When I first heard of Chromecast, I thought that simple and inexpensive device would be a major game changer for all sorts of content consumption purposes. Here was a device that allowed you to simply and reliably watch any content on your TV, without having to deal with the “smart” TV’s counterintuitive interfaces and all sorts for content restrictions that accompany them. However, after learning about the exact nature of “casting” that Chromecast allows for, I realized that it is still not the universal media and content streamer that I had hoped for. Since then there have been many other devices with similar capabilities, including this small iShare stick form 1BtOne. It is in many ways an improvement over Chromecast, but many of its main restrictions still remain.

The device is fairly easy to use. You connect its HDMI port to your TV, and you power it thought the included micro USB cable. Many modern TVs have a powered USB port or two on their side, so connecting this dongle to them will significantly reduce your cable clutter. Connecting the dongle to your casting device, however, can be a bit tricky. You need to follow the instructions that it came with closely, and even then due to the nature of the variety of casting devices out there you might get stuck. For instance, pairing this stick up with my MacBook Air turned out to be simpler than with my Galaxy S3 phone. I do wish that the instruction booklet were a bit more comprehensive and went into detail regarding all the setup issues that you might encounter.

iShare turns out to be better suited for content consumption than as a second screen for your device. This is primarily due to the small but noticeable lag. I was also not able to easily view any video media content, but the important ones (YouTube, Netflix), all worked like a charm. The video and audio quality were really good, and I was able to watch an entire Netflix movie this way. Just remember to plug your smartphone into the power outlet while you are watching the movie. Casting video content can really drain your battery.

Overall, this is a pretty good small device that I would recommend to anyone looking into getting more content streaming options for their TV. This is especially true for older and out-of-the way TVs that may not get all the viewing options of the modern and centrally positioned TVs in your home.

**** Product provided for review purposes. ****