Google-y Goodness!

Yesterday, the head of Android and Chrome unveiled some new toys. Most of which had already been leaked out in the days & weeks leading up to the event, so very little surprises took place. Except for one. But allow me to bore you first with a few things we already knew.


Android 4.3 - There have been some improvements. Mostly minor things, like support for Bluetooth Low Energy, updated dial pad, and improved location detecting, among many others. Google has also baked in restricted access for additional users, which will be great for parents.

New Nexus 7 - I'm not sure there was one single thing about this tablet that was not leaked prior to the official announcement. The 2013 version is thinner, taller, and lighter than it's older brother. The display is now full HD at 1920x1200 with an astonishing 323 pixels per inch (ppi), which is the best display on a 7-inch tablet (and the highest ppi of any tablet). These will be available in stores on July 30th, and starting at $229, it's also one of the most affordable tablets. So go get one. I know I will!

Chromecast - uh... what? This little guy is the one thing that really lit up the event. There were a handful of rumors just before the announcement that we may be in store for a revamped Nexus Q. If you remember the Nexus Q, you remember that it was a massive flop. The Q was Google's attempt at having a central media hub in your house connected to your television and stereo speakers. People just didn't quite "get" it, and with a price tag of $299, they weren't going to try. The Nexus Q was such a failure that it made CNN's list of "Top 10 tech 'fails' of 2012".

But the Chromecast isn't the Q.

The Nexus Q ran Android, so the only devices that could push content to it... were other Android devices. Right off the bat, you have cut your potential user base in half. But I think Google has the right recipe for Chromecast. Instead, of running Android, it is powered by Chrome, the world's most popular browser. Which means, if you have Chrome installed on your smartphone (Android or iOS), or your tablet (Android or iOS), or computer... you can push any webpage, video, or audio to your television. Yes, even Hulu.

At the event, Google stuck to showing off how you can watch YouTube and Netflix as well as push individual internet tabs to your TV with the simple push of a button on your screen. And since Chromecast streams everything direct from the cloud, it leaves your device open to use however you usually would! I think Google has just changed how people will watch television, forever.

Oh, I forgot to mention, the Chromecast is just an HDMI dongle about as large as your thumb, so you'll never see it. This is all fine and good, but the best part, is the price. The Nexus Q did everything the Chromecast can do, but it did it in a rather clunky way, and it cost $299.00. The Chromecast is only $35.00. This makes it so affordable that you can buy one for every TV in your home. They were available to order online at the end of the event, and were very quickly sold out on Google Play and Amazon.com, but don't worry, they will be on shelves in your local Best Buy on July 30th as well.

Yes, I truly do enjoy a Google announcement.