Google’s Chromecast dongle goes beyond US, launches in 11 more countries

By Trevor Mogg March 20, 2014

chromecast — Image used with permission by copyright holder

It’s been a while coming but Google has finally made the decision to take its Chromecast media streaming dongle beyond US shores, this week launching it in 11 more countries.

From right now, those living in Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden, and the UK are able to get their hands on the diminutive device, which allows users to send content wirelessly from a tablet, Android smartphone, or computer straight to a TV.

The gadget, which sells for $35 in the US, is being offered to Canadian consumers for CDN$39, while those in the UK will have to pay £30

Chromecast, which launched in a flurry of excitement last summer, plugs into a TV’s HDMI port and makes it easy to stream content from sites like YouTube and Netflix straight to a TV, saving you and your friends from having to “huddle around a laptop,” as Google put in a blog post announcing this week’s roll out.

The Web giant added that it’s been working with content providers in the device’s new markets “to bring even more of the movies and TV shows you love to Chromecast.” This means Chromecast owners in, for example, the UK will be able to stream the immensely popular BBC iPlayer using the dongle, while those in France can use FranceTV Pluzz and SFR TV, with Canalplay also on the way.

Although Chromecast initially came under some criticism for its lack of app compatibility, over the last 12 months the device has really come into its own. And with 3,000 developers from around the world recently signing up to bring their apps and websites to Chromecast, owners of the dongle will soon be even more spoiled for choice when it comes to content.

“You’ll soon have more TV shows, movies, videos, sports, music and games to choose from,” the Mountain View company’s Mario Queiroz promised in the blog post.

With its attractive price tag, popularity among US consumers and increasing usability, we imagine Chromecast is going to have little trouble establishing itself in its new overseas markets.

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