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Recommended Reading: Google's biggest hardware flop
Recommended Reading highlights the week's best writing on technology and more.
The extended Nexus family: Google's golden Android standard
Google's Nexus line has long stood as the company's ideal vision of its widely adopted, open-source Android operating system. The devices, be they smartphones, tablets or even one-off media streamers, are built in conjunction with select hardware partners and represent an ideal marriage of tech specs with an unadulterated version of Android. It's Google's way of dealing with fragmentation (read: skinned versions) in the mobile OS market it created; a reference mark for manufacturers to aspire to, so to speak. On the tail of the original Android handset's sixth anniversary and in the run-up to whatever new Nexuses come next, we take a look back at the hardware path that's been Google's gold standard for Android.
Feedback Loop: Crowdfunding perils, dying passwords, cameras and more!
It's time for the latest edition of Feedback Loop! We discuss the dark and sometimes disappointing side of crowdfunding, ponder whether passwords are dying, look for point-and-shoot camera suggestions, share the cheapest ways to get HBO and talk about overly hyped gadgets. Head past the break to talk about all this and more with your fellow Engadget readers.
Mixed messages on Nexus Q support suggest Google doesn't know what to do with it, either
Yesterday there was some pretty damning news for owners of Google's Nexus Q musical orb: the device isn't supported in the current version of the its Play Music app. This much is undoubtedly true, and verified by many owners. What's less clear, however, is whether this really is the end of the road. All the signs may be there, but some readers have forwarded us emails received from Google Play Support advising that a fix for Nexus Q streaming is definitely on the way. We contacted Google directly, but it was unable to give an official statement on the issue. We were simply told that the developer product never made it to commercial release, and as such the company can't promise either way. Mountain View isn't shy about shuttering much-loved services, so Nexus Q owners might take a small amount of solace from this current ambiguity, at least enough to delay taking matters into their own hands.
Google confirms Nexus Q not supported in latest version of Play Music
Google Play Music is about to reveal its saddest song... for owners of the Nexus Q that is. In fact, some might guess it's the funeral march. Phandroid and Android Police both report having received confirmation that the latest update of Google's Play Music service -- that we saw outed yesterday -- doesn't support the firm's own music streamer. A statement given to the websites confirms the fact, with little to suggest it'll get any better for the little black ball going forward. Does this signify the final nail in the coffin? Potentially. But, given that it was erased from view on the Play store some time ago, and orders never charged, you might have already guessed that outlook not so good had been the prediction for some time.
Google removes Nexus Q from landing page, further distances itself from a curious launch
Google had already yanked the "In Stock" status from its Nexus Q as we awaited a re-envisioning of its purpose, but today's Nexus launch is making it ever clearer that we may never hear from the bizarre orb again. Launched in July with an almost unbelievably small set of features, it took but a few weeks for Google to postpone the proper launch while sending free units to those who pre-ordered. Now, its placement on the Nexus landing page has been removed entirely, with the Nexus 4, Nexus 7 and Nexus 10 roaming the page alone. The Q's placement in the Play Store remains, but an ominous "This device is not for sale at this time" message accompanies it. Google had not returned a request for comment at the time of this article's publication, but we'll update should we hear back. Update: Google returned a comment, but it's certainly not much to go on: "We don't have anything to share at this time."
Refresh Roundup: week of October 8th, 2012
Your smartphone and / or tablet is just begging for an update. From time to time, these mobile devices are blessed with maintenance refreshes, bug fixes, custom ROMs and anything in between, and so many of them are floating around that it's easy for a sizable chunk to get lost in the mix. To make sure they don't escape without notice, we've gathered every possible update, hack, and other miscellaneous tomfoolery we could find during the last week and crammed them into one convenient roundup. If you find something available for your device, please give us a shout at tips at engadget dawt com and let us know. Enjoy!
Google begins shipping free Nexus Q pre-orders
Just yesterday, Google sent out a note letting Nexus Q pre-orderers know that the strange little streaming device would be delayed, so the company could "work on making it even better." That note came with some rosy news, however, informing early adopters that they would be receiving the device for free, so they could join in on the extended beta testing. Today we got a note from one of the aforementioned pre-orderers informing him that the device had shipped. We reached out to Google, who confirmed the shipments. Still no word on how long the rest of the world will have to wait for the new and improved Q, however. [Thanks, Fred]
Google postponing Nexus Q launch to 'make it better,' sending a free device to those who pre-ordered
Apparently Google's strange little media streamer isn't quite ready for prime time -- not according to the company that made it, at least. The software giant has begun sending out a note to pre-orderers letting them know that the launch of the sphere has been delayed in order to "work on making it even better." The company adds that it's responding to user feedback from previewers who want it to "do even more than it does today." To show that there are no hard feelings, the company will be "extend[ing] [the] Nexus Q preview to our pre-order customers and send[ing] [them] a free device," according to Google. We asked the company to clarify that last bit, to make sure if meant exactly what we thought it meant, and sure enough they told us, "We are sending a free Nexus Q to any users who pre-ordered the device at no cost to them." Sometimes it pays to be an early adopter. No word on when the device will begin shipping, but the company promised it will be arriving "soon."
Google updates YouTube, Nexus Q and Play Movies & TV apps in one fell swoop
As software updates go, this Mountain View hat trick scores low on the excitement scale. Starting today, a trio of version bumps are slated to rollout, bringing minor bug fixes to Play Movies & TV and YouTube, while also giving owners of older, non-ICS handsets the ability to control that latter app remotely. Additionally, tweaks have been made to improve the Nexus Q's guest mode, which should come in handy as support for that odd peripheral has now been bolstered to include devices running Gingerbread and up. Sure, this trine of refreshed Google apps won't necessarily set your pulses racing, nor will it satisfy your Jelly Bean cravings. But, hey, you take what you can get.
Nexus Q starts shipping in earnest from Google Play, social streaming reaches our doors in five days
The Nexus Q media streamer might not have generated the same kind of mania as the Nexus 7 tablet, but it's still good news that Google is now shipping its mysteriously social orb. Google Play has the Q in stock and expects new US orders to arrive on doorsteps within the next three to five days. We're not expecting the kind of runaway sales of the $299 hub that have made the more utilitarian Nexus 7 hard to find, but anyone who spends a lot of their leisure time in the Google media ecosystem might appreciate the integration. Alas, that made-in-the-USA design still isn't available outside of the USA, so those in other countries will have to make do with alternatives.
Nexus Q hacked to run CM9 and XBMC, inches closer to usefulness
The Nexus Q hacks are coming fast and furious now, and inching closer to true usefulness with each one. The latest is easily the most exciting -- a port of full-blown CyanogenMod 9 and XBMC for Android. While the hack was the work of the actual CM team, the Q is not an officially supported device. There are still plenty of quirks and bugs to iron out, but WiFi and Bluetooth are both up and running. If you've got one of the expertly crafted magnesium spheres, there's nothing stopping you from blessing it with a little custom ROM love. Just know that there's still lots of work to do, especially on the XBMC for Android front which is still very much in the experimental stage. To see CM9 in action check out the video after the break and hit up the more coverage link for install instructions.
Distro Issue 48 arrives with the Nexus Q, Levar Burton and more
After a brief respite to recover from last week's hot dog and homemade ice cream comas, our tablet mag is back in action. Getting our e-publication affairs back in order, Brian Heater sits down with Levar Burton to chat about Reading Rainbow, a new iPad app and Star Trek gadgetry. Hitting on another bit of childhood nostalgia for many of us at Engadget HQ, Alexis Santos drops by NASA's Launch Control Center (LCC) for a tour after more than three decades of operation. On the review front, we roll up our sleeves and put both the Nexus Q and the Samsung Series 9 through the wringer while offering some in-depth impressions. "Eyes-On" takes a peek at the Google booty offered to I/O attendees, "Hands-On" our latest gadget outings and Gaikai's founder admits his reliance on the PowerPoint gods in the Q&A. Don't take our word for it. Snag your copy of the e-magazine with a few clicks on the download links that follow. Distro Issue 48 PDF Distro in the iTunes App Store Distro in the Google Play Store Distro APK (for sideloading) Like Distro on Facebook Follow Distro on Twitter
Nexus Q review: Google's mysterious little social streamer
When setting up a gadget for review, delicately unboxing and smelling the carcinogenic whiff of freshly molded plastics, we typically feel some amount of excitement and anticipation to see how it stacks up against the competition. It's either that or a resigned sense of duty as we run yet another iterative evolution of this or that laptop through the same benchmarks to see just how this year's model stacks up to the older model now being sold on discount. With the Nexus Q, though, we felt something different altogether: genuine curiosity. Why? Well, it's a high-end device with a $299 MSRP, a price that's multiple times higher higher than media streamers like the Apple TV, anything from Roku and, indeed, Google's own Google TV. And yet, the Q has considerably less functionality than any of them. Largely because of this, many who witnessed its unveiling at Google I/O were quick to write it off. Despite having our own doubts we pledged to give it a fair swing, a week of solid use at home and with friends. How did it do? Does this high-concept device with high-end componentry make up for some decidedly low-end capabilities? There's only one way to find out.%Gallery-159848%
iFixit tears down the Nexus Q: made in the USA, and possibly somewhere else
Is it possible to manufacture a sophisticated wireless-capable device entirely in the United States? That's vaguely the suggestion of Google's jet-black orb, launched last week at the search (and now hardware) giant's I/O event in San Francisco. Now, the Nexus Q is just dying to get undressed, and that's exactly what our iFixit friends have done, revealing each component's country of origin. Perhaps one of the most notable items, the Samsung 16GB moviNAND Flash Memory module, may have been made stateside (Austin, TX), but could also have been produced in Hwaseong, South Korea. Some parts, such as the Ethernet port (China) or optical-out connector (Japan) could only have been imported, as iFixit points out, though others are certainly domestic (a photomicrosensor made in California or Illinois). Ready to dive in yourself to verify those findings? You're not going to want to open this thing up on your own -- there's a bevy of capacitors inside, including one with output in the 400-volt range (a warning label alerts would-be trespassers). You can, however, poke around a bit more at our source link below.
Nexus Q app throws in voice-powered Magic 8 Ball mode
No stranger to throwing in some extra, if not-that-functional, additions to its products, Google's new audio orb packs its own Easter egg -- a Magic 8 Ball mode. Tapping the Nexus Q's image in its companion Android app will throw up a new screen, offering voice input to take your existential questions. Replies are certainly of the Magic 8 Ball caliber, although there's no accelerometer-based shaker -- at least not yet.
Switched On: The fight, the fancy, and the future
Each week Ross Rubin contributes Switched On, a column about consumer technology. While Microsoft's motivations in announcing Surface differed meaningfully from Google's when it announced the Nexus One, the Redmond company took advantage of the precedent that Google set in releasing a device that competed with those of licensees. At Google I/O, it was Google's turn to again approach the hardware market, this time with three devices that took the company into new categories and targeted different competitors. The trajectory of each product reveals clues about the company's direction.
Cracking the Nexus Q, Google's 25-watt amplified obsession
"We're missing a nut," says a bemused Matt Hershenson, former Danger founder and now Google's director of hardware for Android, pointing at a vacant spot on an exploded photo of the Nexus Q. Its parts are strewn out across a white background, perfectly arranged in a linear pattern that starkly contrasts with the spherical nature of the thing. "Wow, you're right," agrees Joe Britt, engineering director at Google and another former Danger founder. "It's like the illuminators, you know, the monks who used to draw up the codexes." Hershenson picks up the reference without missing a beat: "Everybody needs to make at least one mistake. Nothing can be perfect." That goes against everything else we've been learning from the pair, who spend 45 minutes walking us through every detail of what went into the development of the new Nexus Q. They worked hand-in-hand with engineers and designers and materials experts, ensuring everything from the bearings to the LEDs were, well, perfect. But there is one thing, something larger, that many have said is a crucial flaw in this illuminated device: pricing. Will people pay $299 for a high-concept, low-functionality social media streamer? Join us after the break for how the Q came to be, and why Britt and Hershenson think it will be a success.
Distro Issue 47: Made in the USA edition
It's that time of the year when folks in the US of A tend to get a tad bit patriotic. Pretty soon, those of us in the States will be all about grilling and putting back a few hot dogs and / or hamburgers before rushing off to catch some fireworks. We're looking to keep the spirit alive in our weekly, too. This time around, we offer up a Made in the USA edition with editorials that tackle Nevada's solar-geothermal hybrid power plant and just how much coin it takes to offer internet in American Samoa -- along with a few more stops in between. The Nexus 7 and Nexus Q were revealed at Google I/O and we offer some initial thoughts on the pair of gadgets from the folks in Mountain View. Find yourself jonesin' for a closer look at that fancy Tesla S? You're in luck. You'll find some detail shots of the new $50,000 EV in "Eyes-On" this week. So what are you waiting for? There's a monster truck on the cover for crying out loud! Dive right in to the latest issue via your download method of choice. Distro Issue 47 PDF Distro in the iTunes App Store Distro in the Google Play Store Distro APK (for sideloading) Like Distro on Facebook Follow Distro on Twitter
Nexus Q hacked to run Android games in under 24 hours
The word "run" in the headline is chosen very carefully. Developer Christina Kelly managed to get Swords and Soldiers up and running on the Nexus Q, but the game is not actually playable. Without a touchscreen or any other way to actually control the title, there's not much to do besides look at the splash screen. Still, the fact that in under 24 hours Google's new streaming appliance has already made to fire up unapproved apps bodes well for its future with the hacker community. Once the device gets in the hands of more devs we imagine it'll only a matter of time before someone figures out a way to get Hulu or Netflix running on it, with your Android phone acting as the remote.