“Google on Wednesday unveiled a new $299 hardware device called the ‘Nexus Q’ that allows users to stream music, movies and music from the Google Play storefront,” AppleInsider reports. “Like the $99 Apple TV, Google’s Nexus Q will allow users to connect their mobile devices to an HDTV or entertainment center. Content available on an Android phone or tablet, including YouTube, can be streamed to the Nexus Q.”
AppleInsider reports, “In addition to connecting to external devices, it also features a built-in 25-watt amp that allows the Nexus Q to power speakers without a separate A/V receiver. It also has an optical audio port and Ethernet jack; Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and NFC support; and HDMI output along with an included HDMI cable. The Nexus Q will support content from Google-centric applications including Google Play Music, Google Play Movies, Google Play TV, and YouTube.”
Read more in the full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: That not-so-minor price discrepancy vs. Apple TV dooms this device. Google’s nuts. Asking cheapskate Android settlers to pay $200 more than iOS users to be able to stream content from their phones and tablets to their TVs is quite the effective advertisement for not only Apple TVs, but iPhones, iPads, iPod touch, iTunes Store; in short: the entire rich, vibrant, and non-fragmented iOS ecosystem.
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That Q logo on the image above looks like it was lifted from QuickTime. Google rips Apple off again?
And no Netflix. 100% DOA Certainty.
Wonder who’s making this. Logitech took huge write downs on GOOG TV device.
Yeah, and Logitech as a company is currently on the skids, thank you Google. Hopefully Logitech will sort out their business model, live and learn.
Logitech has been a staple for a long time making hardware periferals for Macs. That they are now on the financial skids after foolishly partnering with Google is very sad but also very telling.
Play with Google, you get burned. Only Google wins. They are the 2000’s and 2010’s equivalent of 90’s Microsoft.
I don’t get how anyone at Google could’ve thought that delivering an inferior product to Apple TV at thrice the cost sounded like a winning solution.
What a bargain! It comes with an HDMI cable, and with my experience at Best Buy, the cable alone costs $299, so everything else is free!
/sarcasm
😜 this device seems absurd without a lower priced version (read $99 Apple Tv pretend contender) without the amp. I have a perfectly fine entertainment system stereo. They are alienating a lot of users with that crappy amp included and a jacked up price! I’m just flabbergasted! Let the talk begin about the ANDROID TAX!
For that price point, you definitely expect a LOT more. Roku or Apple TV are far better choices, even if the Q were $99!
+1
There is not one “free-tard” on the planet that will shell out $299 for that.
Epic fail.
And another thing… Did anyone else notice all the cables coming out of that ball and the size of the actual “base”? Looks like it will fall over from all the cable weight! At any angle other than straight on, the cables are going to ruin its already limited aesthetic. ROFLMAO AT GOOGLE!!!
The Nexus Q. That’s ‘Q’ for not quite.
Nope. It the Q from NyQuil… ‘might cause drousiness’
This makes the Xbox 360 with Kinect seem like a bargain.
One reason for Nexus Q’s high price $299: “Manufactured in U.S.A.”
Really?
LOL, no wonder.
They’ll likely try to spin that as a selling point. “Yes, it costs $200 more and does less. But, are you not a patriot!?”
“The first social streaming media player”?
Have they forgotten Boxee?
“It’s the first device to let you create social playlists with your friends”?
Isn’t that the entire purpose of iTunes DJ?
I’m confused.
ok, i get it. the Q is Google’s devious attack on all us Apple fans:
they want us to die laughing.
And I thought they wanted to bore us to death….
Once again Google prices it’s Apple TV competitor way to high just like there first attempt with Logitech. Once again they have no content to show for there TV as well. Strike two Google.
That is a huge Goggle Tax that the Q has.
That has got to be the dumbest form factor for the intended purpose.
Ever.
Well, I still think the Boxee was the worst, but this is a very close second.
I think it has potential, price could be better. but as of know, there is no way for a gang of friends be sitting in the same living room and be able to create a queue of music (from each other’s own playlist and/or from other songs that the other guest might have on there device) and then play it to the home theater system in that room. Although I’m sure apple will have an answer to that in the near future, but for now I gotta give props to the google guys for that.
Doesn’t iTunes DJ do the same thing , or are they different? I haven’t used DJ, so please take this as an honest question.
Is this like a Trojan horse? Is it a wifi router too? Google cannot be this stupid, they have got to be up to something? What are we missing? Typically, with Apple, I can see the angle, I can see where they are taking us, there is a defined path, a logical, patient progression towards a goal…with google, they are like monkeys throwing feces at the walls, hoping something sticks!
For some reason I had google’s Captioning turned on while watching this. When the voice says “it’s the first to support social playlists” the captioning says, and I quote,
“It’s the first as I said let’s introduce surveillance with your friends.”
Disturbingly spot-on for what google is actually up to.
Did you also notice the pointless Apple-style design video for the Q during the keynote? The physical design of the Q brings NOTHING to the product, other than begging the question, “Why is it so big?”
I believe the “Q” stands for “QRAP”.
Jesus, is that thing butt ugly. Ive just seen a series of photos of it on Engadget – with 4 cables hanging out the back – it looks like a ball- cock from a lavatory cistern. Clearly their design team was on leave when the Service department came up with that shape.
You really do have to look at tthe thing when its in operation to get a true visualisation of it in your home
Who the hell would wantt that ton display? In which case make it minimalist and stackable !!
“Its the first social streaming device of its kind!
Why would anyone want to do that? We don’t know! We’re Google! We’re Engineers!”
*rolls eyes
Yeah, we’ll see how long “social” playlists stay popular when you asshole brother in law keeps adding his crap music into the list and shoving your quality, well-thought out selections to the bottom of the list. Quit effing with the stereo!! (fist fight ensues.)
“Hey Nexus Q, Welcome to the social…”
squirted the brown Zune.
wings2sky, I’m still laughing my ass off at that one….
This was a FAR more interesting device when Woody Allen first conceived of it back in the early 70s…