Along with announcing the new version of Android and company’s new phablet and tablet, Google has also announced something unexpected recently, Nexus Player. This is basically a small device which resembles a hockey puck when you look at it and is running Android TV which is based around Android 5.0 Lollipop. This thing will basically output everything to your TV, you get a remote controller with it as well along with voice control remote and a mic. This device is powered by a quad-core Intel Atom processor clocked at 1.8GHz and it has an HDMI out and Wi-Fi connectivity built-in. It really doesn’t sound like much of a spec sheet, but this is one powerful little machine. The device is ready for Google Cast so you can even treat this as a Chromecast in a way. Netflix, YouTube, Hulu Plus, Plex… everything is right there for you to enjoy on your TV.
We’re here to talk about something that doesn’t come packed with the device, Nexus Player’s Gamepad that Google also announced along with this device. Nexus Player Gamepad is now available to order from Google Play for $40 and it will ship your way in 3-4 weeks. Keep in mind we’re talking about U.S. availability only at the moment. If you’re an avid gamer you’ll definitely need to get this Gamepad in order to enjoy your games properly. The Gamepad itself resembles the Xbox Gamepad a whole lot, though they’re different of course. This Gamepad connects to your devices via Bluetooth, it connects to Nexus Player via Bluetooth 3.0 but it is Bluetooth 4.0 compatible. The Gamepad doesn’t come with a rechargeable battery, it uses two AA batteries and weighs 237 grams.
As I said, you can get this thing for $40 in the U.S. right now though Google will change that in the near future, for sure, it’s just a matter of time. If I had to guess, I’d say it will be available elsewhere within a month or so. That being said, did you purchase the Nexus Player yet (which you can get for $99 from the Google Play Store)? If not, do you intend to get one and do you think this is the right move by Google?