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Going, going... Chromecast sold out online, but not everywhere

Best Buy, Amazon and the Google Play Store are now all temporarily out of stock of the streaming stick. eBay and some Best Buy outlets could be the only options right now for the impatient.

Eric Mack Contributing Editor
Eric Mack has been a CNET contributor since 2011. Eric and his family live 100% energy and water independent on his off-grid compound in the New Mexico desert. Eric uses his passion for writing about energy, renewables, science and climate to bring educational content to life on topics around the solar panel and deregulated energy industries. Eric helps consumers by demystifying solar, battery, renewable energy, energy choice concepts, and also reviews solar installers. Previously, Eric covered space, science, climate change and all things futuristic. His encrypted email for tips is ericcmack@protonmail.com.
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Eric Mack
2 min read
If you want to order one now, you'll need to pay more or go for a drive to Best Buy and cross your fingers. Sarah Tew/CNET

If you've got your hands on Google's red-hot, priced-to-move streaming media stick, the Chromecast, consider yourself among the lucky early adopters. The $35 HDMI device-to-display bridge is currently sold out on all three official online retail outlets -- Best Buy, Amazon and the Google Play store.

Google says more supply is coming soon to the Play store, and almost certainly Amazon will have more stock to sell in the coming days or weeks. While Best Buy is sold out online, the Chromecast is scheduled to hit shelves in brick and mortar retail locations on Sunday. But if there's a Best Buy near you, it might be worth heading over right away, as there have been reports of the popular dongle already on sale at some locations.

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The run on Chromecast is perhaps the best news for the speculators that bought them up in handfuls to resell on eBay, where numerous units are already up at "Buy it now" prices ranging from $59 to $150.

Even if you do track down the dongle, it looks like there's no chance it will come with the previously offered three free months of Netflix. That promotion remains sold out and doesn't appear to be coming back.

Now comes the real test -- with so many Chromecasts in the wild, will they upend the television and streaming media industries? Or will they be forgotten and collecting dust somewhere six months from now?

Let us now your early impressions in the comments below.

Watch this: Google Chromecast pushes videos to TV