• Engadget, Thursday, October 1, 2015 10:05 AM

Yesterday in San Francisco, Google launched a pair of new smartphones, some AV devices and a Surface-like tablet. But future events could just as easily devote a large portion of their running time to the Internet of Things and smart home devices. Tilt your head by 90 degrees and you can almost spot Google's subtle strategy to become the dominant name in your home -- after all, as the phone market begins to play itself out, it's only natural that the firm would move onto the next big thing. After years of lingering on the periphery of the industry, perhaps souped-up lightbulbs and thermostats are ready for their day in the sun. But first, let's consider the Chromecast, which is one of many options in the stripped-down smart-TV-dongle market. Unlike its rivals, the device doesn't ship with a remote, so users are compelled to learn how to control their TVs from their phones. 

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