HP’s Stream mini is a PC that fits in the palm of your hand. Photo: HP
Google’s miniature Chromeboxes make desktop computing more portable than ever before, and HP’s hoping to do the same for those who prefer Windows over Chrome OS. The company’s new Stream mini and Pavilion mini PCs look like an Apple TV or a Roku, but they run Windows 8.1 on specifications you’d usually expect to see in a budget notebook.
Google will several big announcements during its Google I/O keynote today — and one of them will almost certainly be about Android TV.
Sources familiar with the plans claim we’ll see “at least one” set-top box powered by the search giant’s latest entertainment platform during the event. In addition to playing movies and music, they’ll also allow users to play Android games through their TVs.
Streambells, one of the finest media streaming apps on Android, is now even better after receiving a new update that adds support for the Google Chromecast. It makes Streambells the first Android app to fully support all popular media streaming platforms — including Apple AirPlay and DLNA.
And if that wasn’t enough, you’ll also love how easy it is to use, and the fact that it’s completely free.
Amazon finally unveiled Fire TV, its much-anticipated set-top box, at an event in New York City on Wednesday. Priced at $99 and powered by Android, the device will take on rivals like the Apple TV, Google Chromecast, and the Roku 3 — but how does it stack up against these already popular devices?
We’ve put together a handy comparison chart to help you decide which is best for you based on hardware, services, and price.
Although it was a great idea, this notion of a cheap Android game console, the Ouya left a lot to be desired at launch. The hardware had some obvious deficiencies, like controller dead spots, but more importantly, the game library at launch was practically non-existent.
Right now, it looks like the Ouya is a dud: a great idea that just didn’t have a chance because it couldn’t get a push. But you know who might be able to take that same idea and get developers to treat it more seriously? Amazon. And they’re working to do just that.
