Chromecast's Biggest Competitor Is A Free App: CheapCast

Google GOOG was onto something big when it created Chromecast, a $35 memory stick-sized device that plugs into any TV with an HDMI port. The device sold very well at launch, leading to a flood of high-priced units on eBay EBAY. After working with the device, at least one developer found Chromecast to be superior to Apple TV AAPL. Related: Google's Massive Android Growth Reduced Apple's iOS Market Share In Q2 2013 With so much to offer, some would say that the only way to improve Chromecast would be to make it free. Sebastian Mauer seems to agree. He's the developer behind CheapCast, a free Android app that is capable of emulating many of Chromecast's coolest features. In short, CheapCast allows its users to stream content from one Android device to another. The nominal benefit is content sharing. In the video below, the demonstrator sends a clip of Late Night with Jimmy Fallon from his smartphone to his Samsung SSNLF tablet. The more significant benefit comes from users who plug their smartphone or tablet into a television using an HDMI cable. It will then be possible to wirelessly send media -- YouTube clips, Netflix NFLX videos, Google Music, etc. -- to the big screen. According to Android Community, tabbed casting has not yet been implemented. Samsung and other smartphone makers have made it possible to send content to a television, but only with TVs that are capable of picking up a wireless Internet connection. Those without a Wi-Fi option may appreciate what CheapCast has to offer. The only downside is that users must power two separate devices in order to use CheapCast's best feature. This could prevent some individuals from using the app. Perhaps that is the price consumers must pay for using a free app instead of a $35 device. Disclosure: At the time of this writing, Louis Bedigian had no position in the equities mentioned in this report. Louis Bedigian is the Senior Tech Analyst and Features Writer of Benzinga. You can reach him at 248-636-1322 or louis(at)benzingapro(dot)com. Follow him @LouisBedigianBZ