Google’s great home media player experiment has failed — hard. At least, that’s the impression we’re getting after the company shut down pre-order sales of the device, citing a need for “retooling.” Those who had pre-ordered the device, which was not yet available to Canadians, will be sent at no charge what is now being touted as a “Dev Unit,” the same one that was made available to attendees of Google I/O.
The Nexus Q is an interesting beast: half media player, half living room ornament, it is one of the most finely-made pieces of electronics I have ever used. But being tethered to Google’s limited Play Music, Play Movies and YouTube apps, it is also one of the most limited. Unlike Apple TV, which allows streaming from any iOS device using AirPlay, in addition to Netflix, podcast and other app support, the Nexus Q never really allowed for much customization.
Google is not nixing the product altogether; they’re going to make it “even better.” Whether that means a hardware overhaul or merely an update to the device’s software remains to be seen. There is immense potential there: the $299 product comes with a 25W built-in amplifier and room for stereo speakers, making it, in its simplest, a capable small-room receiver. With expansion to include streaming from any music or video source it could potentially be a very popular product, but its price will need to drop precipitously before that happens.
One thing I can say about the Nexus Q, however, is that it’s great to see Google trying to new things with hardware, even if they’re not exactly successful on the first try.
Source: Ars Technica
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