Last week, Google announced their new Nexus 7 tablet, and while this is an awesome piece of hardware and an excellent tablet, it was pretty much expected. What was a surprise to everyone, however, was the launch of a new piece of networking hardware called Chromecast, and the moment it was released, the tech world blew up. Billed as Google’s ‘Apple TV’ killer, the Chromecast manages to accomplish almost everything Apple’s device can do, but with a much smaller price tag and the promise of being able to do even more. Stores immediately sold out (and will be for awhile), but if you’re not patient, you can still get one, just be prepared to shell out over $50 on eBay or Amazon.
More important than the hype is the answer to the question, “Is this worth getting?”, and the answer is a resounding yes! After only playing with it for a weekend, I continue to be amazed by what Chromecast can do and what it will be able to accomplish in the future.
Chromecast welcome screen
First off, this thing is damn simple to set up and start using. Simply plug it into an HDMI port on your TV, attach the USB power cable to a port on the TV or included AC adapter, and launch Chrome on your laptop to go to the activation site. Once there, you’ll enter a code that will link the device to your Google account, input your Wi-Fi password, download an app, and you’re done. You can immediately start streaming or mirroring cat videos from your Android or iOS phone/tablet or your computer to your TV. It’s absolutely remarkable how clean and simple setup is.
What we’ll be doing 90% of our time online
Currently, the only apps that are fully supported by Chromecast are YouTube, Google Play and Netflix, and considering that those are available on nearly every game system, Roku box and smart TV out there, people may be wondering what all the fuss is about. And they’d be right if it wasn’t for the fact that there are a ton more apps coming for it (Pandora should be out any day, and Hulu and HBOGo are in the works), and that it will also stream whatever content you have playing in a Chrome window. So until the aforementioned apps launch, you can open up HBOGo, Hulu, or drag and drop a video into Chrome, and it shows up on your TV just how it is on your laptop. Granted, the video quality isn’t quite as smooth as in the apps (Chromecast connects to the internet for video content from supported apps instead of streaming directly from your laptop when mirroring Chrome), but it’s still surprising how well a $35 device accomplishes what costs $100 or more with other technologies. Another cool feature is that you can open a new tab in Chrome and browse other web sites or even watch other videos without interrupting what’s being sent to your TV.
I run iOS on most of my stuff at home, and since the Chromecast app is unavailable, I was unable to test mirroring Chrome to the TV with either my iPhone or iPad, but Netflix and YouTube worked perfectly. I obviously couldn’t try out Google Play, but my friends who have Android devices say it works perfectly.
Be prepared for some lag when streaming directly from Chrome
So my verdict? This thing is amazing, and I can’t believe what it can do! The fact that Google was able to release something that allows inter-device connectivity at a price the masses can afford is simply astounding. Granted, without more apps it does still have limited use, but it is more than worth the small investment needed to jump in, so if you ever happen to be lucky enough to see one on store shelves, don’t be afraid to grab and purchase it!
Oh, and as to the ‘life, the universe, and everything’ blurb. As we all (hopefully) know, Google is keen on inside jokes and easter eggs, and there are two really good ones bundled in with the Chromecast. The first is that the model number of the device itself is H2G2-42, a reference to Douglass Adams’ classic Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy. Also, the model number of the AC adapter is MST3K-US, a nod to Mystery Science Theatre 3000. Kick ass geek references bundled with awesome technology? You know you need this thing!
Thanks to IGN for pointing out the easter eggs!