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by strickjb9 3903 days ago
Chromecast is a different approach to extending media. Most devices (Roku, FireTV, AppleTV) all requires proprietary apps to be installed on their devices. For example, Netflix developers would have to create a port of the application to be used on each media device. Obviously (or maybe not), you can't install apps on a Chromecast. The only thing it does is receive an instruction from a device on your wi-fi network. That instruction comes from a mobile app (such as Netflix) that implements the chromecast api, a way easier approach than porting the entire application.

It's amazing and simple. Chromecast is on to something...
1 comments
josefresco 3903 days ago
The app needs to support Chromecast - so while I agree it's pretty awesome, some video (see network TV) apps won't support it for competitive reasons.
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strickjb9 3902 days ago
Well yea. That's no different than that Amazon would have to develop an app for Roku or AppleTV.

Everything else remains constant, the only difference is supporting Chromecast is just implementing an API to your already existing application versus supporting another device is developing a whole new application for that device.

Third-party support is much easier to gain for Chromecast.

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Leszek 3903 days ago
Also see: Amazon Prime Video.
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