterpret, is Firefox will now work with the plain, free, non-$7.99 version via a browser which can cast onto your TV. You can also watch media from certain other sources which hasn't been paid for at all via advertising or $8.99 month subscriptions.

      Yes, this is significant. It is a lot like Plex supporting a lot of great features on the locked Chromecast. Google produces a locked down DRM protected device and Mozilla is helping us open it up so it is more useful.

      Hurray for Mozilla! Do no evil.. wait..

    2. Re:Er... by tepples · · Score: 1

      Firefox will now work with the plain, free, non-$7.99 version via a browser which can cast onto your TV.

      Prepare to see a lot more of "The content owner has not made this video available on mobile web. [Add to playlist to watch later on a PC] [Download our app from Google Play Store]"

    3. Re:Er... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      What are you babbling about? Chromecast is not locked down, there is a free to use SDK and apps that use it don't need to be approved. What is this $7.99 per month? Do you mean for services like Netflix? What does that have to do with using Chromecast? This is really no different than casting a tab from the desktop version of Chrome. It's great that we'll now be able to do it from Firefox and from our phones, but it's not like they're circumventing any built in restrictions to open this up.

  8. Re:Too late by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    ...and if you go into most businesses, all the drones chained into their cubicles have Windows PCs in front of them. Microsoft dominates the corporate world for a lot of reasons that have nothing to do with it's numbers. Best OS available? That's very debatable.

  9. Re:Too late by TheRaven64 · · Score: 1

    I switched from Chrome to Firefox on Android, because it's possible to configure Firefox with a sane cookie management policy (self destructing cookies plugin). Doing the same for Chrome did not appear to be possible. The UI is very similar to Chrome on Android, but slightly nicer.

    --
    I am TheRaven on Soylent News
  10. I am so excited by terrywirth5 · · Score: 1

    that I cannot contain myself.

  11. What is it? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    So what in hell is Chromecast?

  12. had to look up what chromecast was by iggymanz · · Score: 1

    I then found I do not give a shit

    1. Re:had to look up what chromecast was by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Thank you for sharing that with us. Not sure why you think we give a shit about you not giving a shit.

    2. Re:had to look up what chromecast was by iggymanz · · Score: 1

      but you gave enough of a shit to post about it. thank you for your brief shit-giving