Google Chromecast is finally available in the UK, allowing users to stream online content including shows from YouTube, Netflix and the BBC’s iPlayer.
Chromecast is a direct rival to Apple’s £99 TV product, which lets users stream from their iPhone, iPad or iPod to their TV. Google’s version resembles a large USB flash drive but with an HDMI connector, and is available to buy in the UK for £30 from Currys, PC World, Amazon and direct from Google. It has no remote, instead relying solely on a smartphone, tablet or computer for control.
“Chromecast is all about speed and simplicity,” said Suveer Kothari, the British director of global business development for the Chromecast at Google.
“It’s about making it really quick and easy to access the content you want on the big screen. Chromecast is really driven by second screen devices like mobile phones and tablets, which consumers are already comfortable with, and allow you to do things that would not be possible with a regular remote.”
For £30, Google Chromecast make TVs much more compatible with smartphones and tablets that are connected to the web. The effect is to empower what is usually the biggest screen in the room with far more connected capabilities than any other streaming device can for anywhere near this price. In a world where TV manufacturers are trying desperately to persuade users to upgrade to expensive smart TVs, it’s an affordable option for consumers.
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