Microsoft reportedly working on Chromecast competitor
Microsoft's Miracast dongle could let you stream content from any Windows 8 or Windows Phone 8.1 device straight to your TV
Microsoft Mobile could be working on a Chromecast competitor that lets you stream content from your Windows Phone and Windows 8 devices directly to your TV via a dongle.
Microsoft has yet to make an official announcement about the device, but it appeared in an FCC filing early last week and was first spotted by Windows Phone Daily. It carries the model number HD-10 and has a USB and HDMI port.
This isn’t much to go on, but NokiaPowerUser also discovered that the device made its way to the Wi-Fi Alliance product database described as a Miracast dongle and that it supports Wi-Fi b/g/n and Wi-Fi Direct.
Miracast is a wireless screencasting standard that lets you connect one device to another so you can share media between them. It’s very similar to Bluetooth and is currently supported by selected TVs and laptops, but it’s not quite as popular or mainstream as other media streaming services such as Chromecast, Apple TV or the Roku Streaming Stick.
This could change with the HD-10, though, particularly since the latest Lumia Cyan update for Windows Phone 8.1 devices also brings Miracast support to Microsoft’s Nokia Lumia mobile line-up.
It’s currently unknown when the device will launch, but we expect to hear more about the HD-10 at Microsoft’s Lumia event on September 4th at IFA next week.
