Sony Bravia Smart Stick is a Google TV Dongle

Sony is launching an HDMI plug-in adapter of its own, the Bravia Smart Stick. Unlike Google's current Chromecast video streaming device, Sony's solution will be based on a full-featured Google TV platform. Yet unlike Chromecast, it won't cost a mere $35, but a meatier $150 when it hits the market.

The deal with Chromecast is that users take their existing devices and apps like YouTube and Netflix, and "instruct" the Chromecast device to pull a specific video from the Internet and play it on the connected HDTV. Users can even instruct it to pull supported content that's currently visible within a laptop's Chrome browser. Thus typically the only media shuffling is between the Chromecast device and the Internet, not the user's device and the HDTV.

MORE: Best Shows on Netflix, Hulu, Amazon and Yahoo Right Now

As it stands now, the only apps that support Chromecast are Netflix, YouTube, Google's Play Movies & TV, and Play Music. Other media companies have support in the works including AOL On, HBO Go (good luck with that: HBO can't even update the Android app to 4.3), Hulu Plus, Pandora Radio, Redbox Instant and three others.

Meanwhile, having Google TV on a stick means users can download and install apps directly to the platform. These include Netflix, YouTube, Amazon Instant Video, Walmart's VuDu, Redbox Instant by Verizon, AOL ON, Crackle, Sony's Video Unlimited and loads more. The platform also provides an on-screen TV guide, picture-in-picture, and a dedicated QWERTY remote control so that the user's phone remains just that: a phone and not a makeshift remote control.

Sony's Bravia device was supposedly revealed on Friday in a Sony blog and instruction manual that have since been pulled. The company said it's an MHL dongle that will also include Sony's own Bravia apps, similar to what the company provided in its previous set-top boxes. Currently, it's unknown how much on-board storage this device will provide given that it will have access to Google Play.

Unfortunately, it seems that Sony's Google TV stick will only work on the company's 2013 Bravia TV line. That said, continue on drooling over Google's super-cheap Chromecast as a possible streaming solution, as Sony just kicked itself in the pants with this one. Still, if you're willing to purchase a Sony Google TV product for above $150, the company has the not-so-discreet Internet Player for $169.99.

Follow us @tomsguide, on Facebook and on Google+.

See more TVs News

TOPICS

Kevin started taking PCs apart in the 90s when Quake was on the way and his PC lacked the required components. Since then, he’s loved all things PC-related and cool gadgets ranging from the New Nintendo 3DS to Android tablets. He is currently a contributor at Digital Trends, writing about everything from computers to how-to content on Windows and Macs to reviews of the latest laptops from HP, Dell, Lenovo, and more.

Latest in TVs

I'm a TV reviewer — here's the one type of TV I wouldn't buy

A group of people wearing passive 3D glasses while watching an LG-branded 3D TV. In the foreground, a woman extends a pair of glasses towards the camera.

I review TVs for a living and I'm convinced 3D TVs are poised for a comeback — here's why

Samsung is developing the successor to OLED TVs — but TCL might beat it to the punch

Samsung S90D OLED TV on table in living room

Own a Samsung TV? 7 tips and tricks you need to know

Valerion StreamMaster Plus 2 and VisionMaster Pro 2 promotional images

Looking for the perfect home theater projector? Valerion should be on your radar in 2025

Sony A95K QD-OLED TV in front of windows in a living room

This new TV breakthrough looks like a game-changer for OLED TVs

Latest in News

Bill Gates just predicted the death of every job thanks to AI — except for these three

NYT Connections today hints and answers — Wednesday, March 26 (#654)

Google unveils Gemini 2.5 — claims AI breakthrough with enhanced reasoning and multimodal power

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 design just teased in new cases leak — and the outer display is huge

Chrome failed to install on Windows PCs, but Google has issued a fix — here's what happened

OpenAI just unveiled enhanced image generator within ChatGPT-4o — here's what you can do now

More about tvs

Looking for the perfect home theater projector? Valerion should be on your radar in 2025

I review TVs for a living and I'm convinced 3D TVs are poised for a comeback — here's why

Woman holding a protein shake with a towel around her shoulders in a light and bright kitchen

Protein may help you sleep better — a nutritional therapist explains how

See more latest

9 Comments Comment from the forums

vpoko

So there's actually something inside this device to detect the type of TV and prevent it from working if it's not a Sony? I can't think of any essential feature a TV should have (other than an HDMI port) that, in its absence, would render this thing useless. If that's really what Sony's doing, dumb move.
Reply
kinggraves

Sony's always been the type to try and force things along rather than go with common market standards. Either way, there are still numerous Android MiniPCs that have functionality better than Chromecast for a slightly higher price, like $50. Like all Sony products it's overpriced for what it does.
Reply
Ryan Klug

I won't be replacing or augmenting my PlayStation 3 any time soon.
Reply
Murissokah

Err... so the one reason I could think of for buying this, which is bringing my 2011 Bravia up-to-date, is a no-go?
Reply
Murissokah

"So there's actually something inside this device to detect the type of TV and prevent it from working if it's not a Sony? I can't think of any essential feature a TV should have (other than an HDMI port) that, in its absence, would render this thing useless. If that's really what Sony's doing, dumb move"

Thought the same, but then I realised it is an MHL connection. It uses the same physical connector as HDMI, but has added features, such as providing the power needed by the dongle. It is meant to be used with smartphone too.

There are MHL adapters that may get this dongle to work, though it seems like too much trouble for something that is already more expensive than it should.
Reply
Murissokah

"So there's actually something inside this device to detect the type of TV and prevent it from working if it's not a Sony? I can't think of any essential feature a TV should have (other than an HDMI port) that, in its absence, would render this thing useless. If that's really what Sony's doing, dumb move"

Thought the same, but then I realised it is an MHL connection. It uses the same physical connector as HDMI, but has added features, such as providing the power needed by the dongle. It is meant to be used with smartphone too.

There are MHL adapters that may get this dongle to work, though it seems like too much trouble for something that is already more expensive than it should.
Reply
Murissokah

Thought the same about the dongle working with other TVs, but then I realised it is an MHL connection. It uses the same physical connector as HDMI, but has added features, such as providing the power needed by the dongle. It is meant to be used with smartphone too.

There are MHL adapters that may get this dongle to work, though it seems like too much trouble for something that is already more expensive than it should.
Reply
vpoko

Ahh, thanks Murissokah. I had never even heard of MHL.
Reply
shin0bi272

Im not familiar with the location of the HDMI ports on the specific TVs but can we please address the size of this thing? If you have your tv mounted on the wall or in any sort of location where size is a factor how does sony expect you to use this monster? You either have it poking into the wall or out the side of the tv right? What if I cant fit that in my space? or dont want my tv to grow a retarded stubby wing?
Reply

Show more comments

Sign up to get the BEST of Tom's Guide direct to your inbox.