A report in The Australian claims that Telstra is currently in negotiations with Google to bring the popular and cheap Chromecast device to Australian shores later this year.
The $USD 35 device plugs into your TV's HDMI port, and uses your home Wi-Fi connection to stream content directly to your TV. Users can stream content from their Android devices straight to their TV using Chromecast enabled apps, using their Android devices to control playback display, and also allowing PC based Chrome browser windows to be shared to the Chromecast connected TV. The latter allows video streams previously limited to viewing on a desktop web browser to be displayed on their TV.
The Chromecast is currently officially available in Australia, although many users have found ways to order the device from US online stores. Many of the apps that currently work on the Chromecast do not work in Australia, including most notably the Netflix app. The device's hard-coded DNS settings means traditional geo-unblocking methods are ineffective (without more complicated tweaks).
For Telstra, the cheap Chromecast device could help increase the popularity of their BigPond web based products. The Chromecst, which is yet-to-be priced for the Australian market, could in effect turn any HDMI enabled TV into a Smart TV set capable of streaming BigPond content, allowing Telstra to reach more viewers without relying on more expensive third-party devices such as game consoles and dedicated media streamers. For consumers, the low price, ease of use and non intrusive nature of the Chromecast device (which is only 5cm long) means a gentle introduction to the possibilities of online media streaming.
