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Google's Chromecast: A $35 gem?

  • July 25, 2013
  • 3 replies
  • 35 views
YegorP
How do you shake up the ever-evolving, Curved TV-displaying, 41 Megapixel Phone-wielding, BIG, BOLD, and expensive world of tech these days?  You pull a Google. (PC Mag story)
 
Yesterday, Google shocked everyone with the $35 Chromecast, a potential TV game-changer that's cheaper than most HDMI cables. All you need is what you probably already have-an Android or iOS device (or laptop), an HDTV, and a WiFi connection. From there, you just plug it in to your TV and it turns into a remote control that pulls video from the cloud and projects it on the big screen. And right now, Google's offering three months of free Netflix streaming when you dish out that $35.
 
I say awesomeness and a must-buy. What do you think?
 


 
(Source: PC Mag)
--Yegor P-- Social Media Content Coordinator New to the Community? Sign up for FREE today.
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JimM
RetiredTripleHelix

3 replies

RetiredTripleHelix
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Great finally something good from Google.


 
Daniel
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  • ams963
  • Bronze VIP
  • July 26, 2013
And here's a review from CNET.;)
 
Matthew Moskovciak wrote:
 
If you've heard anything about Google's Chromecast, you've heard that it costs $35. Google seemingly picked the perfect price for its new sticklike streaming device, generating massive buzz and eliminating the usually rational process that occurs before clicking "add to cart".
The dongle is already sold out and back-ordered for weeks.
But once you've lived with the Chromecast for a while, $35 feels less like a fantastic deal and more like exactly what a device like this should cost. The Chromecast lets you stream from Netflix and YouTube using your Android or iOS mobile device as a remote, with Android users also getting access to Google Music and Google TV and Movies. It also supports the ability to mirror any content from a Chrome browser running on a Mac or Windows PC, including Hulu, HBO Go, and full episodes from major TV networks like CBS, NBC, Fox, and ABC via their respective Web sites. And the hardware is delightfully compact and well-built, making it easy to toss in your bag for travel or moving from room to room.
What it doesn't do is everything else: there are no dedicated apps for many major services (including Amazon Instant, HBO Go, Spotify, Rdio, and MLB.TV), no dedicated TV interface for standalone use, no support for personal media sitting on your devices (aside from a clunky hack), and the awesome-sounding screen-mirroring feature ends up being entirely underwhelming in practice. Basically, you can stream Netflix, YouTube, and a couple of Google services; $35 feels about right.
The Chromecast is clearly Google's best living room device so far, almost entirely thanks to its impulse-worthy price. (Although note that Google's inclusion of a free three-month Netflix promotion is currently up in the air.) It doesn't challenge the Apple TV or Roku's boxes on merit, both of which remain much better options as your primary living room streamer. Chromecast has a lot of room to improve if more apps offer support, but at the moment it's best suited for people deep in the Google media ecosystem looking for a living room solution.
 
 
JimM
Rakanisheu Retired
I wonder how much info Google takes from you when you use this device 🙂 Anybody want to read the devices EULA?
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