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Google Takes Aim at Apple with New Nexus 7, Google Play Games and Chromecast

nepalisherpa said:
3 months of Netflix alone is about $25 or so. You are basically getting this device for about $10.
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And "this device" is practically a full-blown computer.
For $10.
A pound of coffee costs more than that.
A frying pan costs more than that.

Amazing times, being able to buy something on the order of a 1GHz CPU, 1GB RAM, 8GB storage, 1920x1080x10 @ 60Hz display, 0.5Gbps wireless, etc in a case little bigger than a key fob for ten dollars.

Ok, so the full price of $35 is split with Netflix. Call it $17 - same as a freaking 50 pound bag of rice from Costco.

The economic impact of super-cheap high-performance computing is profound, and will long be so...
 
ChazUK said:
I didn't expect the Chromecast device. The Netflix deal is a steal.

Now we wait for an international release.
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I still don't understand why it takes google so long to release products to the rest of the world. They are seriously lagging apple in that respect.
 
ssspinball said:
This dream of everything just working is indeed a dream. You'll see in the reviews that this jack of all trades approach doesn't ever beat the native integration. It'll probably work good with native "Google Experience" Android devices, but no way will this best AirPlay on iOS.
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They offered the SDK to developers today. It will be a very short time until Plex (already in Google Play), Tversity and many other apps support this.

It's what developers should want. Their apps to play on TV in full 5.1 surround sound.

I'm not a gamer but if you are this would be great as game developers update their apps.

Google just changed the TV experience for all platforms for $35.

It will be great for Travelling as I spend way too much time in hotel rooms for business.
 
It looks like Chromecast != AirPlay.

It doesn't look like it is doing streaming from the device, but rather from the Internet/Cloud. Simply sharing a URL (and possibly credentials) from the device to the Chromecast..

My primary use for AirPlay has been AirPlay mirroring. It doesn't look like the Chromecast will do that from Google's promo video.
 
dustinsc said:
Chromecast finally brings something to compete with AirPlay. Been wondering why no one has implemented anything competitive to that feature so far.
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Indeed. Here's hoping it'll push Apple to expand/improve AirPlay, since it has been pretty much stagnant since introduction. Regardless of whether you'll buy one of these, this a definite win for consumers.
 
dustinsc said:
Chromecast finally brings something to compete with AirPlay. Been wondering why no one has implemented anything competitive to that feature so far.
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I'm not sure thats entirely true. Doesn't Microsoft have some sort AirPlay like feature via the Xbox and the Smartglass iOS app?
 
Surprisingly positive reactions to Google products on macrumors. Apple should be worried.

I guess the iPad mini still has a somewhat higher build quality, and a nicer design, but:
- the cost: $100 difference on the base model, over $200 difference for the 32 GB LTE model o_O
- "retina" screen
- actually lighter than the Mini, but a bit thicker

Apple should bring that retina Mini soon.
 
"Takes aim"? Um, what? The Nexus and Google Play aren't even in the same league as the iPad and iTunes.
 
Glad to see Google playing catch up to apple as far as airplay is concerned. And you can't beat that price.
 
I see several problems with Chromcast vs AirPlay:

1. It's limited to certain apps vs AirPlay which works with almost anything (only exception I've found so far is Amazon, which blocks AirPlay for some dumb reason.)

2. No mirroring.

3. You're forced to use your Android or iPhone as a remote. This is "cool" in concept but from a practical standpoint, grabbing a remote to hit "pause" is much simpler than turning on your phone, unlocking it, and fumbling for the right app. Not to mention, if you have kids, are you going to teach them how to use your phone, with their buttery-popcorn fingers? :) AirPlay lets you use your ATV remote.

The price for Chromecast, $35, is definitely right, though. I'll give it that.
 
Supertecnoboff said:
I'm not sure thats entirely true. Doesn't Microsoft have some sort AirPlay like feature via the Xbox and the Smartglass iOS app?
Click to expand...

Oh yeah, I had forgotten about that. Problem is that requires an Xbox, which is a lot more expensive than an aTV, and I don't think adoption has been that great.
 
I think the bezel has been reduced for the new N7. When I first tried the original N7, I thought they had the physical size almost perfect for my hand size, but the bezel was too wide (taking away from the possibility of more screen real estate).

The ipad mini was the reverse, I thought the screen size was right, but adding the bezel was tiny bit too wide for my hands. My thinking was that they'll make the bezel slightly more narrow in the mini 2.
 
MacRumors said:
...Apple has plans to release a redesigned fifth generation iPad with a thinner design and smaller bezels, but it remains unclear when the company will offer a new iPad mini. A recent report from reliable analyst Ming-Chi Kuo suggested that the company might not release an updated mini until March or April of 2014.
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1. Uh, of course Apple has plans to release a fifth generation iPad (no one thinks they are about to stop making iPads, right?). But while the redesign is likely for the 5th generation, that's still just a rumor.
2. It's also unclear when the next full sized iPad will be released. Why is this article trying to make a distinction?
3. On one hand this gives full credence to the rumors about the full-sized iPad redesign, but then says the release timeframe of the next iPad Mini is unclear... even though an analyst characterized as "reliable" says March-April of 2014. The release date of the next Mini is about as clear as everything else: all rumors, some better than others, nothing confirmed.
 
BC2009 said:
It looks like Chromecast != AirPlay.

It doesn't look like it is doing streaming from the device, but rather from the Internet/Cloud. Simply sharing a URL (and possibly credentials) from the device to the Chromecast..

My primary use for AirPlay has been AirPlay mirroring. It doesn't look like the Chromecast will do that from Google's promo video.
Click to expand...

From my understanding of what Chromecast is doing, is effectively running an invisible version of an OS on the stick. either Chrome or Android. That way ,while it can just display the output of your screen to the large screen, it can in fact take over the processing intensive tasks from your device for displaying on the big screen.

your android device itself isn't whats doing the processing of the displayed material, but is acting as a very fancy hightech remote.

when you submit "play on chromecast" for example in youtube, it's not just sending the video feed, but actually opening the stream direct from youtube directly on the chromecast device, freeing your phone / tablet's resources.

if i'm correct in this assumption of how it works... the fact they're selling this for only $35 is actually pretty impressive to me, when similar functioning devices such as Roku / Apple TV are all in the $90+ range, with some devices like sony's GoogleTV products almost hitting $200
 
Todd B. said:
"Takes aim"? Um, what? The Nexus and Google Play aren't even in the same league as the iPad and iTunes.
Click to expand...

Apple seems to be caught flat footed....
The S4 is a generation beyond the iPhone 5...released a full 6 months before the next iPhone is slated to launch...
The iPad mini is pretty much a 2 year old tech...and won't be replaced for another 6 months... meanwhile, Google managed to get a 336ppi screen, 2GB RAM and Quad Core CPU on a $229 device.. True, specs dont matter if the OS sucks...but why cant Apple have a good OS AND good specs?? Asus can get these specs and price them at $229....
It's a sign that theyve done something really great when the only compalints people can come up with is ...'hey look at that big bezel'....
WTF are they doing???

True iTunes is still better. But Google's growth is outpacing Apple's....
Put it this way, for a company that prides itself on its products/hardware....isn't it wrong that the only reason I'm sticking with the iPhone + iPad combo is because of iMessage and iTunes, not because of the products themselves?
 
Does this have the feature?

Does this have the feature to fall apart feature like the old model?
 
nepalisherpa said:
I sold my iPad 2 recently. Will be buying a Nexus 7 for me and my wife, and also get a Chromecast. :)
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I have to say I find it odd how many Google lovers who claim to be former Apple fans frequent this site for updates on which Google devices they should buy.
 
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