Google’s Chromecast was revealed on Wednesday in San Fransisco, at a time when no one really expected Google to come up with something of the sort. With Google TV already in their roster, Google has tried to up the ante with the new Chromecast. The Chromecast will be a simple plug and play device. A pocket sized dongle (around the same size as the average USB drive). All it needs to run is a TV with an HDMI port, an 802.11n Wi-Fi and a phone to connect to. Since it is a cross platform service, it can connect to any device running on Android, Chrome OS iOS or even Windows Phone.
How it works is really simple. Once you plug in your Chromecast to your TV and set it up with the Wi-Fi network (this has to be the same wireless network your mobile device is connected to), press the “cast” button on the mobile application to stream YouTube videos directly to your HD TV.
So how is it different from Apple’s existing AirPlay? Well, they are completely different in their working. What AirPlay does is that it pulls video content from the mobile device and sends it to your TV. This is where Chromecast scores over AirPlay. Instead of using the phone as a medium for streaming, it directly grabs its video from the cloud. A twofold advantage – the streaming video is device independent and it saves battery life.
By making the Chromecast device-independent, Google ensured that in case the initial device is no longer connected to the network, someone else with a Cast enabled phone can take over and continue to control the viewing experience. As usual, Google managed to make its products developer friendly once again. The Chromecast will use the Google Cast SDK. App developers will, therefore, only have to alter bits of their code instead of rewriting the whole thing in order to make their apps Chromecast compatible.
Hotshot on-demand video streaming websites such as Netflix have already been incorporated in Chromecast schemes. Netflix videos will also be Cast-friendly, sent to your TV via the touch of a single button. Other noteworthy streaming services such as Flixster, Hulu and Pandora etc. are in the pipeline as well. Another feature, albeit in beta phase, is the ability to cast Google Chrome browser tabs to your TV from your mobile phone – almost certainly a Google TV killer.
The Chromecast is available for purchase now at Google’s Playstore. The pricing is where Google has outdone itself. The Chromecast package costs a grand total of $35 (additional $7 for shipping). Mighty cheap considering the kind of service it promises to offer.
