When it comes to wireless streaming, HDMI dongles the market is already flooded with options. From the popular Google Chromecast to the Amazon or Roku equivalent streaming dongle, all serve a purpose which is to consume media on the big screen without the need for a designated computer. One functionality the mentioned streaming devices lack is the ability to mirror screens from all your devices onto the big screen, without hacks or workarounds of course. Google Chromecast in its current state supports screen mirroring from Android phones and tablets only at this point. One company promises to bring a new competitor to the market which can do this and much more. Funded through the crowd funding service Indiegogo, we covered Airtame’s campaign last year as they greatly surpassed their target funding goal of $160,000 closing at $1.2 million. With this pile of cash, Airtame has already shipped 3,000 of their wireless streaming dongles to crowd funding backers as part of their public beta testing period. Now their app has been officially published to the Google Play app store, and they are readying for a planned shipping date sometime in May.
How is their streaming dongle different from the competition? The Airtame wireless streaming dongle promises to support screen mirroring on iOS, Android, PC, and Mac as well as Windows Phone and Linux in the near future. For now the device will support direct viewing of photos, PDF files, Microsoft Office, and Pages. Planned firmware updates are said to bring video streaming from both local devices and even from your cloud files on Google Drive or Dropbox. Where Airtame really plans to set themselves apart from the competition, however, is at an enterprise level. Airtame software gives users access to a management dashboard where different devices can be linked to separate Airtame dongles, or a single device can screen cast across hundreds of displays with an Airtame dongle. The ability for someone to reach screens all over a company or at least several screens in a presentation room, all powered by Airtame dongles presents a versatile, cost effective argument.
The Airtame screen mirroring dongle will run businesses and consumers a cool $199, an attractive price for businesses looking for widespread deployment. Keep in mind the dongle is still in development, so testers in the public beta are still missing some features. The device shows great promise, and could potentially result in lower costs and fewer wires for businesses. The Airtame dongle could also be enjoyable in classrooms for teachers, or at home for gamers assuming the device will stream at a high frame rate. When the device comes to market later this year we will certainly be watching the device’s reception by both consumers and businesses.