US start-up Matchstick and Mozilla – the organisation perhaps best known for the Firefox internet browser – have joined forces to produce the Matchstick, a HDMI streaming stick intent on tackling Google's Chromecast.
The stick will let you "stream and interact" with a range of content – not just film and TV. Games, music and much more will be a feature of Matchstick, which is already a success judging its Kickstarter campaign.
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One of the most notable things about Matchstick is that it is expected to come with a $25 price tag – cheaper than Chromecast. And supporters of the Kickstarter campaign can get a Matchstick with a pledge of just $18.
Matchstick said it was motivated to develop the new HDMI streaming dongle after feeling "left out in the cold as Google slowly pulled back on the device’s (Chromecast) ultimate promise – content on any HD screen, anywhere, any time."
By using Firefox OS, the start-up says there are "less costs in production, smaller installs and more personalised apps" built on an open platform. Apps such as Netflix, HBO Go, Pandora and others are expected to be available at launch.
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According to Matchstick, its dongle is plugged into the HDMI port of a TV or computer monitor and connects to a wi-fi network. You can then 'fling' content and apps from a computer, iOS or Android devices to watch on the big screen.
You will also be able to mirror or 'fling' a website in Firefox or Chrome from your computer to the TV, with your computer or mobile device used as a remote to interact with the media, while keeping them free to use separately throughout.
It's expected that the first Matchsticks will be shipped in February 2015, although the company says the product is already "fully functional" and that it's working with developers to further extend the services that will be available.
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[via The Next Web]