By Gadjo Cardenas Sevilla
The Nexus Player is really a container for software, in this case, Lollipop. While some of it feels half-baked right now, I think that we can expect updates to improve the experience and add more compelling functionality in the future.
Google launched Android OS 5.0 Lollipop with three devices. The Nexus 6 phablet, the Nexus 9 tablet and the Nexus Player, which is a streaming set-top box, which runs on Android's Material Design UI.
Nexus Player, made by ASUS, is the evolution of Google TV, which was an earlier attempt at cashing in on the success of rival devices like Apple TV, ROKU and others. The device is powered by a 1.8 GHz quad-core Intel Atom processor.
Since Google launched the versatile and affordable Chromecast, which is a real game changer in the streaming devices market, it seems that Nexus Player is something of a Chromecast Plus, but is it really?
This sleek, disc shaped set-top box connects to any HDTV via an HDMI-port, it also has Wi-Fi for connecting to the Internet. It comes with a small, cylindrical remote control that has a navigation pad as well as the ability to receive voice searches using the built-in Google Now feature.
The remote feels quite cheap and the controls aren’t anything you will want to rely on for the long term. The good news is that you don’t have to. If you have an Android smartphone, chances are you can control the experience for that.
There are also various specific apps that work with the Nexus player’s different functions and services they don’t seem to work with tablets, which is bizarre considering I was using my Nexus 9 which is a companion device flying the same Nexus flag. I didn’t relish the idea of needing half-dozen smartphone apps just to work certain features.
Aside from access to all the Google Movies, TV, Music and Games, Nexus Player has access to Netflix, YouTube, Dailymotion and a smattering of other streaming services (Hulu Plus and Pandora, two of the most desirable services, aren’t accessible to Canadian users).
While found the Nexus Player to be a cool little set-top box that can compete with various devices in the same $99 price range, it didn’t set itself apart from other devices most people already have.
My three-year-old Apple TV does most of what the Nexus Player can do, same with a half dozen devices that are already in the market. If you’re fully invested in the Android ecosystem, however, there are some perks. Once signed in, you can get content to synch across devices. Start a show on your tablet or phone and continue it on a bigger screen. The voice search shows promise and is quite intuitive but still manages to generate mixed results.
The ability to cast from apps or Chrome webpages is a good feature but if this is what you want, the $35 Chromecast is more than enough. One feature the Nexus Play does have which might interest users, is it is compatible with some Network Attached Storage (NAS) and can be used to stream content to an HDTV.
That’s really my take away with the Nexus Player. If you don’t have a Chromecast and want to set up a more permanent streaming solution and you’re really into Nexus devices, then it should satisfy you.
Google seems to fancy the Nexus Player as a gaming console as well, like the failed OUYA micro-console (which similarly ran on Android), you can even buy a standalone gaming controller or try your luck with exising Xbox or PlayStation controllers. The majority of games available are mostly designed for toucscreens so your mileage with the Nexus Player will vary.
The Nexus Player is really a container for software, in this case, Lollipop. While some of it feels half-baked right now, I think that we can expect updates to improve the experience and add more compelling functionality in the future.
While a novel attempt at capturing the living room and home theatre space, Nexus Player, like Google TV before it, doesn’t seem ready for primetime.
Rating: 3.5 out of 5