Lenovo unveils a $49 Hockey Puck-Like Cast To Compete with Google's $35 Chromecast

Lenovo has unveiled its firm's very first media streaming device called the Lenovo Cast which is built to outdo Google's Chromecast as it can be integrated not only with Android devices but to any Windows and Apple device as well.

During the first Techworld show in Beijing, China, Lenovo introduced a video streaming device called the Lenovo Cast which is quite similar to that of Google's Chromecast. Designed in a small hockey puck-like form, Lenovo Cast connects to televisions through an HDMI port and enables the streaming of content such as images or videos from a smartphone to the TV screen.

Lenovo's newly introduced device measures 70mm in diameter by 15mm in thickness which only weighs around 50 grams. It features a single microUSB port, a single microHDMI port, a pair of antennae, 802.11 a/b/g/n dual-band WiFi and HDCP 2.0.

Unlike its main competitor which is required to be fitted in the HDMI port, the Lenovo Cast can be mounted at the back of the television if desired. It supports both 2.4 and 5GHz wireless networks ranging in around 20 meters and provides a resolution of up to 1080p. This means that the device is capable of mirroring the high definition display of one's gadget as it acts as a wireless HDMI connection.

The content which will be mirrored in the screen is connected to the TV with the use of a microHDMI cable while a regular microUSB connector will power the hockey puck-sized device.

The company has built the cast to provide a more versatile steamer than its competitor as aside from the usual android-enabled streaming units, Lenovo Cast is additionally compatible with iOS and selected Windows 8.1 devices through DLNA and Miracast.

The newly introduced Lenovo Cast is set to be launched at the beginning of August with a price of $49, $14 higher than Chromecast, but still cheap enough for a more versatile streaming device.