This is a question that I really wish gets answered.

Yeah, criticizing Google for being online-only is just silly. Take away the web and the company has no reason to exist. There are plenty of video/display solutions that don't require the internet. People buy devices like this, Roku, and Apple TV because they want to leverage the convenience and flexibility of the internet.

If you're not comfortable with that, you can go to your local Blockbuster.

But it is worth keeping in mind that your data will be harvested, analyzed and sold to the highest bidder. Adjust your use of web services accordingly.

Or you could buy a miracast adapter for your TV for less money and not depend on Google and their products and services to do any of this. This would be a real win for someone who wants to stream stuff to their TV. 

Miracast adapters I found were more expensive and from no-name or low quality manufacturers.

Plus utilizing Chrome browser, you can stream nearly everything to TV. Plus, I'm sure more and more non-Google apps will have this casting feature soon.

So basically this is a cheap Apple TV for everyone. I like it.

"No name" and "low quality" can be debatable when all you are doing is providing a wireless HDMI signal transfer and don't insist people use your products and services.

Frankly, I really don't understand why you are so eager to start using Google services and workarounds for something they absolutely don't need to be invovled with.

This product exist just so Google has another ecosystem that they can sell ads and so they have another piece to their mighty ecosystem that they can use to exclude other competing products and services. Lack of Windows Phone 8 support confirms that...

1) I already use all of Google's services. Have few hundred songs in Google Music, all my pics/videos in G+ (500GB+ of data) and if I were to buy movies (I only rent anymore with RedBox), it would be digitally from Play.

2) What work-arounds? The only 'odd' thing is putting your local URL in for a movie stored on your PC. However, I'm sure in the very near future we'll see media players adding this casting feature (likely even Google themselves). Its already know Pandora and Hulu Plus are finalizing their app changes.

I say no name and low quality because that is what it is. For instance, Best Buy has the rocketfish product ($79). I've owned two different products by them and they both sucked.

There is a reason this thing sold out in minutes and when I called my local Best Buy the person answering the phone knew her stock situation for this brand new thing without even looking it up. In fact I joked that she knew it off top of her head and she laughed as she's been getting calls on it all day. Its a hot item and at $35 (actually $11 if you already have Netflix anyways and count that 3month savings) the real question is, why the hell wouldn't you want this?

You keep switching between:

1. this is awesome for everyone

and

2. this is awesome for me because I use google services

Which one is it?

What if I have a platform that Google doesn't make apps for? Blackberry/ Windows phone/RT come to mind...none of them are supported with this. So much for open standards... How long till they decide they don't want to support iOS or Windows down the road anymore because Android/Chrome is dominating everything and they have no need for these users?

Bottom line is that as someone that doesn't use many Google services, I absolutely see no benefits for this over Miracast. Not to mention that Google just don't need to be involved in the process of me sending a video from my tablet to my TV. As someone that knows how ecosystems work I can see the trap being set here a from a mile away... 

Whats next? Checking in with Google when you want to buy groceries?

I want just the functionality of a hdmi cable but wireless without any connectors and dongles why is that such a problem ? Just transfer the signals from the (mini) hdmi output of a tablet.notebook,pc,console and display its content on the screen. But as a standard for any device and tv replace the HDMI completly. Every electronics device should need just one cable, the power cable. And hopefully we will get rid of that too one day.

Actually I said this is what it is and I can't wait to get it. Then I've answered some direct questions or misleading information.

I could care less if they stop supporting iOS or WinPC. I won't own Apple and I am moving away from WinPC, however those two won't go anywhere thus Google will always support. So silly example is silly.

If you want to pay 2x or more for a miracast device, then go ahead. I don't care. My point was only to provide info to those interested/curious.

You speak of traps, yet you're likely buying a XBone. Google may know my web use... but they are not installing a NSA camera in my house. lol I did that already with my security system. :) Plus, do you really think MS/Apple are any different in their tracking? Don't kid yourself.

I do use Google Drive and Google's note taking app, Keep, for my grocery shopping lol. Though I've considered using an app on my phone... but other family members won't scan stuff as they are tossing it out so that won't work very well.