Yeah, Chromecast is pretty amazing. I bought one and everyone in my family who has been over to see it has purchased one as well.
Mostly I use it for Netflix, Google Play Movies & TV, and Plex.
Also if you have an Android or iPhone the native application on either device will have the Chromecast icon to fling the video. It's the same icon in Chrome (and maybe other browsers? I'm not sure) to fling from your computer.
It will play your local music content, but only recently whitelisted a few apps capable of playing your own video files (even then the codecs and containers supported by Chromecast are a short list, so be prepared to do a bunch of transcoding).
It's not open for sure. But it's not bad either; at $35 I'm willing to forgive the lack of hackability (I have a linux box on the same TV for that, this thing is just a convenience).
And the UI is basically perfect: pull the phone out of your pocket, play the video using exactly the same apps you're used to, and just click the chromecast button to send it to the TV. No more hunting for remotes; on my TV it will even turn it on and switch to the right input source automatically.
Not every TV/monitor supports this since there aren't that many devices out in the field that utilize HDMI power, but if your TV does provide power over the HDMI port then the Chromecast can get everything it needs just from the HDMI port.
Chromecast is more intelligently architected than AppleTV (you hand off to Chromecast rather than remote-controlling it) but I suspect AppleTV will address this shortly. OTOH AppleTV works with any remote, and you can use any iOS device as a remote, and AirPlay is wonderful.
1. The streaming isn't system wide. Developers need to incorporate the streaming ability into their apps whereas Apple has it builtin to the device. 2. My parents are unable to understand the concept of "flinging" content; they want it to be a DVR-like device. The AppleTV allows them to rent, purchase, or view previously obtained iTunes content. 3. Music sounds terrible through it. It lacks an optical audio out port so it just uses the TVs speakers which are obviously not great. 4. This is probably a personal issue, but Chrome tab streaming constantly drops out after a short period of time. I've yet to get it working fully. 5. AppleTV can support games being flung to the TV while using the iDevice as a controller. This isn't a selling point, but I'd like my N5 to do the same. 6. My TV (while being a 40" 1080p flat screen) is lacking a USB port so I do have to plug it in. 7. Am I missing where I can stream my Android device's OS on the screen? I know iOS allows you to stream the entire device's OS so you can give presentations and the like.
There are many, many things the Chromecast can't do. It's saving grace is its price point which lessens peoples' expectations but I wouldn't start saying the AppleTV should aspire to be it.
I have my TV's optical audio out running to my receiver. That way all my HDMI devices (laptops, Raspberry Pi, Chromecast) are hooked directly to my TV and the audio is automatically sent to my stereo system.
> 4. This is probably a personal issue, but Chrome tab streaming constantly drops out after a short period of time. I've yet to get it working fully
I've never experienced this problem.
For point 6, I prefer to plug in the Chromecast to a real 5V DC power source because the USB port on my TV is only powered when the TV is on, and I like that Chromecast can turn on the TV and switch the input itself.
I look at that as a feature. I already have applications I'm comfortable with for browsing and selecting media. I just want a new rectangle to play that media on.
The fact that anyone on my Wifi can access it with their phone, instantly, with nothing to install is a magical experience.
> 3. Music sounds terrible through it. It lacks an optical audio out port so it just uses the TVs speakers which are obviously not great.
HDMI Audio Return addresses that. If your TV and receiver support that (I think most do?), then audio will flow from the Chromecast into your TV and back up the TV's HDMI cable into the receiver.
My Chromecast plays audio through the speakers hooked up to my receiver just fine.
> Am I missing where I can stream my Android device's OS on the screen?
Maybe Chrome for Android supports that? I don't think there's OS level support for Chromecast.
> There are many, many things the Chromecast can't do.
Sure, a boat can't do many of the things an airplane can, and vice versa. They're different devices with very different user experiences.
Does ChromeCast not require an app on the device? I thought it wasn't integrated with the OS.
I have an Apple TV, and being able to stream content via Air Play for my local TV network, YouTube, and VLC Streamer was nice at first. And then over the months I slowly stopped bothering with my phone and kept grabbing the Apple TV remote.
Interacting with a TV through a phone or tablet interface, no matter how simple, is just not as nice as looking directly at the screen and interacting.
I watch less shows now because of it — because there are more options only available on my phone. I just can't be bothered to use them.
In the (European) country that I live in, you can actually buy an Apple TV. Whereas Chromecast simply does not exist.
One can argue all day about how awesome Chromecast is, but if you can't buy it, well, it isn't really competitive. And this has happened with a lot of other Google products which where announced with great fanfare in the past.
Off-topic, I tried to buy a 1-dollar song the other day. This may come as a surprise, but not only Google, but also Amazon were not willing to take my money. Of course iTunes happily accommodated me, as it has always been doing for many years.
My sisters, Netflix and for my younger sister mainly YouTube and Google Music (which she rarely used before she got the Chromecast, as she has an iPhone and the app just came out for iOS).