What is nexus q

A Nexus Q running Google TV that plays games and can receive voice commands will need a good controller. Currently, the Nexus Q can be operated only with an Android phone or tablet. If all you've got is an iPhone or a Surface, you're out of luck. Yes, Google should allow Android owners to control the Q with their Android devices -- especially when it comes to playing games or using voice search to find the latest action movies through Google TV.

But a proper controller of some sort, so the Q can work as a standalone device, is a must. It would have to have a built-in mic and be easy to use -- more like Apple or Vizio 's remotes and less like Sony's Google TV remote.

After all, the success of both the Nexus Q and Google TV will be measured by how many people actually use these products. The hardware is there. Last time we saw the Q, it could be controlled only via an app on Android phones and tablets.

We'd like to see Google give it its own standalone remote and also create an app for iOS and Windows Phone. Nathan is a Wired staff writer covering all things Google and Android.

Staff Writer Twitter. And it had better be substantially better. That said, good on Google for giving those who pre-ordered the overpriced black orb a free unit. This sneaky trick lets attackers smuggle malware onto your network. Google and AWS harness the power of machine learning to predict floods and fires.

Google is testing a new ML-based app to help people with speech impairments communicate. Best smart display Top 5 displays compared. Going Google-free: Neeva gives search result control and context back to the user. You agree to receive updates, promotions, and alerts from ZDNet. You may unsubscribe at any time. Nexus Q was announced in , and Google immediately started accepting pre-orders.

However, a month after that, the company removed the product from their store. In their official announcement, they shared that even though reviewers praised the design and hardware, there was still a lot to be desired in terms of available functions. The Nexus Q is a striking piece of hardware. It's a black, close-to-spherical device, with a flat bottom so it sits on a TV cabinet rather than rolling off. It's a solidly built device, with a heft 2 pounds to match its shotput shape.

The matte black finish is reasonably resistant to fingerprints, although I could see a few smudges even after using it for just a day. Power it up and the mysterious orb comes to life with an illuminated, colorful ring around the center, plus a tiny pinhole light in the center.

It's certainly the kind of device that will have guests asking, "What is that? Tapping the tiny light mutes it, while you can spin the top half of the sphere forward and back to adjust the volume. It's actually a pretty neat way to interact with the Nexus Q, although most of the time you'll be adjusting volume from your Android device. Wireless connectivity is comprehensive: dual-band Inside, the Nexus Q runs a version of Android 4. It's a fine set of ports, but they're surprisingly difficult to access.

The ports are recessed and even with the included Mini-HDMI adapter cable, which is specially fitted to the Nexus' port, it wasn't easy to just slide the cable in. Plugging an Ethernet cable in is easy enough, but the recessed port makes it difficult to remove. Luckily, once it's set up, you'll rarely need to fiddle with the back panel. Setup It's surprising to open up the box and find there's no remote. The Nexus Q requires an Android phone or tablet version 2. That significantly limits the market of available buyers, although there's nothing stopping Google from rolling out an iOS or Windows Phone app later.

The Nexus Q can display videos, song titles and album art thumbnails, and trippy visualizations for music, but there's no way to navigate the device onscreen; it's all on the screen of your Android phone or tablet.