Aug 01
Google’s Chromecast streaming TV dongle
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Aug 01
Netflix and YouTube might be the only third-party services compatible with the Chromecast right now, but HBO and Hulu are the first companies since the device’s release to reveal that they’re working on their own Chromecast apps. Users can stream HBO Go and Hulu content from their Chrome browser to the Chromecast, but official support […]
Aug 01
Last week Google announced Chromecast, a new $35 HDMI dongle that lets users “cast” content from their mobile devices and computers to a TV over Wi-Fi. Now if you travel a lot, you might have though about carrying Chromecast with you, because hotel TV can sometimes be very boring, particularly if you’re travelling in a country with little or no channels in your language. John Affaki, the engineering manager for Chromecast developer experience, has confirmed that Chromecast unfortunately will not be supporting public Wi-Fi networks.
He describes a number of problems that users will face when trying to use Chromecast with public networks. Most hotels disable peer-to-peer communication on their networks, so users won’t be able to control the dongle. Moreover, Chromecast doesn’t have support for captive wireless networks right now. Captive networks are those which require you to log in through a browser prior to letting you access the internet, most hotels have these as well. One could set up a personal hotspot through their laptop or smartphone, but the data costs alone would make anyone shudder with the thought of streaming a high definition video over the network.
Like It , +1 , Tweet It , Pin It | Chromecast Won’t Get Support For Public Wi-Fi Networks original content from Ubergizmo. 
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Aug 01
Hulu Is Coming to Chromecast
Posted in: Today's Chili
Chromecast launched with Netflix support, and now Hulu is working on bringing Chromecast support to its iOS and Android apps.
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Jul 31
Apple has quietly cut the price of the refurbished Apple TV, offering savings of almost a quarter from the full-priced model, in a move that may be related to Google’s recent sell-out Chromecast launch. The cheaper Apple TV is now $75, versus $99 for a brand-new version, though you may actually get a slightly older
Jul 31
Ever since Google TV made the move from Intel to ARM processors, Marvell has been there with its Armada 1500 CPU, providing decoding, power management and wireless support. As recent FCC documents showed, that arrangement hasn’t changed, and Marvell has just formally introduced its Armada 1500-mini processor at the heart of Chromecast. The scaled-down chip provides it (and other USB-powered devices) with 1080p decoding along with features like DRM support and access to TV-centric applications like YouTube and Netflix. Marvell also filled us in on what kind of video decoding the hardware is capable of: it supports most H.264 profiles, MPEG2/4, WMV9, VP6/8, DivX-HD and most digital audio formats (see the PR for a complete list). The high-profile Google connection aside, Marvell also said the chip will work great for other laptop, smartphone and Smart TV streaming applications. On top of that, Mountain View wants to get Chromecast tech natively into Smart TVs and other devices through its Google Cast SDK — no doubt putting Marvell on the ground floor.
Filed under: Home Entertainment, Internet
Jul 31
Google’s $35 Chromecast fared well in our review, but something that could make it even more useful is the ability to stream pictures and video from mobile devices. Users have been able to work around that on PCs by entering info for locally stored files into the Chrome address bar, and now ClockworkMod developer Koushik Dutta is showing off a solution for mobile that closes the gap with AirPlay. Demonstrated in the video after the break, his Phone to Chromecast app can fling pictures or videos stored on the phone directly to the dongle — apparently thanks to web server software he’d already created for Android. There’s no specific word on the codecs or resolutions tested, but he reports videos work at full framerate “like magic.” The only bad news? The preview SDK terms mean he can’t distribute the APK without written permission from Google, so this demo is as close as we’re getting for now.
Filed under: Home Entertainment, HD, Mobile, Google
Source: Koushik Dutta (Google+) (1), (2), YouTube
Jul 30
Supplies of Google’s Chromecast dongle may be scarce, but that could all change as third-party streaming stick manufacturers wade into the Chromecast space. Chip manufacturer Marvell, which provides the SoC powering Google’s adapter has revealed the ARMADA 1500-mini for Chromecast, a cheap chipset for hooking up HDMI displays to a Chromecast-powered entertainment system.
Demand for the Chromecast stick apparently caught Google by surprise, with the $35 adapter selling out shortly after it was announced. New online orders through Google’s own Play store are warned not to expect their new toy for another 3-4 weeks, in fact.
It’s unclear whether an ARMADA 1500-mini powered alternative will arrive within that period, but the market looks set to be flooded with Chromecast-compatible hardware. Supporting 1080p HD, just like the official Chromecast dongle, the Marvell SoC is intended not only for dongle-type form factors as Google went for, but could also be integrated into a smart TV, a set-top box, or something else.
The official Google Chromecast adapter – which we reviewed yesterday – has a relatively small portfolio of abilities out of the box, but the combination of easy browser tab sharing and its low cost have helped offset any functionality shortcomings. Effectively plug-and-play once slotted into a free HDMI port, hooked up to a USB power supply, and connected to a WiFi network, the dongle can currently stream Netflix, YouTube, and Google Play content and be controlled by iOS and Android devices.
However, a “beta” plugin for Chrome on Windows, Mac, and Chromebook allows the content of a tab to be mirrored on the TV, through the Chromecast stick. That effectively works around the limited number of apps with current support for the Chromecast service.
Marvell hasn’t said exactly how much it will be charging OEMs for the ARMADA 1500-mini, nor confirmed that the SoC is the same as what’s inside Google’s Chromecast, though it seems more than likely. There’s more on Chromecast in our SlashGear 101 on the streaming system.
Chromecast dongle flood likely as Marvell outs streaming chip is written by Chris Davies & originally posted on SlashGear.
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Jul 30
Last week Google announced Chromecast, a $35 HDMI dongle that allows users to mirror content from their computers and mobile devices to a TV over Wi-Fi. Netflix is already onboard, recently it was reported that HBO was interested in bringing HBO GO streaming support to Chromecast. A representative for the network, Laura Young, has confirmed to Variety that HBO is “actively exploring” supporting Chromecast, adding that they can not comment right now on specific plans regarding timing.
When Chromecast’s software was tinkered with, mentions of HBO GO were discovered. This points towards the possibility that Google may already be internally testing an HBO GO app for Chromecast. When the support eventually comes, usrs will require a conventional HBO subscription to view regular programming. Right now, Chromecast is able to support video from YouTube, Netflix and purchased content from Google Play store straight out of the box. Google said that it sold out of the initial Chromecast stock within 24 hours of launching it. Through HBO GO, subscribers are allowed to watch over 1,400 titles including every episode of HBO’s original series such as The Sopranos and Game of Thrones.
Like It , +1 , Tweet It , Pin It | HBO Is “Actively Exploring” Chromecast Streaming Support original content from Ubergizmo. 
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Jul 30
Google’s television wonder-dongle Chromecast
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