Google's new HDMI streaming dongle just got released today on Google Play and Amazon. While Amazon shows out of stock, Google play still have those neat little devices ready for order.
What is Google Chromcast? What does it do?
The Google Chromcast is a dongle that can be plugged into any display with HDMI port and stream media from your mobile devices. In terms of functionality it works like Apple's Airplay and Google's miracast. However, that's the only similarity. It doesn't stream directly using your device; it first find the source of the media content and grabs those content directly from the net, which theoretically should give a better video streaming experience compared to Miracast and Airplay. Currently, this device only works with a few mobile applications such as Netflix, Youtube, and Google play. However, knowing Google, they will update the firmware and make this device work with more applications in no time.
Value Comparison
Here's a list of Chromecast's direct competitors and their market price:
Apple TV - $99
Roku Devices - $50-$99
Android sticks and other android based streaming hardware - $30 - $90
Chromcast is $35 with 3 free month of Netflix subscription (worth $24) which drops the device's cost to $11 with the Netflix subscription taken into account. This is definitely a steal. Although other devices might have more features, most people probably want to easily and quickly stream some Youtube video from internet. And to do so, using a phone or table is much simpler and easier than using the smartTV's slow and cluncky built-in interface. In addition the competitor's streaming solution is arguabaly more expensive. Compared to the HDTV's cost to the cost of the Chromcast, it's pretty much nothing compared to the cost of HDTV itself but neverthless could drastically improve the HDTV's internet streaming's usability.
I currently have a Panasonic smartTV and although it can also stream internet content on its own, the user interface is really clunky and responds slowly to the remote controller. It's also hard to browse through and search for Youtube videos as compared to using phones or tablets to select contents to watch. Another good thing about this device is that you are only sending the information of the media content you are streaming from so you can still use your phone and table while watching Youtube on TV, while with other similar streaming devices, you are essentially mirroring the display so you cannot do something else with your phone during the streaming.
Final Verdict
For $35 ($11 if taking into account the free Netflix subscription), Chromecast is a very good deal. With a click of button, whatever you were watching on the phone (limited to Netflix and Youtube at this time) will be displayed on your HDTV up to 1080p resolution and it cost almost nothing compared to your HDTV cost .
The only major competition for Chromecast are android based streaming devices or sticks. Those devices have functionality similar or better than Chromcast and could be as low priced as Chromecast. However, those android hardware are mostly sold and serviced in China and are not made by a big name company like Google. If you purchased Chromecast and happened to have issues, you can safely bet that you can get it taken cared of much quickly than if you were to purchase an android stick with questionable quality and service.
At this time, I would say just buy this device if you often watch video on your phone or tablet, have a HDTV, have a decent internet connection (WIFI), and likes the convenience of streaming media from the internet with a simple click of a button on your mobile device (iphone, ipad, android phones, and android tablets).
I will post my own review of this device if I have time but in the mean time, feel free to watch the following reviews and hands-on's from other sources:
Phandroid's Review and Walkthrough:
CNET's review on Chromecast-
http://reviews.cnet.com/digital-media-receivers/google-chromecast/4505-6739_7-35823617.html
TheVerge's hands-on with Chromecast -
http://www.theverge.com/2013/7/24/4553368/hands-on-googles-35-chromecast-a-streaming-tv-stick
AndroidCentral's hands-on with Chromecast -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5z38pXtd6tI
Other useful information:
-http://slickdeals.net/permadeal/99426/amazon-google-chromecast-wireless-hdmi-streaming-dongle-3month-netflix-subscription
-http://www.androidauthority.com/html5-and-webrtc-the-technology-behind-chromecast-248968/
-http://chromecastcast.com/ (I like this one alot, they talked about many interesting things about this device)
Update: The Netflix promotion is over so that makes this device a bit less appealing. However, it's still decent at it's price point.
