Google Finally Addresses Silent Problem with $35 Chromecast

This morning at their media event Google announced a product that they have needed in their arsenal for the last 3 or so years.  A glaring problem with Google/Chrome/Android was the lack of a device that rivaled the Apple TV.  For the past few years Apple has touted how people can play all sorts of stuff from any device they choose in an easy, efficient way.

This was and still is the truth about the Apple TV.

Do I think the Chromecast will be better than an Apple TV?  No.  But will it help Google to catch up and fill the void of device to television streaming they have been missing out on for the recent past. I know the Chromecast can put YouTube videos on my television, but can it stream my music?  Does it take the music in my Google Cloud and make it available on my television and for listening through my large audio system?  These are questions that need to be answered, and while the Apple TV can do this, my initial impressions of the Chromecast don’t make me positively confident these features are included.

One other point is that in the past Google has been hesitant to include adequate audio support, and when they describe the device as one that wont clutter your stereo cabinet I worry whether or not we will get support for 5.1, 7.1, Dolby Digital, as well as other advanced sound technologies.  The Nexus 7 Gen 1 has 2.1 sound, while the New Nexus 7 announced today has some surround sound technology that really just attempts to replicate the technology but really isn’t the real thing.  We shall see what sort of audio both the Chromecast and Nexus 7 Gen 2 are putting out.

Overall I am glad to see that Google is addressing this problem, but with a $35 pricetag I am worried about what they might have left out.

Google Finally Begins to Solve Android Update Problems with Release of “Nexus” Samsung Galaxy S4

One problem that was constantly plaguing Android device was the process of waiting for your carrier to process and reissue the new android software update. Unless you had a Nexus device you were potentially waiting months until Sprint/Verizon/AT&T would get off their lazy ass and issue an update that contained their bloatware and a bunch of other crap.

Since getting a Nexus 7 tablet about a year ago I have loved that i receive Android updates promptly and with no bloatware.  While my friends wait weeks or even months to get updates, I have them automatically pushed to my device.  This is the way to go, and I am glad that Google and Samsung woke up to team the Galaxy S4 with the power of stock Android software.

In a recent work situation a security vulnerability was discovered with the Samsung Galaxy S3.  A company was clearly an easy target to have private data extracted from their phones, and because of the slow process of Android updates coming from the carrier rather than from Google, this company was forced work despite a security hole until the new version of android was pushed through their carrier.  Eventually the problem was remedied, but not until two months after the security hole was first discovered.  This is why it is so critical for updates to come straight from android rather than from Verizon or AT&T.

Google I/O 2013 Keynote Day 1

Google I/O is the company’s yearly event discussiong upcoming products and usually introducing new hardware.  Last year we first heard officially about the Nexus 7 Tablet, and today we heard about a new version of the Samsung Galaxy S4 that will run purely Gogle Android software with no interference or bloatware from Samsung.  Big things going on here, worth the watch.