Smart Stick vs. Chromecast dongle

The BBC has an article on "Sony Smart Stick to challenge Google Chromecast dongle". And it seems Sony is still a bit clueless about consumer products (they've gotten much worse in the last few decades, in my opinion). It used to be that I wouldn't have a problem buying Sony products. I've purchased many TV sets from them and was very happy with them until I purchased the my Internet ready Flat screen. I paid extra expecting I would get the usual extra value only to find that Sony kept the dev kit tied up in Japan and then pretty quickly dropped it all together! The TV itself is great but not for the extra price of the not 'Internet ready'. Before Sony dropped the UI support I also picked up a Sony Viao laptop, which I decided to keep Windows on. I found out pretty quick that most of the ports were Sony proprietary ports and the installed software had a nasty habit of calling home. So all of that extra value was going into Sony's pocket and I wasn't seeing anything from it. Sony should learn a lesson from Microsoft (so should Microsoft but that's another rant ;-) ). When smart phones first came out Windows had Win CE (or as I prefer to say: wince). And along with the HP palmtop (I had both phone and palmtop), the only way to get an upgrade was to purchase a new device (because MS had discontinued support for that version). How can I trust a product if the vendor drops it like a hot potato? Also at the price Sony is asking I can afford to make a possible mistake with the Google Chromecast dongle ($150 vs. $35). Sorry Sony you've got a lot of 'plaining to do before you see my money again.