Google Chromecast: The Future of Streaming?

On July 24, 2013, Google not only announced Google Chromecast but also made it available for purchase at the affordable price of $35. Well, what exactly is Google’s new product? Google Chromecast is a physical device, a tad bigger than a USB stick, which allows users to stream content from your Google Chrome browser to any HDTV over a WIFI connection in three easy steps. Users connect the Chromecast to their HDTV in the HDMI port as well as a USB port or wall outlet for power, connect to the Chromecast via a WIFI connection, then stream your favorite shows to be watched on your television. Users can stream online games, Youtube, Netflix, and anything else that can be accessed through the Chrome browser to their HDTV. In fact, Google provided early adopters, who bought Chromecast on the launch day, with a free 3-month Netflix subscription.

Google Chromecast was launched to compete with the Apple TV, which sells for $99.00, at a fraction of the price. The launch was an instant hit selling out in all of the major online retailers. Furthermore, Google is frantically posting job listings for their Chromecast team in order to meet production and create betas for Chromecast.

Chromecast is able to stream in HD quality to your TV in both 720p and 1080p, though some users reported a little lag in the 1080p streaming. Fortunately though, Chromecast works crossplatform on any machine that can download Google Chrome. In addition, Google is working hard to bring more support and apps for Google Chromecast.

In order for Chromecast to continue to move forward from its successful launch, Google needs to act fast in an effort to make it widely available to consumers.