Saluting Chromecast, one of the great HDMI dongles

When I was still in my early 20s and living with my then-fiancee, the only way I could stream video on my TV was through the HDMI ports and my laptop. It served me well for years – and still does, when I’m desperate – but dealing with the setup was tricky.

Then came the original Chromecast in 2013 and it was a revelation. Suddenly I had a little black stick, shaped like a huge key, that plugged directly into my TV’s HDMI port and allowed me to stream video over the air to my 55-inch screen in glorious high definition. And all it cost was $35? Amazing, especially in 2013.

It seemed like pure magic. It was a basically invisible device that I didn’t even need an app for, and it allowed me to stream music and videos to my TV with almost no fuss or fuss. I’ve used it to watch Netflix shows and, more than once, to host karaoke parties at my house via YouTube’s vast catalog of karaoke videos.

But time doesn’t stop, even for the Chromecast. Other streaming products that followed offered what Google’s miracle stick did, offering easy wireless streaming via an HDMI dongle, for a similarly cheap price and with more features. If you wanted more, there was Apple’s sophisticated and powerful streaming box. Or you can simply use the built-in features of countless smart TVs that use Google’s wireless streaming standard.

Still, even though the streaming device market has evolved a lot, there was something great about the simplicity of the original Chromecast. It was nice not having to keep an eye on the remote, and I loved that it was hidden behind my TV. The day of the once-great HDMI dongle may be over, but it has served me well.

Rest assured, Chromecast. You were a very good dongle.