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Chromecast
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Thank you, Google. You might have just finally unleashed the potential of my mom's HDTV. My mom is a technophobe. She can handle email and some basic stuff just fine, but once we get beyond that it requires going through hand written notes. And, let's face it, if she can't find that note on how to do that thing in a minute she'll just forget about doing that thing. This is why I think Chromecast, a new HDMI dongle thingy, will find its way into an HDMI port or two.
TV one is the main TV. It is a 42" LED LCD dumb Vizio HDTV. This isn't to say it's stupid, it's just not connected to the web. To make that connection for her Netflix needs we have a smart Samsung home theatre system. It's fairly easy to operate; grab remote 3 (TV remove, cable box remote, and home theatre remote), press Netflix, go make something to eat, get back, wait some more, and you're in Netflix where the response time is measured in seconds. Basically it works, but I feel like it's punishment. Getting out of Netflix requires picking up Remote 1 (TV) and changing the input source back to cable.
The Chromecast scenario sounds easier. Take a device you're already familiar with, in this case an iPad, fire up the Netflix app, select what you want to watch, then tap the Cast button. Chromecast looks like it will turn on the TV and select the right input source and have you watching in no time. You control the video from your iPad (or Android device, or computer), including pause, scrubbing, and volume. My only hope is that it easily dumps my mom back into the cable input source after watching Netflix. I don't think it would be a deal breaker if it didn't do that. Plus it's only $35!
The cool thing about this is it doesn't stop at Netflix. Stream YouTube, your Google Play library of movies, TV shows, and music, and currently in beta form, the web. And, if I didn't make it clear, Chromecast works with iOS, Android, OS X, and Windows desktop operating systems. Maybe my mom can make more use out of her TV, without having to figure out how to change sources and use multiple remotes.
Dad, in his throne A week ago my dad died, succumbing to a fast and aggressive cancer located in his neck diagnosed in May. He was 78 and passed peacefully at home. Dad wasn't a talker, a trait jokingly (honestly?) said to be passed on to other Harley men, which made growing up with him trying. He wasn't the hands on teacher type, I think he just expected me to know how to do things or how to behave. But, when you misbehaved you could be assured of him letting you know about it.
Monday, as just about everyone knows, Apple gave a peek at a couple of its updates in the operating systems arena, both mobile and desktop. Most people knew what to expect in the first half, OS X Lion is coming in July. And although I knew what most of the updated stuff was going to be I still found myself wanting to update right then and there. I mean why wouldn't you? It's $30, and I don't have to run down to a store to get it. Actually, I couldn't if I wanted to, but that's another story. But it's the second half of the presentation that was more, interesting, if you're an iOS person.
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