Android TV to Chromecast?

This may seem like a strange request but it is a simple one and I think, a very useful one.

There is a reason that Sony added a feature to be able to play your PS4 from the Vita TV and Vita. Because while it is always optimal to play your games on the best TV you have in the house, said TV is not always available when I can game.

This would be the simplest feature to add to Android TV. All they would really need to do is add the Chromecast app to its compatible list. This would allow it to cast its screen to any Chromecast in the house. And with Bluetooth controllers, mine reach just about any where in my house.

I know playing games while screen casting is not only possible but enjoyable as I have done this using my Nexus 5 and a Moga Pro controller. It rips my battery to shreds but that is not really an issue with any of the Android TVs.

With the addition of one app in Android TVs Play Store, I would instantly be able to play Android games on any TV in my house. Please, Android Dev Team, tell me this is something you will do soon!

A "What If" Project ARA Wishlist.

The other day I was in traffic on my way to work and some days I leave the car radio off just to have some time for my brain to just think. I was mulling over all the things possible with project ARA when a great idea hit me.

What if Project ARA could be used as a brain unit for any type of interface we want? The first thing that I thought was what if a big screen tv had a slot to slide in the unit. Slide the screen off the ARA skeleton and slide it into the TV and you have an instant Android TV... An upgradable Android TV. Don't want gaming? Buy the $50 model and slide it in. Decide you want a gaming Android TV later? Upgrade the processor and buy some attachments and BAM, console TV with no wires involved.

Heck, it doesn't even have to be made for it. All someone would really needs to do is create a module to replace the screen that has an HDMI port. Now that you can download the Android TV launcher from the Play Store, it would be an easy 4-5 minute task to hook up.

Bluetooth connect controllers to it or use Android TV app on your other phone.

From a gaming perspective, it has huge potential. Adding a module could add a Motion Capture ability to function like a Kinect or a Wii remote sensor. Or just about anything we can think of.

That above is a very practical and desired use for Project ARA, but now let's get a little crazy. What if you could slide it into your coffee table and have a giant multi touch screen to play full sized air hockey?

If base units are $50, this becomes something you can put in anything you'd want. It's almost as practical as a Chromecast.

Think of buying one of those robots that learn. What if you could buy the frame and then add ARA to it. New features come out that need the latest insane processor to make it's AI better? Upgrade the ARA unit and slide it back in.

We've all been focused on what modules we can slide into ARA, but what if we slid ARA into something else? Like Cardboard. One problem with Oculus Rift is that you know it will be out dated in a year. What if someone made a high definition headset and then used ARA to power it. You could upgrade the unit without buying an entirely new headset!

I still believe in Santa.

The best line I hear continuously from skeptics that makes me smile in delight every time it is said is this. "I bet you still believe in Santa Claus, don't you?" It just makes me giddy, because they believe they have made some huge point, but in reality, it's the reverse and they have exposed their lack of research on the topic.

 I still believe in Santa Claus as much as I believe in Christopher Columbus or Joan of Arc. Saint Nicholas lived in the 4th century and was the bishop of Myra. Later he may have wore a red robe and red hat as that was the common attire for bishops of the time. He lived a pretty exciting life of service to God as he inherited great riches after the death of his parents at a young age. He then, inspired by the story of the rich young man, decided to give away his wealth the needy. And he spent years doing so eventually leaving himself with no money at all.

The tale goes on and anyone interested in the topic, I highly recommend researching his true story as he played a role in the Council of Nicea and major events in early church history and even stuff after his death. I have found a wealth of knowledge from the St. Nicholas Center (there is one for adults too).

What I love about the parallel is that it shows what research can reveal. I have heard many times that any one who does even a cursory examination of his story will say it is fake. That is true for both Santa Claus and Jesus. But the thing they share in common is that if you take the time and do an in depth research on the topic, one will find that not only is it true, but the truth is much more exciting than the myth.

So yes, I do still believe in Santa Claus and it's because of the historical evidence surrounding the person that I believe in him. And yes, I do believe Jesus was resurrected for the same reason. The historical evidence is there and it is very clear.

My next question is normally, "do you always deny the existence of historical figures because you know so little about them?"

Skepticism vs Denial

I am a skeptic. I rarely believe anything with out sufficient evidence. I am always looking for the

opposing view and always playing devil's advocate.

The thing is though, there are many out there who believe they are a skeptic when in reality, they are mostly in denial. Some say they choose not to believe anything that they cannot sense through touch, sight, or hearing. However, unless one has some mental disability, that is not true for anyone.

Take Ethiopia for example. I have never seen Ethiopia, heard it, or sensed it in any way with my own senses, but I am 99.99% positive such a place as Ethiopia exists. I have seen pictures and heard testimony of people who have been there and seen video taken from a place they claim was Ethiopia.

None of that is 100% irrefutable proof that Ethiopia exists, however, it is certainly reasonable evidence to support the claim. In fact, it is reasonable enough that if you walk down the street, you will not find many people who will claim that Ethiopia is a mythical place.

Believing that Ethiopia does not exist does not mean one lives in denial. Claiming there is no evidence at all for Ethiopia's existence does. The best a skeptic who denies its existence can say is that they believe the evidence for Ethiopia is insufficient for them.

When I debate atheists and they start out by saying "there is no evidence for the Christian God" or "God" in general, there are two conclusions for me that I have to go through. Either they are not educated on the mounds of archaeological and historical evidence which surrounds Jesus and the resurrection or they live in denial.

Anyone who is seeking evidence for Jesus and his resurrection, I encourage you to read "Evidence for Christianity" by Josh McDowell or "Cold-Case Christianity" by J. Warner Wallace. If you want an easy-to-read introduction to the evidence, try "Case for Christianity" by Lee Strobel.

Do any of them contain "proof"? Let's first define proof. It is not as easy as you might think. Rene Decartes is famous for saying "I think, therefore I am." This statement is the conclusion to his long journey to attempt to find proof that he, himself, existed and was not a part of some cosmic dream. The statement is not "proof" that he existed, but as he claims, is evidence to support it.

So if Rene Decartes could not find "proof" that he himself existed, what hope do we have to suggest there is "proof" of anything at all. I challenge anyone to provide irrefutable proof of anything. We are all simply absorbing evidence and believing what we feel best fits that evidence.

To the atheists who say "there is no evidence for God," I say either feel free to study the evidence yourself or if you believe you already know it, stop living in denial.