Though it's convenient, I don't think it's that much better than a WiDi solution. I plug a WiDi box (small, but not dongle-sized) into an HDMI port and then stream any video I want from my laptop. I can watch not only Netflix, but HBOgo, Slingbox and any movies I've put on my laptop. As a plus, Google isn't tracking what I'm watching.

Though I like the idea of Chromecast, I'd rather carry a slightly bigger box and have more variety and privacy. I still may get one, though.

Edited to add:
So I got inspired to see what else is out there, and found this:

http://thenanobyte.com/2013/05/plair...d-hdmi-dongle/

Though very similar in concept, it is much more flexible than the Google product, and apparently capable of streaming video from the local hard drive as well. It even works with the laptop off.