Mozilla's Firefox OS-powered HDTV dongle is a reality. It’s called Matchstick and Mozilla is looking for help to create apps for this new device. The new dongle is not the work of Mozilla, but the project does have the blessing of the open source organization. The company behind the dongle, also called Matchstick, is promising a 100 percent open platform for hardware and software, with no gatekeepers or review period for Matchstick apps.

Matchstick and Firefox OS combined offers a totally open platform (both software and hardware), that lets developers explore content and applications from video to games, and bring it right into the living room.

Mozilla has opened up a developer site with access to everything you need to begin working with Matchstick. Support for Firefox OS will be available at launch. For now, Mozilla has included a full API library, of sender apps with support for Android and iOS, as well as receiver apps that are compatible with the Matchstick Receiver.

Developers can use the sender APIs to enable their Firefox OS, Android or iOS device to discover a Matchstick device, then communicate with their receiver app.

Mozilla is inviting app developers who will commit to building and porting apps for Firefox OS on Matchstick to apply for a free developer-preview device through the Matchsticks for Apps program.

Similar to the phones-for-apps program launched by Mozilla, the Matchsticks for Apps program is aimed at developers who have built apps for Firefox OS, Chrome, Android, iOS or even for Google's Chromecast.

On Tuesday, November 18th, Mozilla will host an invitation-only Firefox OS App Workshop for Matchstick in the Mozilla office in San Francisco.

The developers are hoping to have Matchstick shipping in time for the holidays.

Once the Matchstick dongle starts shipping it will be priced at $25, which is $10 cheaper than the Chromecast.

As for the hardware, Matchstick says its dongle will offer better video playback and performance than the Chromecast thanks to a 1.9GHz dual-core Rockchip 3066 processor, 4GB onboard storage, and 1GB RAM.

Here is how it works:

Matchstick simply plugs into an HDMI port on your TV or Monitor and connects to your Wi-Fi network. Setup is easy and Matchstick will guide you all the way. Now you're ready to "FLING" - send any content, apps, and experiences from a computer, iOS or Android device to the big screen.

You can also mirror or fling any website in Firefox or Chrome from your laptop or PC to the Matchstick, bringing your workspace to the big screen in an instant!

Once you Fling anything to Matchstick simply use your laptop, phone, or tablet as your customized remote or controller to interact with your media. Then your phone or tablet is free for you to use without interrupting what's happening on the TV.

In fact, anybody can Fling to the Matchstick, so your entire family can Fling away and get into shouting matches over who gets to control the Matchstick.