Google Chromecast Adds 10 New Apps: Now Works With Songza, Plex Media Player, 8 Other Apps

Google Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOG) announced Tuesday the support of 10 new apps for the company’s low-cost video streaming solution for televisions, the Chromecast.

New apps that will allow users to “cast” content to the $35 HDMI dongle include Songza and Plex Media Player. The set of 10 apps adding Chromecast support more than doubles the amount of available services for the device.

While Netflix, Hulu Plus and YouTube had all previously supported the Chromecast, the new apps provide a more well-rounded Chromecast experience, including new music services and the first news-based app, PostTV from the Washington Post.

While Spotify is absent from the offerings, the Chromecast now has Songza to add to its growing list of music-streaming apps. Songza offers a set of playlists made for specific activities, curated by a set of music experts to offer a human-based alternative to the automated algorithm provided by Pandora Internet Radio (also available for the Chromecast).

Plex Media Server allows users to playback downloaded or “local” content as well as media stored in the cloud, with services like Google Drive and Dropbox. Plex offers playback of media stored on a device or DLNA server, and offers access to a variety of photo services in addition to audio and video offerings, including Facebook (NASDAQ:FB) and Flickr.

Using the Chromecast to stream media from Plex requires the app’s premium service, PlexPass, which currently costs $4 per month, $30 per year or $75 for a lifetime pass. The Chromecast also now supports aVia, a nonsubscription alternative to Plex available for a one-time fee of $2.99, which will increase to $4.99 next year.

Also added to the Chromecast lineup were Realplayer Cloud, Revision3, Red Bull.TV, VEVO, Viki and BeyondPod, a podcast manager and RSS reader.

Follow Thomas Halleck on Twitter