Technology Android

[Pittsey]

Chromecast is even shitter that I thought. You can't setup a VPN (unless you really fuck around with it) to access Netflix content outside of your location. For example, the USA netflix has far more content. I can get it on my phone with a smart DNS app and on my laptop with a smart DNS extension. But.... Not if I cast it to the chromecast. I could setup a US based account and add a VPN to my router, which apparently works, but I can't be fucked. I only setup a netflix account to test the chromecast.

In terms of quality. Via netflix it's actually pretty good. But.... I already have an ACER Revo, A lenovo M90 and a couple of Lenovo Q180s that already do this. I tried casting an NBCLiveExtra football game to the chromecast from my browser. It was not very smooth. So... That is another negative. To be fair. Only the Lenovo M90 can cope with this, with it's i5 CPU.

Like I said earlier. If you currently plug your laptop into your TV, or you're one of the dorks who uses an apple TV and airplay. The Chrome is better and cheaper. If you have a decent AV system already. Then it's a piece of shit.

Bottom line - I'm keeping it to use at people's houses who have a shit solution already. Such as my parents. But only because it's so cheap and I can get a netflix account for £5 a year. At the moment, netflix is about the only decent use for it. When people start developing for it, it should improve. If it was rooted and I could stick a custom rom on (and change the DNS servers) it would also be better.

I've only had it for a few hours. So my opinion may change.

 

[dilla]

How do you get Netflix for $5 a year? I guess it would be more like $8-9USD a year, but still, how?

I use account dumps, but I feel guilty because I think it's a kid's account. He watches VeggieTales or something and then I go and watch horror flicks or Orange is the New Black.

 

[Casey]

At the moment, netflix is about the only decent use for it. .

I haven't even used Netflix yet, I gotta reactivate my account. I use Google Play Music and YouTube on it a lot, and Avia.

Bottom line is, any of my friends/family can come to my place, or my cousin's place, and push anything to the flatscreen in less than 5 seconds from their existing phone or tablet. Simples.

 

[Pittsey]

How do you get Netflix for $5 a year? I guess it would be more like $8-9USD a year, but still, how?

I use account dumps, but I feel guilty because I think it's a kid's account. He watches VeggieTales or something and then I go and watch horror flicks or Orange is the New Black.

Possibly the same thing. Stolen accounts.

I haven't even used Netflix yet, I gotta reactivate my account. I use Google Play Music and YouTube on it a lot, and Avia.

Bottom line is, any of my friends/family can come to my place, or my cousin's place, and push anything to the flatscreen in less than 5 seconds from their existing phone or tablet. Simples.

My mum likes it. Because it is very simple. But... To me... It's just another example of Google, Apple or Samsung bringing a product out with 10% of the functionality of another product and because it has their name attached... it becomes a hit.

Horses for courses. But I have no interest in replicating my phone on my TV. Also... The quality of the same youtube video on my nettop connected to my tv is superior to what the chromecast plays.


A cheap nettop (which to be fair to google is 3 x the price of a chromecast) with XBMC on it, pisses all over the chromecast. It has the same functionality and more.

 

[Casey]

See, I don't really watch TV much. I have Virgin Media and I've probably watched a TV program on it less than 10 times in the past year. XBMC and all that is wasted on me. But if I'm chilling on the sofa watching movie trailer or music videos or whatever on my phone or tablet, it's nice to just push it straight to the big screen.

Replicating stuff I'm looking at on my phone to my TV is exactly what I want to do. And I suspect, the reason the Chromecast is getting rave reviews (including TIME Magazine's Gadget of the Year) is because that's exactly what most people want to do. Most people aren't interested in pissing about with additional hardware like a nettop or additional software like XBMC.

 

[dilla]

Yeah, it's a minority that would want to have an elaborate setup involving their router, their hardware, and their TV. So many things can go wrong in between and lead to reliability issues. Even if you know what you're doing, it's a hassle when something goes wrong. Like your VPN issue, for example.

 

[ARon]

All pittsey is saying is the quality pushed from his stuff is much much better than what chromecast offers

 

[Pittsey]

Yeah. I don't watch a lot of TV. Although... I usually switch it on when I go to bed and watch a film or a couple of episodes of a TV show. I am a bit of a geek, so I like the whole look and feel of a real home entertainment system. Which Chromecast isn't.

Gone are the days when I sit around a tv or radio with my friends chilling out. I am old. I am usually on my own.

Like Aron says. The quality isn't as good as what I usually use. And... I want more functionality.

It's a good device. And I'm keeping it. But.... It isn't as good as the masses would have you believe. Much like airplay or the samsung one, it's just your phone or tablet on a bigger screen.


For Casey, it's exactly what he wants. For me, it isn't. Horses for courses.


It's pricepoint scores high with me though. Let's see what small developers do with it. I may become a huge fan.


I was so negative on it initially, because the reviews make it out to be a lot more than it actually is. Like Coonie says, it's a simple device and can be used by anyone easily. I am happy to tweak my setup, so it looks and performs a lot better.

 

[dilla]

I have never heard "horses for courses" before. You've used it twice in this thread in two days.

 

[Pittsey]

I have never heard "horses for courses" before. You've used it twice in this thread in two days.

 

[Casey]

Let's see what small developers do with it. I may become a huge fan.

There's a demonstration app in the Play Store - "Tic Tac Toe for Chromecast" It's exactly what you'd expect - two people load up the app and play a game of Tic Tac Toe on the TV using their phone/tablet as the control. I expect to see more of that kind of thing when they open it up to developers.

Right now it's only at a fraction of it's potential.

 

[ARon]

In an ideal sense, Chromecast is is just a cell phone on a big ass screen. I think eventually it will be obsolete and there will be a android home hub that controls everything with your cell phone or voice.

 

[Casey]

Open Automative Alliance. Google partners with Honda, Audi, Hyundai and General Motors to bring Android into their cars. Epic win.

http://techcrunch.com/2014/01/06/oaa/

 

[ARon]

bound to happen. at least i dont have to do my in dash tablet anymore

 

[Pittsey]

Open Automative Alliance. Google partners with Honda, Audi, Hyundai and General Motors to bring Android into their cars. Epic win.

http://techcrunch.com/2014/01/06/oaa/

I don't drive any of those cars though.

Let me guess... Mercedes and BMW will stick Apple in...!

I want a Tesla Model S, but I am waiting for RHD and a good lease deal.

 

[dilla]

I don't drive any of those cars though.

Let me guess... Mercedes and BMW will stick Apple in...!

I want a Tesla Model S, but I am waiting for RHD and a good lease deal.

Most likely. I don't see many luxury brands looking to Android. I have nothing official, but it just seems those that drive expensive cars have the expensive iPhones and iPads that would benefit more from the integration. I know I use my iPod Touch just in my car because it integrates with the iDrive system. With my S3, I'd have to mess with my phone which is a huge distraction for me and not worth it.

For this reason, I see independent luxury manufacturers sticking with iOS. Ones that may want to cut cost would use Android. Like Honda, Toyota, Ford, etc.

I just saw a post the other day where I guy fitted a 2013 N7 into his E46 3 series. It looked really nice. I'm not handy with tools, so I wouldn't attempt it myself, but it was pretty cool for someone with an older car without nav and a few other amenities.

 

[Casey]

That all depends. Google could license their self-driving car technology to car manufacturers that are part of the Alliance and create a whole new segment of the market, because they aren't going to mass produce the cars themselves obviously. In which case, every company will scramble to get a piece of that action. Apple don't have the means to replicate that technology for at least another 5 years, and by all accounts Google's is pretty much ready for market.

Also, Apple don't license iOS. There will not be any cars that RUN iOS. Just cars that have some sort of software that can bridge a gap between your car and existing iOS device. That's a huge disadvantage compared to a car that natively runs an operating system. For obvious reasons.

 

[Pittsey]

I would fucking hate iOS in my car. Might even put me off buying one. I'd end up getting an older example of the marque and sticking in an android head unit.

BMW and Mercedes wouldn't miss me though. I never buy a new car, so they don't get my money.


Edit - That'll do - http://www.engadget.com/2014/01/08/mercedes-benz-cla45-qnx-car-2/

 

[dilla]

Right. I think they would stick with tethering to an iOS device and doing work from there. I could be wrong, though. We don't own a BMW produced in the last 3 years, which is when many models were getting all these apps and all that. So maybe BMW has hit a wall with the capabilities and they may jump to Android as well.

It's just that they've had such a tight partnership with Apple. I think they were one of the first to give free iPods with a BMW purchase, and then also integrating iOS devices properly with their cars. This was before other manufacturers followed suit and then the aftermarket...market...grew exponentially after that.

Android won't be a bad thing in any car. I would prefer the familiarity of it, so long as they don't primp it up with a custom UI just for the car. I know a stock, tablet UI isn't going to work either, but I don't want it to look the way iDrive looks now, but just running more efficiently because it runs Android. I'd like Android apps and all that jazz and the same simple way of downloading and updating them.

 

[masta247]

http://gadgets.ndtv.com/others/news...g-showcase-their-vision-of-smart-homes-469844

I can't wait. The best part is Samsung and LG actually are more in power to provide such solutions as they manufacture most home appliances. Although I had hoped Android @Home would be the base platform for such solutions and would cover all manufacturer's appliances.