If you have a Home Theatre PC, a Google TV, or just a big monitor and a nearby couch, you may be interested to hear that watching YouTube on a big-screen device just got a little easier, with Google releasing their “YouTube Remote” app to the US Android Market today.
So, what does it do? Well, like the name implies, it allows you to control the playback of any YouTube videos your watching in the LeanBack interface with your Android (2.1+) device.
How does it do this magic? Easy! It’s all linked to your Google account, so make sure you’re logged into your Google account on both the big-screen device (eg your TV + HTPC), and your little-screen (ie Android) device.
Then — on your big-screen — navigate to www.youtube.com/leanback, open up the YouTube Remote app on your phone/tablet, and let the controlling begin.
You can use the app to search, enqueue, skip forward and back, and adjust the volume.
You can even preview the videos before moving them to the big-screen, so you can be sure that you won’t accidentally Rick Roll your audience.
Over the coming months, Google plan to integrate this functionality into the standard YouTube app, but it’ll remain as a separate app while it makes its way through beta status.
Not on Android? The functionality will also roll out to other platforms in the future, but for the moment, you’re out of luck.
Now, I really wish I could give you my feedback on how the app works, but — sadly for us Australians — it’s only available in the US at the moment. I’ve read some other people’s experience, and they’re largely positive, but I’m really curious about your experience with the app. Why not let me know how it works for you in the comments below, mmmkay?
If you’re in the US, and have an Android 2.1+ device, scan the QR code below to get your remote on!
[via Android and Me]