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One interesting implication is that Chromecast will probably affect Smart TV sales -- because justifying the extra few hundred bucks to get a smart TV vs. just

by clicks 13y ago

One interesting implication is that Chromecast will probably affect Smart TV sales -- because justifying the extra few hundred bucks to get a smart TV vs. just a dumb 1080p TV just got a lot more difficult. I was planning on buying a Smart TV (~46") for 800 bucks, now I think I'll just get one for around 400 or less and use Chromecast for Netflix, Pandora, etc.

ZeroGravitas 13y ago
It might increase Smart TV sales, as long as a) the smart TVs adopt the same tech (which seems to have been designed by Youtube and Netflix for exactly that purpose) and b) they don't price themselves out of the market.
illyism 13y ago
Smart TV is a gimmick. Buy a PS3 and enable streaming from your computer. Boom, all the movies you want. YouTube. YouTube from your mobile phone just like chromecast. An Internet browser. Netflix. Blu-ray. As a bonus you also get to play games. Just buy the biggest TV you can afford that doesn't have 3D nor Smart TV or other features. You'll get your money's worth. Don't want to buy a ps3? Just connect it to your laptop or computer. Or buy a raspberry pi and run Linux. Or chromecast of course.
- inthewoods 13y ago
  Smart TV most certainly is not a gimmick. Among all the parents I know, including myself, we all bought smart TVs to have the built-in Netflix streaming without an extra box or anything to think about. The price difference of TVs with and without apps is almost nothing at this point - we bought a 60" Vizio for around $900 - they don't even offer a version without apps as far as I know. But I do agree with you about 3D. :)
corresation 13y ago
SmartTV isn't a $400 upgrade -- you can buy $79 Bluray players with full SmartTV functionality. Instead it's an afterthought addition, and if you were seriously tossing up between a $800 and a $400 set, the differences were much greater than a lame on-device UI.

by clicks 13y ago

ZeroGravitas 13y ago

It might increase Smart TV sales, as long as a) the smart TVs adopt the same tech (which seems to have been designed by Youtube and Netflix for exactly that purpose) and b) they don't price themselves out of the market.

illyism 13y ago

Smart TV is a gimmick. Buy a PS3 and enable streaming from your computer. Boom, all the movies you want. YouTube. YouTube from your mobile phone just like chromecast. An Internet browser. Netflix. Blu-ray. As a bonus you also get to play games. Just buy the biggest TV you can afford that doesn't have 3D nor Smart TV or other features. You'll get your money's worth. Don't want to buy a ps3? Just connect it to your laptop or computer. Or buy a raspberry pi and run Linux. Or chromecast of course.

inthewoods 13y ago
Smart TV most certainly is not a gimmick. Among all the parents I know, including myself, we all bought smart TVs to have the built-in Netflix streaming without an extra box or anything to think about. The price difference of TVs with and without apps is almost nothing at this point - we bought a 60" Vizio for around $900 - they don't even offer a version without apps as far as I know. But I do agree with you about 3D. :)

corresation 13y ago

SmartTV isn't a $400 upgrade -- you can buy $79 Bluray players with full SmartTV functionality. Instead it's an afterthought addition, and if you were seriously tossing up between a $800 and a $400 set, the differences were much greater than a lame on-device UI.