Linking Your TV To The Internet
At only $35, just about everyone can appreciate Chromecast, the new 2.8-inch Apple TV-like device that plugs directly into your TV and lets you play music and video from the Internet on your TV.
It uses your phone, tablet or computer to control it. With its small price tag, it’s most likely one of the least expensive things you can plug into your TV.
Chromecast plugs directly into the HDMI port of your HDTV to stream Internet video and music from the Cloud (i.e., Netflix, YouTube and directly from your Chrome browser).
It works with both iOS and Android devices, turning your device into a remote control to cue up and control Netflix or YouTube on your TV. If you’re an Android user, you can access Google Play to watch movies, TV shows and listen to music.
The setup is extremely easy and takes less than 15 minutes. It comes with the Chromecast itself, a USB cable, a power supply and an HDMI extender (in case there’s not enough room around your HDMI ports for the dongle).
When you select Chromecast’s HDMI port, a screen appears and prompts you to visit a Website to download the Chromecast app.
The app then provides easy-to-follow directions to configure the device and connect it to your Wi-Fi network. Once Chromecast is connected and the plugin is installed, you’re ready to go.
In addition to the few “casters” currently available, Pandora and The Washington Post currently are building apps to cast.
Unfortunately, other popular companies such as Hulu and HBO don’t have any plans to cast anytime soon. Unlike the Apple TV, Chromecast’s content is streamed directly via the cloud.
Because of the limited content so far, I wouldn’t replace your Apple TV with Chromecast yet, but for $35, it’s a cheap way to complement your entertainment setup. Visit google.com/chromecast to purchase or for more information.
Click Chick’s Mobile App of the Week: Yahoo! Fantasy Sports-Football
I admit I’m not much of a football fan (or a fantasy football fan either), but from what I hear, Yahoo! did something huge with its fantasy sports platform.
With the Yahoo! Fantasy Sports-Football app, it added the ability to participate in a live draft from a mobile device. Previous to this, you’d have to take your laptop with you into possible awkward places to get all your picks in.
The updated iOS and Android apps include support for both live and mock drafts, so you can prepare for any possible draft day surprises while you’re on the go.
From what avid users of this newly updated app tell me, this is easy to use with virtually no learning curve. Additionally, the app features live scoring, roster management, match-ups, breaking player news and message boards.
Apparently the Yahoo! Fantasy Sports-Football servers went down in November 2012, one hour before kickoff. Hopefully, the servers were improved since then and it won’t happen again. The app is a free download for your iOS or Android device.
