Yesterday I tried out the new Google Chromecast for the first time. For a $35 device, it packs a ton of power and is really useful. AirPlay via AppleTV is still much more flexible since the whole desktop display is broadcast wirelessly to the screen, but transmitting a browser window inside Google Chrome meets most of the needs in the market (as well as the custom apps like Netflix).
I think the bigger transformational shift will come when there’s a small Android computer that plugs into any standard HDMI port, like a TV, so that you have the full computer attached to the screen. Dell is working on this now with the Project Ophelia $100 Android stick. Connecting a computer to a TV is possible now with Mac Mini or a little PC, but it’s cumbersome to maintain and configure.
With the advent of a $100 Android stick, we’ll see more digital displays. Think of some of the common scenarios:
- Metrics / KPI dashboards
- Competitive leaderboards
- Digital billboards
- Restaurant menus
- News / events / alerts
Better, faster, cheaper — the digital display market is ripe for change and tiny, self-contained computers will be the catalyst.
What else? What are your thoughts on the coming digital display disruption with Android sticks?
David Cummings on Startups 
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