Google Chromecast Device Is A Game Changer

Google Chromecast Device Is A Game Changer

Google held an event today, which it dubbed "Breakfast with Sundar Pichai." Predictions of an updated Nexus 7 tablet proved true, but Google also had another trick up its sleeve-Chromecast.

The event basically went like this: Blah, blah, Nexus 7...faster processor, sharper display, 4G connectivity...blah, blah...Chromecast! This tiny dongle plugs into the HDMI port on your TV, and lets you wirelessly stream content from the Web using virtually any mobile device as a remote control. Oh, and it's only $35.

Google hasn't had much success thus far in its attempts to conquer the living room. Google TV has been a flop, and the spherical black Nexus Q streaming media device was basically killed before it hit the street.

Meanwhile, Apple has had tremendous success with its Apple TV. Apple CEO Tim Cook revealed at the AllThingsD conference in May that Apple has sold 13 million Apple TV devices, and that half of those sales were just in the past year. Roku has also done well-it recently announced that it had surpassed five million units sold in the United States.

Now, we have Chromecast, though-and at $35 it's going to offer some serious competition for Apple TV, Roku, and other streaming content devices, including game consoles like the Xbox and Playstation.

Google takes a unique approach with Chromecast. At face value it seems similar to the Airplay feature of Apple's iOS. Basically, it allows you to "cast" Youtube, Netflix , and music and video content from Google Play from an Android or iOS mobile device to your TV through the Chromecast device.

There are some distinct differences, though, between Airplay and Chromecast. Airplay displays content from an iOS device on the TV through the Apple TV unit, but it still relies on the mobile device to receive and stream that content. With Chromecast, however, the mobile device just instructs Chromecast to retrieve the content itself directly from the Web.

One advantage for Apple TV is that it can connect to a wired Ethernet connection in addition to wireless networks, providing a faster and more reliable connection to content on the Web. Another is that Apple TV has a variety of third-party content sources, and it connects with iTunes music and video content. Out of the gate, Chromecast only works with Youtube, Netflix, and Google Play content. Google says Pandora music streaming is coming soon, and other services will follow.

At $99, Apple TV has always been very affordable. It's not cheap, but it seems like a reasonable amount of money for what it does, and it's an amount of money someone can find if the product has value for them. "Affordable" may no longer be good enough, though, because the Chromecast is an impulse buy at $35. A couple spends that much just to go see a movie and have some popcorn and a soda.

I won't be surprised to see a price cut from Apple for Apple TV very soon. I don't expect Apple to match or undercut the Chromecast, but Apple needs to drop the device to $49 just to remain competitive.

news by July 25, 2013 at 03:29AM