The Chromecast is and has always been a fantastic and amazing little piece of equipment. It has always made streaming your favorite content a snap simply by sending your chosen supported media to the big screen, using your phone essentially as the controller to do so, through compatible apps user interfaces. After the Chromecast was released it was evident that there was one missing feature however that everyone was hoping for, and that was screen mirroring. With the release of the Allcast application from Koushik Dutta, that would soon come to change, although not for a good many updates. Eventually though Koush brought screen mirroring to Android devices well before Google had implemented the feature. Now that screen mirroring to the big screen directly through the Chromecast is more widely available, Koush sets his sights on the PC interface, working towards an update for Allcast that will allow screen mirroring to the PC from almost any phone or tablet supported by the app.
This particular feature is already available through the Nexus 5 using the Google cast extension, but with the new Allcast update many more devices will become compatible to allow for such a functionality. The way Koush describes it, if you device can install and run the Allcast application, you’ll be able to cast your screen to your PC after this update. If you’re already using Allcast, look for the update to come through and then give this feature a go to see how you like it. Mirroring to your PC might be a nice alternative to the big screen when you’re not at home, like if you use a laptop for example.
We may end up seeing this feature roll out and go live today, although Koush said he would release the feature update shortly so that could even mean a day or two. Think of it as something to look forward to. If you have never used the screen mirroring to Chromecast before, it’s important to note that there is a fair bit of latency between your interaction with your device, and when the mirrored display shows the action. This is true with Allcast’s upcoming feature as well so just be prepared. Everything seems in working order though, and who knows Koush might even get the latency to come down in future updates. Allcast is free to install, although there is a one time in app purchase of $4.99 if you want to be able to stream longer than five minute and use this new feature.