At its core, the new Chromecast with Google TV is an attempt to simplify streaming. Rather than just presenting you with an app launcher for streaming services, the $50 streaming dongle tries to aggregate each service's movies and TV shows into one easy-to-use menu. Beyond that slick veneer, you'll also find lots of powerful features to make the most of your TV viewing. During setup, you should've gotten a question about which streaming services you use. The selections you made then will dictate which services recommend content to watch on the Google TV home screen.

Google has taken the wraps off of its new gaming service. Dubbed'Stadia,' the gaming platform operates entirely on the cloud and lets users'instantly' stream games on any device, without the need for pesky downloading. The service is slated to launch later this year in the U.S., U.K. and Canada, with more details about available game titles expected to come in the next few months. Stadia ditches the traditional console; instead, users can play games with their existing laptops, desktops, TVs, tablets or phones, as well as their own keyboard and mouse. No updates, no downloads,' Google said.

Google Assistant buttons won't just be limited to a handful of LG phones this year. The internet giant has widened its partnerships to add dedicated buttons to a whole range of handsets in 2019, including returning partner LG (on phones like the G8 ThinQ, V50 ThinQ and K40) and Nokia (3.2 and 4.2). Phones from Xiaomi (Mi Mix 3 5G and Mi 9), Vivo (V15 Pro) and TCL are also in line for Assistant buttons later on. Google expects over 100 million phones to ship with a hardware shortcut to its AI helper, and that's not including Samsung phone owners who remap their Bixby buttons. On all of these new additions, the button works the same.

Personal computing is in an angsty place. With the rise of Frankensoftware comes the promise of an effortless computing future, one in which mobile apps and "regular" apps co-exist peacefully on shiny glass displays and there isn't so much debate about what a modern computer is. The company has a vision for what this effortless computing future should be, whenever it arrives. That vision includes Chrome OS, the web-centric operating system it first introduced in 2009, as well as Google's mobile Android ecosystem, and its all-knowing Google Assistant voice platform. All of these technologies are available for you to swipe and tap and shout your way through on the Pixel Slate, Google's newest computing device.