Nexus Q preorders halted, price dropped to $0 Google has stopped taking orders for its spherical Nexus Q streaming-media player, but customers who have already preordered the device will still be getting theirs, albeit at a much lower price: free. The Chocolate Factory has decided that it needs to add more functionality to the Android-powered media ball before it releases …
I'm actually pretty certain that you have the same warranty if you got an item for free or not, at least in the UK. It's basically irrelevant it's free, it's still subject to the same laws. For example, if you got a free Bluray player with a TV, you have the same rights as the TV... and not because you paid for the TV. The only real difference is if it breaks, you would still be entitled to a repair or refund, though in this case it would be a refund of £0.
That's true. Though my point was that, since it's free, any shortcomings in its software could be dealt with by flashing it like the Android hacker mentioned in the article. Flashing normally voids the warranty though, so if you've spent £100 for something you're less likely to risk flashing than if you've got it for free.
What's it missing? The ability to use content from anywhere except YouTube and the Google Play store (movies & music). Officially, anyway. No content from the LAN at all, despite the network connectivity.
Even *with* the ability to play existing content from a LAN, one could still argue it's over-priced. I'm not a Google hater - I use their online services, have a Galaxy Nexus, and am thinking of getting a Nexus 7 - but I really, really did not understand the Q. Here's hoping the come up with something worthwhile.
I wouldn't be disappointed in a free gadget, even if it had some flaws.
From the article it looks like Jason Miller resolved his complaints by changing the firmware, in which case the hardware looks like it is fine and a change of software makes it a usable box (sorry, ball).
Then again, given Jason has the moniker "Hacker" it's not exactly a shock he'd change the firmware and mess about with it. Maybe a normal consumer customer would have been very happy with it as delivered?
Anyway, I look forward to seeing Ball 2, the sequel. The existing one didn't really grab me as a "must have" device, which is why I didn't order one, and why I'm not about to receive a free one. D'oh!
Genuine question - what are the good things it does?
The thoughts I had were the cost. For £50-£100 you can get loads of boxes that do wireless and Internet streaming. For around £160 you can get the "smart TV" boxes from the likes of LG that also add things like applications. Yes having Android compatibility is a bonus, but I'm not sure worth paying that much money (plus LG will be switching to Google TV soon anyway, so I'd rather see what they produce). I have an LG smart TV, but am considering getting a box for a second existing TV in the bedroom. What is it that the Nexus Q does better, for the extra price?
"I have a western digital live hub that replaced my HTPC. It does a lot more and costs half as much"
If you are talking about the western digital live hub, that makes no sense. A PC can literally do everything media related. Any specialized box is limited in comparison. I paid $175 for a PC with OS and digital tuner card with remote. Sure, it uses more power, but it is only running for 3 or so hours a day.
I even play the occasional PC game with it.
For google, they can't ship anything remotely useful or capable in this space as they would not then get the nice juicy commercial deals with big media. As soon as they try to ship a media player that can play most formats from most sources then the media owners will walk away as they can't see the walled garden that makes them rich.
The hardware may be capable and there is software out there but it can't be official. This is why the non-brand media players and generic PC hardware rule the roost here. And one of the many reasons for UEFI (sp? no coffee yet) from M$.
"No, what they want is for you to buy it once for every device you own... or, even better, each time you want to watch it."
Not necessarily. Many (most?) of the big media players are now participating in a system called Ultraviolet. (Link). Lets you buy a copy of a film or show and watch it anywhere. I bought a Blu-ray recently and inside was a registration code for the movie on it as well as the disc. Logged in, entered the code, and now that movie is available to me to watch wherever I go. Pretty good, really.
"Lets you buy a copy of a film or show and watch it anywhere"
Anywhere they choose, on a device they have approved, assuming I have pre-downloaded the media and my device is still authorized to play the media. If I accidentally lose the downloaded file, and I bought it more than two years ago, then I can't download another copy of it, and it is still "illegal" to rip a copy of the film from a bluray.
I'll start buying movies again when they start selling them in HD in a format I can use. Until then, they can go spin.
To be honest I am not entirely surprise, nice exterior design that I would not be surprise go on and win a few design awards but lack of features made it a tough sale.
The ideas incorporated into Nexus Q was cool but what the hell Google was thinking not including Google TV or Android Jelly Bean for the software on the device and limiting it to the US only and Google online services. I look forward to see Google update the device which should just be a software update.
With modern TV's supporting DLNA, surely a separate media player is only useful for owners of old TV's?
What we need is 'Android' for the TV, so every TV has the same OS on it and apps are universally available..
The new Samsung TV's not only have upgradeable software, but according to the sales guys, they have an hardware upgrade slot, so you can update your hardware without needing to replace the whole TV!
With DLNA & iPlayer on my TV, I have very little need for any extra boxes under my TV, the only one I have is a bluray player!
Indeed - although in fact, Google already have their "Google TV" platform.
It's not had much success so far, though I wouldn't be surprised if it becomes more common. LG are already planning to roll out Google TVs in the US, and may switch to it as their main platform.
Interesting point about the hardware upgrade slot - that solves the problem of hardware being out of date (the main advantage of separate boxes being you can upgrade the box without buying a whole new expensive TV).
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