Overnight Google announced the launch of the Chromecast, a dongle that plugs into the HDMI port of your HDTV, and allows you to push content to the TV from Android tablets and smartphones, iPhones and iPads. The Chromecast also allows content to be streamed via Chrome for Mac and Chrome for Windows browsers. This feature is only a beta version, but has been included at launch.
In addition to streaming content from your phones, tablets and computers, Chromecast works with services and stores such as Netflix, YouTube, Google Play Movies & TV, and Google Play Music.
To connect the Chromecast you plug it into the HDMI port of the TV, connect the device to your home network, and then press the ‘Watch’ button on your phone, tablet or browser. Multi-tasking is built in to the device, allowing you to use other apps and programs while streaming your selected content to the TV.
More devices and applications will follow, as Google have made available a software development kit for Google Cast, the technology that makes the content streaming for the Chromecast possible.
Apart from the ease and use and breadth of devices that work with Chromecast, the real killer is the price. In the US the Chromecast sells for $35. To sweeten the deal a three-month subscription to Netflix is being thrown in. The technology, device and price seem to have hit a chord, as the Chromecast sold out on Google’s Play store two hours after going on sale.