T-Mobile has announced the T-Vision HUB, a streaming dongle powered by Google TV that wants to challenge Google's own Chromecast with Google TV.
T-Mobile has a new streaming dongle that runs Google TV, which makes it a challenger to Google's own Chromecast with Google TV. While there are no shortages of several streaming dongles, including those powered by Android TV, there are only a few that run Google TV out of the box. This new device from T-Mobile adds to the slow-growing list, but how does it compare to the Chromecast with Google TV?
Streaming dongles are one of the easiest ways to add streaming functionality to a TV. They have the advantage of being cheap and also portable. Their small form factor allows owners to move them from one TV or monitor to another quickly or even take it along on vacation. However, this small size can be detrimental as the limited space results in them missing out on special features available on streaming boxes such as a full-sized USB port or a MicroSD card slot for storage expansion.
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T-Mobile's TVision HUB is shaped like a hockey puck with an HDMI cable connected to it. One would not be wrong to think the second-generation Google Chromecast inspired this design. It comes in black and has a matching voice remote that packs several buttons, including one for the TV Guide and shortcuts for Netflix and YouTube. While the Chromecast with Google TV is available in multiple colors – Sky (Blue), Snow (White), and Sunrise (Pink/Peach) – the TVision HUB's single hue option will allow it to blend with most TVs or monitors. Mainly boasting the exact specifications such as 2GB of RAM and 8GB of storage, the TVision is the more powerful model. According to SEI Robotics, the Chinese ODM that made the device for T-Mobile, the TVision HUB is powered by the Amlogic S905Y4 processor. This is a newer chipset than the Amlogic S905X3 inside the Chromecast with Google TV.
A first in the US: SEI Robotics is thrilled to announce, in collaboration with @Google and @TMobile, the new TVision HUB, powered by #GoogleTV! Equipped with the latest #Amlogic S905Y4 (AV1 decoding), #AndroidTV 11 & even comes with an Ethernet port.https://t.co/2iGpsGfL05 pic.twitter.com/GOE48ReBiR
Not only is the processor inside T-Mobile's device newer, but it also consumes less power and supports AV1 decoding, the latter of which Google's device doesn't have. The Chromecast with Google TV has a USB-C port for power input, which is the only port on the device. T-Mobile's TVision HUB settles for the older MicroUSB port, but it gets the upper hand by having a LAN port that allows the user to connect a LAN cable instead of a Wi-Fi network. Its version of Google TV is also based on Android TV 11, unlike Google's streaming device that is based on Android TV 10.
The TVision HUB is priced at $50, the same price Google launched the Chromecast with Google TV, although Google has discounted its streaming dongle to $39.99 since last month's Black Friday sales. T-Mobile will give the streaming device to those who activate a new Home Internet line a free HUB, but those who want to get their hands on it right away should be able to buy it on the carrier's website or in physical stores.
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