Fire TV Stick and Roku under threat from all-new Chromecast (but it’s not built by Google)
If you’re still mourning the loss of the Google Chromecast, there’s very good news on the horizon. Manufacturer Thomson has just unveiled its new Cast 150 streaming dongle …and it bears an uncanny resemblance to the much-loved, discontinued Google device.
For those who don’t know, Thomson was founded in France in 1893. Over the last 130 years, the European brand said its core mission has been “developing cutting-edge technology and making it accessible and affordable for everyone”.
And it seems like Thomson was pretty miffed by the decision to ditch the affordable Google Chromecast in favour of the £99 Google TV Streamer by the Californian company. Its upcoming spiritual successor aims to fill the gap left.
Known as the Cast 150, Thomson has adopted the same pebble-like design that made the Chromecast so popular, complete with a built-in HDMI cable that plugs directly into your telly. When watching at home, this solution means everything is hidden out of sight behind the flatscreen, so there’s no need to worry about dangling wires or boxes gathering dust on your entertainment unit.
But this lightweight design makes the Cast 150 perfect for travellers too. The dongle can be tacked on business trips or family holidays — bringing access to all of your streaming services to hotel rooms, AirBnBs or anywhere with an HDMI-enabled screen in one small package.
Under the bonnet, the Cast 150 packs impressive specs for such a compact streaming device. It supports 4K Ultra HD streaming with HDR10 compatibility, ensuring your content looks crisp and vibrant. You’ll also enjoy Dolby Atmos support for immersive audio, though there appears to be conflicting information about whether it supports Dolby Vision.
Powering all of this is a Quad-Core-Cortex-A35 processor paired with 2GB of RAM.
One potential drawback is the storage capacity, with a purported 8GB of onboard storage, which could prove limiting as streaming apps grow in size. The device connects to the internet via dual-band Wi-Fi (2.4GHz/5GHz) and includes Bluetooth connectivity.
Like its Google predecessor, the Cast 150 is powered via USB-C, making it convenient to use with most modern televisions.
Running on the Google TV platform, the Cast 150 gives you access to all your favourite streaming services including Netflix, YouTube, Disney+ and Amazon Prime Video.
The remote control differs slightly from Google’s version, featuring more buttons including the newly mandated “Live TV” button that provides quick access to free, ad-supported television channels. You’ll find the usual navigation controls alongside dedicated shortcuts to popular streaming apps, making it easy to jump straight to your preferred content.
Setting up the device is straightforward – simply plug it into your TV’s HDMI port, connect to Wi-Fi, and you’re ready to stream in seconds.
The Cast 150 also supports voice control and allows you to cast content directly from your phone, just like the original Chromecast.
Google discontinued the original Chromecast with Google TV last year, replacing it with the Google TV Streamer – a more expensive set-top box that lacks the dongle form factor many users preferred.
The Chromecast with Google TV (4K) was priced at just £50, while the new Google TV Streamer costs nearly double. This left a gap in the market for those who appreciated the discreet, behind-the-TV design of the original device.
While Google has moved away from the dongle format, other manufacturers like Amazon continue to offer similar form factors with their Fire TV Stick range.
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Thomson’s Cast 150 appears to be the closest spiritual successor to the Chromecast yet, mimicking both its design and functionality. For those still hunting for discontinued Chromecast devices, which are only available while stocks last, the Cast 150 could be the perfect alternative.
Thomson is targeting a launch later this year in Europe, with pricing expected to be around 60-75 euros (approximately £50-65). The device will come with a generous three-year warranty, suggesting Thomson is confident in its build quality.