On July 24th Google held a press conference, and the world expected to see the new Nexus 7 tablet for the first time. What no one expected was for Google to make another play for the TV and connected devices market, but that is exactly what they did with the announcement of the Chromecast.
The focus of the Chromecast is much like Apple's AirPlay with the Apple TV in that new Android apps will now have an API available to allow for video to stream to your TV. The twist is that you can also stream video from the Chrome browser on any computer or device for which it is available, meaning every operating system and most mobile devices on the market today.
Setup was very easy. Simply plug the Chromecast into an open HDMI port on your TV and switch to that input, then point your Chrome web browser to the setup page. Download the Chromecast application and you will connect to the device to join it to your wi-fi network.
That is all it takes to get your Chromecast up and running. Now any video that you can stream over the internet or even web page can be sent to your TV with the click of a button in your web browser.
The Chromecast
Packaging includes power supply, micro-usb cable, and HDMI extension if needed
The Chromecast's configuration software is dead simple to useThe amazing thing about this announcement is that it included three free months of NetFlix service (a $27 dollar value) for the $35 pricetag. That means that this device really only costs you $9.00, an incredible bargain by anyone's standards.
Video controlled by the Netflix app on my Galaxy Note and displayed via the Chromecast