US$59.95 Microsoft Wireless Display Adapter - Poorly designed 1080p P2P HDMI Wi-Fi Direct Miracast Streaming Stick with No Streaming Content

Google celebrated the one year anniversary of their Google Chromecast with three (3) free months of Streaming via Google Play Music’s All Access Music Subscription to lucky subscribers between Friday, July 24^th 2014 and runs through to Tuesday September 30^th 2014 as stated in my blog article entitled “Google Play Music’s All Access Music Subscription Three months Free Streaming - Happy Birthday as Google Chromecast fights Amazon fire TV” .

However, on Tuesday September 23^rd 2014, Microsoft had decided it would be a great idea to copy the success of the Google Chromecast called the Microsoft Wireless Display Adapter as per their blog article “Announcing the Microsoft Wireless Display Adapter”, published September 23, 2014 by Brandon LeBlanc, Windows Blog.

Basically they're party Crashers of Google's Birthday party, making the song Boom Clap by Charlie XCX quite fitting as it's really love at first sight but Buyer’s Remorse later!

So they launched the US$59.95 Microsoft Wireless Display Adapter, which does the same exact thing that the Google Chromecast does except with less supporting gear as stated in the article “Microsoft’s Wireless Display Adapter lets you stream stuff from your PC” via Miracast, published September 23, 2014 By Konrad Krawczyk, DigitalTrends and “Microsoft's new wireless display adapter available for preorder for $59.95”, published September 23, 2014 -- 15:24 GMT (08:24 PDT) by Mary Jo Foley, ZDNet.

Microsoft Wireless Display Adapter - Wi-Fi Direct that pushes 1080p P2P to any HDMI-enabled HDTV

The Microsoft Wireless Display Adapter is a boring version of the Google Chromecast, as it doesn't have that sexy bulge at the end; it's all rectangular, like a stick of Wrigley's Chewing Gum at 9cm (3.5") and weighing 33.1g (1.2oz). But unlike the habit of Chewing Gum, this idea of using Wi-Fi Direct to Stream what's on the screen of one Device to a bigger screen isn’t going out of style anytime soon, if the advertisement below is to be believe.

Like the Google Chromecast it connect to the HDMI port of your Device and uses an extra USB cable permanently attached to the Device to power itself from your HDTV. The difference with this product, aside from costing US$59.95, is that it allows you to project what on your Laptop or Tablet and not just what displays in your browser of your computer.

Best of all, WITHOUT having to connect to your Router as noted in the article “Microsoft Wireless Display Adapter review: Beam your Laptop or tablet screen to your TV”, published October 24, 2014 by Iyaz Akhtar, CNET Reviews.

In essence, the Microsoft Wireless Display Adapter uses a technology that Microsoft refers to MiraCast, the same thing that's called Wi-Fi Direct that allows any electronic product that uses this protocol to basically become an Internet Router. Thus it's an easier setup than the Google Chromecast that supports 1080p (1,920x1, 080) and can push two (2) channel Stereo to any 5.1 Dolby Digital Surround Sound.

Great way to stream a movie or a PowerPoint Presentation from your Laptop to a Big Screen TV with minimum setup from Windows 8.1! That limitation, however, is the Microsoft Wireless Display Adapter’s downfall!

Microsoft Wireless Display Adapter is poorly designed - No Streaming Content support and Miracast limited Broadcast Range

Alas, something so wonderful has a flaw. It's limited range of 23m due to the high frequency of the 60GHz or 66GHz channels used by Miracast powered by Wi-Fi Direct means you have to be in the same room as the HDTV.

At that price, a US$49 Roku Streaming Stick (HDMI Version) released back in March 2014 comes jam-packed with some 1,200 Apps for Streaming Services which in the Roku World are called Channels as noted in my blog article entitled “US$49 Roku Streaming Stick with HDMI Compatability launched before Ash Wednesday - Roku facing a Transformers Age of Extinction as Console Games becomes Content of Choice for Streaming”.

Something tells me that Roku, at 10 million Streaming Devices strong as reported in my blog article entitled  “10 million Roku Streaming Devices sold - Roku still King of Streaming as Google, Amazon and Apple unable to beat Baked in Surprise” Roku will remain as king of Streaming for quite awhile if Microsoft really thinks that their one-trick pony can upset Roku's or Google Chromecast Apple-cart!

Especially as Roku Streaming Technology is now baked into some low-cost HDTV's from TCL and Hisense coming this Christmas 2014 as reported in my blog article entitled “US$229 Roku TV from Hisense and TCL – Control your TV with your smartphone as Smartphone Apps Control Streaming Television Glimpse of the Future” .

Microsoft needs to go back to the drawing board with this. No content support and limited broadcast range using Miracast, at US$59.95 the Microsoft Wireless Display Adapter is a product only a Microsoft fanboy would love. Still, if you're that into Microsoft and believe that this product has a future, and then US$59.95 isn't asking much for the ability to stream your Tablet or Laptop's entire screen to a bigger HDTV.

Here’s the link:

Microsoft Wireless Display Adapter