Ten Things You Need to Know Today: July 25, 2013

our daily look at late-breaking news, upcoming events and the stories that will be talked about today:
1. U.S. SURVEILLANCE SURVIVES CLOSE VOTE
The House voted 217-205 to reject a bid to halt the NSA program that collects millions of Americans' phone and Internet records.
2. HIGH-SPEED TRAIN DERAILS IN SPAIN
At least 77 people were killed and 140 injured when the train jumped the tracks after a curve in the country's worst rail accident in decades.
3. OBAMA TAKES ECONOMIC MESSAGE TO FLORIDA
The president will speak at a Jacksonville port to turn Americans' attention away from gridlock in Congress and onto the economy.
4. POPE AIMS TO INSPIRE YOUTH
Francis is meeting with over 1 million young Roman Catholics in Rio and visiting a slum, after pleading this week that the faithful shun materialism.
5. WEINER ASKS VOTERS TO STICK WITH HIM
A new poll is due out today on the New York City mayor's race, taken after the candidate's admission he continued sexting after resigning from Congress.
6. WHERE THE MAIL WON'T BE DELIVERED
Congress approved a plan to stop delivering mail door-to-door by 2022, instead of moving to curbside delivery and cluster boxes.
7. NEW WELL CONSIDERED AT BURNING RIG
Officials hope the relief well will stop gas from spewing from the out-of-control rig off the Louisiana coast.
8. FAMOUS FIRST DAUGHTER TAPPED FOR DIPLOMATIC POST
Obama named Caroline Kennedy U.S. ambassador to Japan.
9. A NAME FOR A PRINCE
The royal baby, now known as George Alexander Louis, has a name that has been held by six previous kings.
10. WHY FORMER PRESIDENT SHAVED HIS HEAD
George H.W. Bush, 89, showed his support for the sick child of one of his Secret Service agents.

Google introduces Chromecast, a $35 HDMI streaming solution for televisions

The 2-inch device runs "a simplified version of Chrome OS" and requires separate USB power. You connect it to your local WiFi network and it finds similarly connected devices that it can work with. It can be ordered right now on Google Play and will apparently ship in one to two days. Of note, the device seems US-only for now, as our UK colleagues are showing a "not available in your country" prompt. Early buyers get three months of free Netflix with the purchase. Additionally, it's also heading to retail (read: Best Buy) on July 28th. Google ended its presentation with a quick word that Chromecast functionality will eventually come embedded in various other devices, and that it's working on getting other countries access "as quickly as possible." No specs were given during the presentation, but its Google Play page lists the device as HDMI-CEC compatible, and it uses 2.4GHz 801.11 b/g/n WiFi. Given the separate USB power required, the $35 nets you a Chromecast device, an HDMI extended, a USB power cable and a separate power adapter.
Apps that work with the device include a "Cast" button that allows users to push video to their televisions and control various aspects remotely (volume, play, pause, etc.). "Once Chromecast is plugged in, you just go to YouTube on your smartphone," Google reps said. "You'll see the cast button in your UI and you press it -- Chromecast will pull the info you requested from the cloud and play it on your TV." Meanwhile, an on-stage demonstration showed YouTube video being pushed "via the cloud," thus enabling other apps to be used while a video is being viewed on a television screen. Netflix was up next, and it has similar remote control functionality. Google Play movies and television (expectedly) also work with Chromecast, and Google delightedly demonstrated it with Vin Diesel vehicle Fast Five. Finally, Google demoed full Google Chrome projected on a TV and controlled remotely with a "standard $500 Windows 8 laptop." The feature is "still in early days," but a promise has already been made: that users will be able to easily project content to televisions via their web browser.
Update: We've added Chromecast's first commercial (which demonstrates much of the device's functionality) above, and a source link with Google's formal announcement.
Update 2: Aside from the Google Play store and Best Buy, you can also buy the Chromecast from Amazon. Thankfully, that three-month gratis Netflix would still be applicable if you buy it from the online giant.