Chromecast reviewed

Chromecast review: The good, the bad and the ridiculously short power cord

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Katie Welka

It's here! Amazon delivered my Chromecast less than 24 hours after I ordered it.

Click above to see more of my new Chromecast.

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Katie Welka, Guest blogger

Wednesday, the same day I called Apple support again to ask why my new AppleTV had such a miserable wireless connection, my prayers for a more Wi-Fi-friendly solution were answered.
Google Chromecast hit the market, and at a $35 price point, I eagerly hurled my money at the product.
The Amazon gods were also smiling upon me because I received the Chromecast less than 24 hours after ordering it. Sweet! I dove right in, though not without taking a few brag photos first. (Check out the slideshow to the right)
Overall, there’s a lot to like about Chromecast - especially for the price - but it’s not without its quirks.
Much like its quasi-competitor, AppleTV, the Chromecast’s packaging errs on the side of simplicity. The three-step instructions are written directly on the box. Inside lies the Chromecast, a USB cable, external power adapter, an HDMI extender, and the world’s most unnecessarily narrow product information booklet.
According to the packaging, external power is recommended. Much like the incredible 3-foot hose is to gardening, Chromecast’s 5-foot power cable is a joke when it comes to reaching your electrical outlet. Well, unless your TV sits on that one low-profile Ikea media center. You know which one I’m talking about.
Needless to say, I discarded the recommendation and opted for USB power. I have had no problems.
Setup was mostly a breeze. After plugging in the device to my television, I went to the Chromecast setup website and was up-and-running in about 10 minutes, a time which could have been reduced significantly if I did not insist on trying to get it to talk to my 5GHz wireless connection. Chromeo, as I lovingly named my Chromecast, did not recognize the 5GHz connection, but after a couple tries on 2.4GHz, he was ready for use.

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