Google Chromcast Do We Need It?

In my geeky way I was looking forward to getting a Google ChromeCast. For those that don't know, this is a cheap, small device that plugs into your TV and lets you send YouTube and certain other content from your mobile device to the TV.
Points I like about this device are...

1) it's cheap. At time of writing the ChromeCast isn't yet available in the UK but when it is it's likely to be less than £50. The low price headline will generally catch my eye.
2) it's low power. You don't need a computer or game console sat running all the time, typically with a fan and multitude of lights.
3) it takes the content from your phone. TVs with YouTube function built in and games consoles which play YouTube content are good but often rely on using your TV remote or games controller to navigate through a clunky interface. With the ChromeCast you use your phone or tablet to do all the work then simply select the ChromeCast to display that content.
4) it's not actually streaming from your mobile device. All that your device actually does is tell the ChromeCast where on the Internet to go get the content. This means you can start something playing then shut your mobile off or do something else with it and not impact the video.

So as I started, I was looking forward to getting a ChromeCast, until...

My current means for watching YouTube on the TV is to use the Wii. Still having a TV from the 20th Century it's not HD so the Wii is good enough. I suffer the clunky interface and generally use YouTube on a computer to make up play lists.

Turning on the Wii yesterday (this is hot off the press) I found an option to pair the YouTube app with a mobile device, of course I had to try. It appears that Google have given all the sharing features of the ChromeCast to consoles!

For me this is great, I can now use my Android devices to find content and simply choose to send it to the TV via the Wii.

This is the great thing about Google, they're trying to get customers to watch adverts on YouTube, buy and rent  films through YouTube and care less about forcing you to buy their hardware so they will make apps to allow you to use systems you've already got.

There are still benefits to having a ChromeCast if your TV doesn't already have the ability to view YouTube but for those of us still on old TV and a Wii, this makes things a lot easier.