All my Chromecasts are in storage, but I’m still sad Google is killing the dongle off

The original Chromecast was always a clever idea. A dongle with nothing but an HDMI port that let you stream content to your TV via your phone.

It was lightweight enough that you could slip it into a travel bag to turn any hotel TV into your own entertainment device. Plus, the ability to cast had buy in from all the major streaming services, so you could easily stream YouTube, Netflix, and even audio-only services like Spotify without any difficulty.

Despite its lightweight appeal and intelligent software, the Chromecast never really became a mainstay of my home entertainment setup. With smart TVs offering direct streaming, and devices like the Apple TV 4K offering a more complete solution to accessing online video content, the Chromecast plugged into the back of my TV never got used.

I ended up unplugging my Chromecast and popping into storage a year or two ago. I’m not even 100% sure where it is in my garage. I'm not sure that matters now.

I’m sad with today’s news that Google has discontinued the Chromecast. Not least because it was a massively accessible device with its affordable price tag. While you can buy a new smart TV to get the latest streaming apps, it costs a hell of a lot more than the $59 it will set you back for the current HD Chromecast model.

I won’t be buying the new Google streamer either

Google is giving an alternative for those Chromecast fans looking for a Google-powered streaming device. Dubbed the Google TV Streamer, this device is designed to sit in front of your TV, has an ethernet port and acts as a smart home with Matter support.

You know, just another streaming set top box.

I’m sure it will work well enough when it launches later this year. I'll try and review it when it launches, but I can confidently say now it will do what you need it to do, as you would expect from a product from one of the biggest tech companies in the world.

It's important to note that it's going to be more expensive than the Chromecast by a significant margin though. While I haven't seen any Aussie pricing, it will cost US$99 in the US, which means at least $150 over here.

But that's not why I wouldn't buy one. As we've seen today, Google has a track record of killing off beloved products. I still haven't forgiven it for Google Reader, but that's just one small line on a list of murdered Google products.

If you're after a low cost streaming device, Amazon's Fire TV looks like your best bet. You could also look at something like Hubbl, but giving uncle Rupert more money is arguably worse than buying an unloved Google Product. Apple TV is a great product, but only really if you're already in the Apple ecosystem.

Now that I think about it a bit more, if you want a low cost streaming device, maybe you should try and pick up a Chromecast before they disappear...

[Google]