You snooze, you loose. Google ends Chromecast-Netflix promotion 'due to overwhelming demand' Citing overwhelming demand, Google on Thursday said it has ended a Netflix promotion tied to its new Chromecast TV dongle. The promotion gave users, new and existing, three free months of Netflix's video streaming service, valued at about $24, when they bought Chromecast, a $35 gadget that was announced Wednesday. Chromecast is a device that lets users send video and audio content from their smartphones, tablets and laptops to their TVs. The device is plugged into the TV through an HDMI port and pulls content from the cloud by connecting to Wi-Fi. "Due to overwhelming demand for Chromecast devices since launch, the 3-month Netflix promotion (which was available in limited quantities) is no longer available," Google told The Times in a statement. Partly because of the Netflix promotion, Chromecast has been selling fast. Both Amazon.com and BestBuy.com sold out of the device by Thursday morning (BestBuy.com is selling the device again). The device can be purchased from the Google Play online store, but it has a shipping wait time of three to four weeks. Chromecast is being regarded as a challenger to the popular Apple TV, which normally retails for $99. The Google device will be available at all Best Buy stores this Sunday.
I wouldn't worry about entering a contract. Austin is slated for Google Fiber somewhere in 2014, but that'll be primarily in high density neighborhoods. I don't expect Austin to have widespread Google Fiber until 2015.
Just got back from Best Buy and a regional electronics chain. Neither store knew what it was. Best Buy looked it up, and actually had it on a truck that is due in late tonight. I may go in tomorrow and pick one up. The no Netflix thing sucks, though. At the other store (HH Gregg), I described what it was to the guy(who had no idea what it was), who then tried to sell me Google TV, a Galaxy S4, and a Roku player. He then said, "We carry all that kind of cool stuff, so I'm sure we'll have it.....sometime...". I will never shop there again.
Me too. Especially since I almost bought, thinking that I would have had free netflix, only to find out I didn't. I'll still probably buy though. I'm thinking that for $35, I could potentially have something that in the future may allow me to pick and choose individual channels or shows that I want to buy, instead of paying way too much for a ton of channels and watching maybe 10% of them. The only downside is that getting in this early, the price may go down a bit.
i feel like if you searched around the net you could probably find codes for free months of netflix, even if its 3, 1 month trials. netflix hands out 1 month trials all the time dont they?
found one in a bestbuy in chicago - put in the order for pickup as soon as i get off work, hopefully i can still catch the netflix deal since it was part of the original stock - will update
City - south loop / roosevelt location near UIC From the LA Times article: [Update 4:30 p.m. July 25: Google clarified that users who purchased Chromecast before the promotion ran out will still be able to redeem their Netflix promotion code for three free months of the video streaming service.] Taking that into consideration with my BestBuy order/receipt:
Went to my local Best Buy. They haven't arrived in Houston, yet. If you really wanted to get free Netflix and don't mind the trouble, you could potentially get unlimited 1-month trials. Everytime you sign up for Netflix, you automatically get a 1-month trial when you input a payment option. People have been using rolling accounts for the year with 12 e-mails, 6 credit cards and 6 Paypal accounts.
This sounds nice but i'm gonna wait until a website like the Verge or Gizmodo does a proper review of it. I'm weary of buying new gadgets at launch without a solid perception of how it will be useful to me. Hopefully this thing works as good as advertised!
They were at the one in Cypress of 290 this morning. I was only told that there were more than 5. I tried to pay for it online, but it wouldn't let me. I was told I couldn't purchase it over the phone and that they couldn't put it on hold because it was a hot item. By the time I got out of work, they were all gone. Sad.
A guy at Best Buy Sugarland said the shipment arrived today and they will be available first thing tomorrow morning. He also said they have a lot and I didn't need to come in early to get one. Probably the same for most Best Buys in the Houston area.
My store, which is not in Houston is getting ten. I live in a town of 100 k. I think I'll get one if I get there early. I'm off tomorrow so I will.
So with the 3 free months of netflix off the table, why should someone with a smart tv want this? Serious question, I'm trying to talk myself into buying it.
If you have a Smart TV, I doubt you'd need one. Of course, if you like to watch movies from files on your computer but don't want to go through the hassle of burning it onto a CD, or hooking up an HDMI cable everytime you want to watch, then this is a cheap way to do that. I'd also like to add the 3 months of Netflix is what sold me on this. Practically pays for itself, coupled with the one free month of Netflix I'm going to get by signing up right now before the promotional code.
Why? There was a finite amount of these things. They sold like hot cakes. This is what happens when you procrastinate. I learned my lesson long ago to jump on deals when I have the option of just taking it back with no financial loss.
I ordered mine yesterday and the banner for netflix promo was still there. My order says nothing about netflix though and I've been waiting for an email for the promo code. I talked to customer service and they said the code would get emailed to me once the dongle is delivered. Somehow I have a feeling I'm getting jacked out of my netflix!
