If google is backing up the photos from my phone, can I delete them all?

From your phone? Yes. But check they've backed up first.

And back them up to your computer also.

Wow, that looks..... Pointless.

Why? It's basically Chromecast +. If you have a lot of Google stuff (or a plex server) then it's ideal.

I mean, our bedroom 'media centre PC' is just Mrs Hearthly's old laptop connected to a big telly via HDMI, and comes with all the functionality of a full Windows PC. (And the kitchen 'media centre PC' is an ancient Samsung laptop with a monitor sat on top of it and a wireless keyboard and mouse. IIRC that laptop must be six years old or more now.)

Seriously? Did any of your 'comparison' machines cost anything like £80?

Right? I've got a £30 dongle stuck in the back of my TV. It plays stuff off my media server, Netflix, Amazon, Youtube, and a massive amount of other things. What exactly am I missing that would justify buying even a 'cheap' laptop instead?

Well they were basically hundreds of pounds, since that's what they actually cost me to buy.

Seriously? Did any of your 'comparison' machines cost anything like £80?

Right? I've got a £30 dongle stuck in the back of my TV. It plays stuff off my media server, Netflix, Amazon, Youtube, and a massive amount of other things. What exactly am I missing that would justify buying even a 'cheap' laptop instead?

Potentially off topic, but happily watched some Two Broke Girls last night. See, now I was always 100% Max, but with the new series new hair, I reckon Caroline's back in play.

Potentially off topic, but happily watched some Two Broke Girls last night. See, now I was always 100% Max, but with the new series new hair, I reckon Caroline's back in play.

Gaywood has something like that. It's pretty good.

The Nexus Player is missing a lot of apps apparently. No iplayer, no spotify, etc... I'm sure they will come in time, but other options already have them.

I mean, our bedroom 'media centre PC' is just Mrs Hearthly's old laptop connected to a big telly via HDMI, and comes with all the functionality of a full Windows PC. (And the kitchen 'media centre PC' is an ancient Samsung laptop with a monitor sat on top of it and a wireless keyboard and mouse. IIRC that laptop must be six years old or more now.)

(I've gone of Plex entirely, but for unrelated reasons.)

FWIW, I'm very happy with mine running either Plex or Kodi. (I've gone of Plex entirely, but for unrelated reasons.) obviously it's also very good at Netflix, YouTube, and Play movies/TV. Biggest annoyance is probably that it can't to 24 Hz output, but few of these devices can.

Elaborate?

Or the lack of Amazon streaming services.

I have NAS->iMac (wireless)->Plex client (wireless), which is at least three moving parts too many. So the iMac is asleep and doesn't wake up, or the Plex server has decided to throw a fit, or the Mac has lost its network shares to the NAS, or some other random thing doesn't work and now I'm not watching TV but instead I'm getting up to go to the other room and poke the iMac. Boring.

I have exactly the same setup, I solved all those problems by never letting my Mac sleep The screen goes off, but it's always on.
Not the most power efficient solution, I'll grant you

Just stream straight from Grim...'s house. Problem solved

I have NAS->iMac (wireless)->Plex client (wireless)

At the risk of sounding ignorant, is there a reason you have the NAS plugged into your iMac as opposed to a router?

At the risk of sounding ignorant, is there a reason you have the NAS plugged into your iMac as opposed to a router?

Or the lack of Amazon streaming services.

Gah. Weak. Ordered one.