Forget the Apple TV, this dirt-cheap Google gadget revolutionised my living room
Looking to spruce up your lounge?
An Apple TV top box starts at $159 (£129).
A PlayStation 4 is currently $343 (£284).
A smart TV will set you back hundreds.
Forget all of them – Google sells a gadget for just $35 (£30) that will transform how you watch TV.
It certainly did for me.
I’m talking about Chromecast. It’s a “dongle” that Google sells that you plug into the back of your TV.
You slot it into a HDMI port, the sort found on basically all modern TVs. Once there, you control it with your smartphone.
You can throw videos and music onto your TV to watch by pressing the Chromecast button on any of the hundreds of compatible apps.
YouTube, Netflix, BBC’s iPlayer, NBA … all of them work with the device.
You can also mirror the screen of your smartphone, browse the internet, and show off photos. It even has some compatible games.
In effect, it turns any television into a smart TV — but for a fraction of the price of one, and with almost no hardware.
This is because most of the heavy lifting is done on your phone. You’ve got a powerful computer already in your pocket, so the dongle capitalises on that to keep costs low.
Your smartphone becomes your new TV remote.
I picked one up about a month ago and it has revolutionised how I watch TV. My housemates and I don’t have to search for a laptop and HDMI cable to watch movies or worry about battery — anyone can throw on a film with a single click.
And if you’ve got friends round, you can make a queue of music and videos via YouTube that anyone can contribute to via their phone.
Oh, and it’s not just for Android phones. It also works with iPhones, as well as tablets and laptops.
Sure, so this isn’t just breaking news. The new Chromecast launched back in September 2015. But I’m not exaggerating when I say that it’s one of the best gadgets I’ve bought in years. Don’t bother shelling out for an Apple TV or smart television: This is all you need.
You can pick up a Chromecast straight from Google at Chromecast.com, for £30 in the UK and $35 in the US »
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