The recent Google Pixel event gave anyone who is a Chromecast user and lover, like myself, something else to look forward to. Yep, besides the ease of maintenance (you plug it in, that’s it), your smartphone immediately becoming your remote control for all your media streaming apps and services is a lot of fun (Plus it sure beats having to get up to turn the volume down). Despite the fact that the Roku essentially does the same thing as the Chromecast, low-cost and all, the current comparison seems to be with Apple TV, another highly popular form of television and media content, one that is expected to be just as, or even more ahead of the curve. What is the exact comparison to be discussed? Well, the main hangup folks have with Apple TV, a form of television that could be held only to the highest of standards because it’s, um, Apple, is that it doesn’t support 4K, something you’d think would be a given by now (considering the company’s dedication to Retina display is a huge one). An additional hang up for Apple TV has to be the fact that you have you use your television provider information to log into each app and cast the media. Surely, there are those who more or less wonder why this hasn’t been changed yet.

Obviously I’ve got to get to the point here, the beloved Google Chromecast has been released in a new, 4K version, and this is a great, next-gen decision. After the second-gen Chromecast, which is still a small dongle plug-in for a tiny price (also in an audio-only option), and released in September of last year, we now have the newest model, supporting 4K resolution and high dynamic range, coming to the shelves this November. Dubbed Chromecast Ultra, it looks much like the second generation device, a little hockey puck with an HDMI cord sticking out of it, and this time with a (naturally) higher price tag of $69.

Does anyone care it looks the same? They shouldn’t, the thing still hides behind or beside your television set for the most part. Also, it’s relevant to bring up Apple TV’s downfalls for popularity purposes. With the Roku, since there’s barely any difference, it’s simply a factor preference, yet Apple TV comes in this shiny new box for your beautiful 40-incher and, huh? It doesn’t support 4K yet. It also isn’t as practical in functionality as the Chromecast. Of the bigger issues includes the fact that just a year ago, many studios didn’t shoot in 4K, and internet providers didn’t even allow the necessary bandwidth to handle large 4K files. However, that’s going to change so quickly, we will forget it was ever a “problem”. Google is just in time for all the upcoming 4K content, whether it’s via Netflix, Google Play, or ISPs. Rumored to run firmware version 1.21, Chromecast Ultra still has to go through its beta testing to members of the Chromecast Preview program to work out the nooks and crannies of the software. Still, November isn’t far away in the least, and neither are Christmas lists.