Google has been trying to get into the living room for a long time, but it hasn't always worked out. The Google TV platform it launched four years ago never really took off and the curiously shaped Nexus Q
was so beleaguered by its limited functions and high price that it
didn't stand a chance. Last year, however, Google finally managed to get
a taste of success with the Chromecast,
an inexpensive video-streaming dongle that was so simple it eschewed
the need for a remote control or dedicated UI. Almost too simple, some
would say -- you still need another device lying around to cast content
to it and the lack of a UI means it's not quite as user-friendly as a Roku or an Apple TV.
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Nexus Player review
Pros
- Voice search is simple and intuitive
- Simple card-based interface
- Google Cast gives it Chromecast-like features
Cons
- Limited storage
- Search results are limited to Google-related content sources
- Buggy software
- Chintzy remote
- No Ethernet port
Summary
The Nexus Player is a great, if imperfect, introductory showcase
for Android TV. It doesn't have an Ethernet port and suffers from a few
bugs, but Android TV's simple interface, intelligent voice search and
Google Cast abilities more than make up for it.
Hardware
The ASUS-made Nexus Player could essentially be
described as a large hockey puck. It's a flat, disc-shaped device with
the Nexus logo proudly inscribed on top. Yet, unlike the spherical Nexus
Q, the Player is quite inconspicuous. Sure, its slightly unusual
circular design might stand out amidst your home theater setup, but its
small footprint and compact form factor -- it's barely the size of my
hand -- means you probably won't notice it most of the time. Indeed, the
only indication that it's powered on is a small LED positioned
underneath the unit. That, combined with the fact that the remote works
over Bluetooth and not IR, means you could tuck it out of sight and
never have to deal with it once it's hooked up.
Speaking of which, setup is pretty easy. Simply plug the
player into a power outlet, connect it to your TV with an HDMI cable
(which is sadly not included) and you're done. There's also a micro-USB
port located on the rear, which Google tells us is for developers to use
to create and debug apps. If you decide to get a gamepad (which I'll
get to shortly), there's also a button underneath the Player that you
can press to initiate the Bluetooth pairing process with the accessory.
From there, setup is as easy as going through the on-screen
instructions: You'll pair your remote, choose your WiFi network and sign
in with your Google account. And no, there's no Ethernet port: The
Nexus Player is WiFi-only by default. That might not be a big deal for
some, but I would've really liked the option; streaming videos over
wired connections is typically faster and more reliable than wireless.
You could get a micro-USB-to-Ethernet adapter, but that's an additional
cost you would have to factor in.
On the inside, there's a 1.8GHz quad-core Intel Atom
processor plus an Imagination PowerVR Series 6 Graphics 2D/3D Engine,
which makes it more powerful than most, if not all, other streaming
devices on the market. Navigating through the menus certainly feels
zippy enough, and I experienced no noticeable lag when launching apps or
playing games. It has 1GB of RAM and 8GB of storage, though the actual capacity might be less. That isn't a whole lot of space, which means you'll need to be careful not to load too many games on here.
The Nexus Player has a dead-simple remote control that's
slim, lightweight and home to just a few buttons. It's curved on the
sides, so it nestles comfortably in your palm. And, just like the Fire
TV's remote, it has a slight groove on the underside for your finger as
well. Since the Fire TV is also based on Android OS, it's no surprise
that the button layout is similar. There's a voice search button right
at the top and a large, circular directional pad underneath. But the
similarities end there. Instead of going with the traditional Android
navigation controls, the only other keys are a Back button, a Home
button (it's the one with the circle on it) and one for play/pause. The
remote's overall build quality is a little chintzy, but the buttons have
great travel and a nice "clicky" feel when pressed.
If you'd prefer to use your Android phone as a remote instead, no problem: There's also a handy Android TV Remote Control app in the Play store. I installed it on a Samsung Galaxy S5 and was able to navigate through the menus just like I did with the physical remote.
Gamepad
The Nexus Player is more than just a streaming box; you
can also use it to play games. And while you can certainly play some of
them with the regular ol' TV remote, it's much easier to execute killer
combo kicks or maneuver hairpin turns on a racetrack with an actual game
controller. So, if you so choose, you can purchase the optional Gamepad
for the Nexus Player for $40.
The ASUS gamepad looks a lot like the Xbox 360's controller, but with a joystick arrangement that's more similar to the PlayStation's.
In other words, the d-Pad is on the left; the two analog joysticks are
in the middle toward you; and the four face buttons are on the right.
Positioned in the center are the back, power and home buttons, while the
triggers and shoulder buttons are located on the rear. The buttons
aren't nearly as polished as the ones for the Xbox; the aforementioned
triggers are on the squishy side, while the d-pad just feels clunky and
cheap. Still, it gets the job done most of the time.
Software
As we saw a few months ago
at Google I/O, Android TV has a fairly simple card-based user
interface. You'll see a list of recommended titles and recently played
shows at the top, and beneath that are your installed apps. YouTube and
Songza come preloaded, as well as all the Google Play apps like Movies
& TV, the Play store, Music and Games. Underneath that is a list of
installed games, and right at the bottom is access to the usual network
and display settings. Most apps look the same, with the navigation menu
situated on the left and the various options on the right.
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