The fight for our living room heated up Wednesday when Google announced its Chromecast dongle. The dongle allows all devices to send video content from big screen tv, or at least at this time, Netflix and YouTube with Pandora and a few others comming soon. It also came when with 3 months free of Netflix. I sho love Netflix and so I could not wait to buy it. Especially since it works on Android and Ios Oh hell yeah. I’m picking it up as soon as I get paid.
Now, I knew it would be successful but as successful. Based on reports that Google only had somewhere around 250k of Netflix promotion codes and that they ran out of them tells us that in one day, the Chromecast sold upwards of, I don’t know, 250k. That means I’m 24 hours, they sold as many Chromecast as Apple did in 2 weeks. And they are many reasons why which we will explore, but I mean Look at Google. They rebounded from he Google tv and he Google cube or nexus cube or big ugly ball on table. Whatever they kept at it and got a hit.
Of course This is where google excels. Providing services, simple services that can be utilized by every single person. Droid head or Apple fanboy can use their best products. How many of us use Google Chrome, Google Maps, or YouTube. Better yet, how about you google it and tell me what you find. Google has intergrated itself deeply In our lives, with great services able to be used by all platforms.
Then there the a Google price. Full 1080p tablet with 2g of ram, 16g storage, and 229 when the iPad mini with a non retina display, 512m of ram and it’s 329. Or the Chromecast that 35 dollars and works on any device you may purchase or he ios only Apple TV that cost 99 dollars. Three times the price to only work on 1/3 of the devices. (Side note: It really irritates that when people criticize the Chromecast for having a power cord like the Apple TV doesn’t. Also the Chromecast don’t have many services, yet give it time. )
And when you go pure Google, not Samsung, or htc android, updates come for years. The Galaxy Nexus received updates for its Android 4.3 and I’m sure that they will support the Chromecast for years to come. App developers will add the feature to their content much like they did with the invention of AirPlay. Google will continue to ensure compabilty and it will, not might, but WILL give Apple an run.
Apple loyalist and host of my favorite CNET show, Brian Tong even pre ordered one. Now I’m sure it’s not going to change die hard Apple fans to Droid, but an Apple fan may think twice about spending 100 dollars on a device that 35 dollars can do. To get a nice IOS ecosystem of phone, tablet, and tv, you spend 650 on the phone 85 on a refurbish Apple TV and 329 on an entry level iPad. Over on the other front, 349 for the phone, nexus I mean, 35 for the Chromecast and 229 for the nexus 7. In a rough economy, that could win a lot over and to someone like me, 35 dollars is throwaway money for me. Well actually it’s not, but it won’t hurt that bad.
Tomorrow join me as I discuss the benefit of Apple. Come on guys, I’m bipartisan on tech. Each has cons. I going to tell you how Apple can win this through the advantages.
Mind Matter and News 