Google showed us the way with Chromecast, but now everyone wants to build a video streamer out of a dongle.

The latest entrant in this market is Microsoft, which revealed its Display Adapter as the latest way to get the videos and presentations from your PC onto the nearest TV.

Microsoft's solution is different from Chromecast, though, in that it's much simpler. It's a straight-up mirroring device, simply projecting whatever is on your computer to the TV screen. That means it's entirely dependent on your PC — it's not taking ownership of the stream like Chromecast does — but it's also dirt-simple, and doesn't need its own Wi-Fi connection.

The Microsoft Display Adapter is coming in October for $59.95.

There's nothing magical or proprietary about the dongle. It screencasts via Miracast, so it will work with plenty of devices other than Windows PCs, including plenty of Android tablets and smartphones. All it needs is an HDMI input on the TV, and a free USB port (or a plug) for power.

The Display Adapter will come in handy for frequent travelers who need to make presentations. No need to ask for Wi-Fi access; just plug in the gadget and you're done.

The adapter will be available in the U.S. and Canada in October for the palindromic price of $59.95.