2000 char limit but there's lots to say about this device.
Overall: Understand what you're getting here
Part 1: The Good
Bought from vipoutlet March 2019- $75 - refurb looked like new - suspect many are being returned fast by customers who don't understand what they're actually getting...
Reviews I read don't tally with my experience - they are all about declared features, whereas I've actually lived with the device everyday since March. So am relaying back some thoughts.
The Good:
Smart picture display that searches for you family's faces Really nice feature - searches through your millions of photos taken on your android device for your family (you select faces) to display them. You never know what will pop up next and it's a trip down memory lane every day. For far away shots (football matches of kids) it will blow up the area.
Google cast Googlecast capable means that youtube, chrome, etc etc cast compatible applications can push content to the smart display to play rather than say on your laptop or smartphone. Searching and discovery of media to play is far easier on a PC/tablet/phone vs the smart display and you can push what you find to it.
Cast media control widget on your phone – silence and pause the display
Display & speakers - more than good enough- not a stereo system
Looks modern - bamboo back is nice and easy to wipe down
This display can be so much more and is so limited (right now). I want this display to:
- be more useful as a content / information discovery not just single purpose device - identify the user and stop my kids Peppa Pig videos from influencing my video choices - be easier for video calling so I can buy one for my extended family around the world
Bugs – casting often requires second attempt. Tabs and selected videos often don’t play and descriptions often don’t match videos.
High profile power adapter - destined to be accidentally unplugged.
Identity: I wish there were a toggle switch to say "don't display kids stuff, this is an adult here" so you can influence recommendation back to what is relevant to you. See later Grandma scenario in Part 3.
1. Headphone capability – good enough speaker but does everyone want to hear what you're watching? Bluetooth out to headphones would have been great. Maybe a headphone jack too.
3. The news app - gives you 8 or so suggested articles and that's it - I would love to be able to pull down on this or any other tab to refresh to a new set of articles
4. HDMI in? or, and here's a stretch, if the smart display is going to get better smarter etc, how about HDMI out? (I suspect they wouldn't do this to avoid competing with Android TV)
5. This device with video calling and smart photos is crying out to be a FANTASTIC gift to extended family. For 75 bucks it could solve how to share photos of grandkids AND video calling. But there is no differentiation between the operator here, so if the Grandma watches reviews on cats, that will start popping up on all recommendations anywhere in your youtube and also in advertising etc. Sigh – that’s the identity issue. The video calling feature while workable is not easy - I do wish there was a simple favourites or shortcut icon "OK Google, display my video call favourites" or "OK Google call Dave from my video call favourites". The whole video calling side and family awareness / family cohesion aspect needs a real rethink for simplicity and identity. Again, the frustration here is knowing how incredibly useful this device vs - it's only a software update away (can you hear me Google?).
Overall though, for 75 bucks shipped, it's doing a good job as long as you live with its rather serious limitations. Just don’t bet on this device becoming more capable and reaching it’s full potential - no guarantees and I don't see Google making this platform a priority anytime soon.
there is so much list with these. Mr. Dingo has already said most of it. if there were like $30 then maybe pick it up for fun, but otherwise it's a point of limitless disappointment
Not sure where the frustration with this comes from. If we need to know something with my daughter we just ask and get a detailed explanation and pictures and video. It's great for streaming music and casting videos . Sound is excellent for a speaker / display in this price range
If you want this to have bluetooth or headphone jacks get a tablet. It's a smart display with an assistant, not a media center.
Thanks for the link to Tom's Hardware review... I hadn't realized how ugly that thing was, it looks like it got run over by a bus. And it's totally Google-centric, I don't want to use Google video conferencing or any of their ****, so no thanks.
Comments & Reviews (13)
Overall: Understand what you're getting here
Part 1: The Good
Bought from vipoutlet March 2019- $75 - refurb looked like new - suspect many are being returned fast by customers who don't understand what they're actually getting...
Reviews I read don't tally with my experience - they are all about declared features, whereas I've actually lived with the device everyday since March. So am relaying back some thoughts.
The Good:
Smart picture display that searches for you family's faces
Really nice feature - searches through your millions of photos taken on your android device for your family (you select faces) to display them. You never know what will pop up next and it's a trip down memory lane every day. For far away shots (football matches of kids) it will blow up the area.
Google cast
Googlecast capable means that youtube, chrome, etc etc cast compatible applications can push content to the smart display to play rather than say on your laptop or smartphone. Searching and discovery of media to play is far easier on a PC/tablet/phone vs the smart display and you can push what you find to it.
Cast media control widget on your phone – silence and pause the display
Display & speakers - more than good enough- not a stereo system
Looks modern - bamboo back is nice and easy to wipe down
Video call quality is more than sufficient
Dingo
This display can be so much more and is so limited (right now). I want this display to:
- be more useful as a content / information discovery not just single purpose device
- identify the user and stop my kids Peppa Pig videos from influencing my video choices
- be easier for video calling so I can buy one for my extended family around the world
Bugs – casting often requires second attempt. Tabs and selected videos often don’t play and descriptions often don’t match videos.
High profile power adapter - destined to be accidentally unplugged.
Identity: I wish there were a toggle switch to say "don't display kids stuff, this is an adult here" so you can influence recommendation back to what is relevant to you. See later Grandma scenario in Part 3.
Dingo
1. Headphone capability – good enough speaker but does everyone want to hear what you're watching? Bluetooth out to headphones would have been great. Maybe a headphone jack too.
2. Better searching & discovery capability (obviously)
3. The news app - gives you 8 or so suggested articles and that's it - I would love to be able to pull down on this or any other tab to refresh to a new set of articles
4. HDMI in? or, and here's a stretch, if the smart display is going to get better smarter etc, how about HDMI out? (I suspect they wouldn't do this to avoid competing with Android TV)
5. This device with video calling and smart photos is crying out to be a FANTASTIC gift to extended family. For 75 bucks it could solve how to share photos of grandkids AND video calling.
But there is no differentiation between the operator here, so if the Grandma watches reviews on cats, that will start popping up on all recommendations anywhere in your youtube and also in advertising etc. Sigh – that’s the identity issue.
The video calling feature while workable is not easy - I do wish there was a simple favourites or shortcut icon "OK Google, display my video call favourites" or "OK Google call Dave from my video call favourites". The whole video calling side and family awareness / family cohesion aspect needs a real rethink for simplicity and identity.
Again, the frustration here is knowing how incredibly useful this device vs - it's only a software update away (can you hear me Google?).
Overall though, for 75 bucks shipped, it's doing a good job as long as you live with its rather serious limitations. Just don’t bet on this device becoming more capable and reaching it’s full potential - no guarantees and I don't see Google making this platform a priority anytime soon.
hth
Dingo
END
If we need to know something with my daughter we just ask and get a detailed explanation and pictures and video.
It's great for streaming music and casting videos .
Sound is excellent for a speaker / display in this price range
If you want this to have bluetooth or headphone jacks get a tablet. It's a smart display with an assistant, not a media center.
Nice deal thank you.
Thank you!