Google Intros $35 Streaming Video/Music TV Stick

MrWizard wrote:
did you trying installing 'Chrome Browser' on your phone

i know using Android browser on the NExus, i can check the weather or forum while my Nexus is a Hotspot

chrome browser on android phone

google play .. chrome for phone

I can do that but I cannot connect via WiFi to my own hotspot. My S3 and CC must be connected to the same AP. The phone cannot run WiFi and hotspot at the same time. Opening one turns off the other.


I have Chrome but it doesn't have a Cast choice.

did you trying installing 'Chrome Browser' on your phone

i know using Android browser on the NExus, i can check the weather or forum while my Nexus is a Hotspot

chrome browser on android phone

google play .. chrome for phone

I haven't received the Chromecast dongle that I ordered yet but I did receive the email with the link to get Netflix free for 3 months. I was able to redeem it and apply it against my existing account.

I'm sure this would not affect anyone on this forum; none of us would ever have an unsecured network.

Trolling with Chromecast: Dongle is left a little too open to hijacking

Tom

MrWizard wrote:
i wonder if this is going to go the way the Facebook initial stock offering went

a runaway grand slam, then fizzle out ...

no matter the cheap price, this won't replace my Sony media player or somebodies Roku

this is nothing more than a marketing ploy
get as many people as possible using Chrome and the cloud

Good point. I bought it as I thought I could cast directly from my Galaxy S3 phone via my unlimited data plan. No joy. To work, both the Chromecast and the S3 must be connected to the same WiFi AP. If the S3 WiFi is ON the hotspot will not run. It is almost as if the carriers worked a deal to block Chromecast casting over a cellular data connection.

Chromecast only works over WiFi. Not being able to cast from the Android Chrome browser is another letdown. I'll probably play with it some more and then flip it on eBay. I imagine I can get my 11 bucks back. Roku still reigns for me too.

i wonder if this is going to go the way the Facebook initial stock offering went

a runaway grand slam, then fizzle out ...

no matter the cheap price, this won't replace my Sony media player or somebodies Roku

this is nothing more than a marketing ploy
get as many people as possible using Chrome and the cloud

"(scheid, I think to change your configured WiFi network you'll have to run the Chromecast app on your PC that you downloaded in the initial set up.)"

I bought this for Android use not PC. Just did the PC setup for fun. The Android app wouldn't let me change WiFi AP's and only showed my two house AP's even after I fired up my S3 hotspot. Had to reset the Chromecast to make it rescan and see it. I did think it would cast from the Android browser but doesn't. Just from a desktop browser with the Win app installed.

Something else interesting I've found out in playing with this thing. Although Google Play Music supports Chromecast, it will only allow you to play music you've purchased from the Play Store (and therefore is available in the cloud). Even though Google Play Music will show all the music on your device and allow you to play any of it, you can only cast music that you've purchased from Google.

That's disappointing, but it makes sense since this is a cloud-content only device, with the exception of tabcasting.

Also, you can change the configured WiFi network through the Chromecast app on your mobile devices.

I recevied mine today as well. The setup was quite simple - it's not plug and play, but it's really easy. After plugging it in and selecting the input on the TV, it directs you to google.com/chromecast/setup to download the configuration app (from your PC). After it installs, it asks for your WiFi information (select the network and enter the password). That's pretty much it, the rest is automatic.

(scheid, I think to change your configured WiFi network you'll have to run the Chromecast app on your PC that you downloaded in the initial set up.)

The list of apps that Chromecast supports has been covered in all the reviews I've read: Netflix, YouTube, Google Play Music, Google Play Movies and Chrome so it shouldn't be a surprise about what's currently supported. More will be added, no doubt. "Casting" a tab from Chrome works well, but there are limitations. Certain plugins using an older plugin architecture will not work, including Silverlight and anything with Java. I didn't try Amazon Instant Video, but it should work via tabcasting if you force it to use Flash instead of Silverlight.

The way this thing works is the controlling device sends the information to load to the Chromecast which then loads a lightweight webpage which loads the video with an HTML5 video tag, JavaScript and CSS. It then listens for commands like pause or seek. It doesn't just load the URL directly, it uses this webpage wrapper.

As others mentioned, the Chromecast streams the content itself so it needs a connection to a WiFi network.

For $11, (I got a $24 Netflix credit - if you were one of the early adopters who got the free Netflix it works even for current subscribers) this is pretty much a no-brainer. It will be interesting to see how app developers adopt this. The thing I'd most like to see is support for pictures and videos from mobile devices since not all devices support HDMI out.

Another note. It doesn't allow you to change WiFi hotspots easily unless I missed something. There is a hard to see, maybe just my eyes, reset button by the Micro USB port. It will get you back on track.