Going Hands-On with Google Chromecast

OK - let's start with the basics:
Chromecast is a $35 dongle that you plug into an HDMI port on your HDTV and it allows you to use your phone, tablet or laptop to stream (cast) content to your TV screen. It will cast content from Netflix, YouTube, Google Play Movies & TV, and Google Play Music. Google promises more apps, like Pandora, coming soon.

Something that Google doesn't mention is that almost anything that plays natively in a Chrome browser window can be cast to the TV.  So if you've got a file living on your device that will open in Chrome you can probably cast it.  I've easily sent JPG pictures,  MP3 music, and M4V video from my laptop. I haven't yet done an exhaustive test of file types, but I have found that Quicktime (MOV) files are not supported.

As far as devices, it works with Android 2.3+, iOS 6.0+, Windows 7+, Mac OS 10.7+ and Chromebook Pixel, with additional Chromebook support coming soon.

It transmits video content at up to 1080p resolution via its HDMI port and draws power through its USB port from your HDTV or the supplied external power adapter. It supports 2.4-GHz Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n.

In the box you get:

• the Chromecast device
• an HDMI extension cable
• a USB power cord
• a power supply

Setup is quick and easy.  It took just about 3 minutes from opening the box 'til I was casting from my laptop.

1. Plug the power cord into the dongle and into a USB port on your TV.
   Don't use the Service port.  If your set doesn't have a USB port, use the included power supply.  
2. Switch your TVs source to the input you plugged the device into
3. Go to google.com/chromecast/setup to download the app to configure the device

Follow the instructions to get the caster on your WiFi network and your pretty much done. One additional step to cast from your computer.  You'll need to install the Google Cast extension for Chrome.

Once you have Chromecast up and running it is found by your devices' YouTube, Play, etc. apps. Around the castle here, the prince and princesses are all wired up and their iOS and Android tablets, phones and such all can cast without having to install anything.

One thing to note - since all the devices can cast and there's no 'lockout', they can bump each other off the TV screen.  If Princess1 casts from her phone and Princess2 doesn't like the video, Princess2 can start a cast from her tablet and bump Princess1's video off the TV.

Maybe Google would consider a Chromecast Combo Pack including a striped shirt and a whistle?

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