Hasta La Gadget!

It was only a few short hours after the Nexus Q was announced and handed out to antendees at Google I/O 2012 that it was hacked to launch games, and further progress has been made on the social streamer. Hackers over at xda-developers have managed to root the Nexus Q, and users willing to play around with an ADB shell can push apps over to the player, as well as enable the Android launcher to get full Ice Cream Sandwich on a HDTV.

That opens up a world of possibilities for the device, so much so that everything seems to be working with minimal effort. Games seem to run without any issues, assuming you connect a wireless mouse and keyboard, and popular apps like Netflix also run, streaming HD video through the Q without much trouble.

The Nexus Q doesn’t ship with a browser, although users have managed to push the normal Android browser as well as Chrome over to the device. After that, you can even compile and install Flash and have the full web at your fingertips, with the 1.2Ghz dual-core processor handling it all with aplomb. With a little bit of effort, the Nexus Q is a versatile little media center, but the price is still a little high at $299.

If you’re curious to know more, check out the embedded video below, and also head on over to xda-developers to read the instructions for how to get everything working. If you were on the fence about ordering a Nexus Q, maybe this will change your mind.

[via IntoMobile]

Google Nexus Q gets root, runs Netflix plus games is written by Ben Kersey & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

The Nexus Q was announced back two weeks ago at Google I/O  and if you were an attendee you got one for free yourself. Although the device looks pretty cool, it doesn’t have much functionality out of the box. You’re pretty much limited to Google Play and Youtube content when it comes what you’re able to stream to your TV or speakers. KornyOne, a member over at the XDA Developer Forums, has developed a hack which helps extend the functionality of your Nexus Q to much more than streaming music and youtube videos.

(more…)

By Ubergizmo. Related articles: Nexus Q gets taken apart by iFixit, Nexus Q has an Easter Egg as well,

Though the system called “Google Now” will be implemented on a vast array of Android devices over the next few years, right this minute its incredible voice recognition and search powers sit only on the Nexus 7. You’ll have Google Now on the Galaxy Nexus once it’s released from the legal locker some time in the next few weeks, and software updates are being reported by Samsung to be coming to current model Galaxy Nexus and Nexus S models soon as well, but for now it’s just this wonderful tablet. Let’s have a peek at the voice search capabilities of the Nexus 7 right this second.

What you’re about to witness is Cory Gunther of Android Community having an 8+ minute look at the Google Nexus 7 working specifically with the Google Now system embedded in the heart of Android 4.1 Jelly Bean. Those of you used to working with Siri, Vlingo, or any number of other voice-activated search software on your smartphone or tablet will be surprised at the response time here with Google Now on the Nexus 7.

Google Now’s response voice is what Google is calling the first natural-sounding voice for such systems on a mobile device, and this app ecosystem will be coming standard with Android 4.1 Jelly Bean builds. When you get your Nexus 7 straight from the Google Play store online, you’ll already have this functionality built in as well.

We’ve reviewed the Nexus 7 in-depth if you’d like to have a look and see if it’s all worth it, and don’t forget to check out the Nexus Q as well. Together they make a fabulous combination for whatever HDTV venue you’re working, living, or playing at!

Have a peek at the timeline below to see all kinds of Nexus 7 action as well!

Nexus 7 voice search abilities take the cake is written by Chris Burns & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

We all know that Google’s Nexus Q is “made in America“, but is it really? Well, the folks over at iFixit decided to put the media streaming device to the test by doing to it what they do best – giving it a complete teardown. Granted not every part of the device was made in the USA, but the fact that it was assembled in the country should be good enough to warrant the label (I guess it could also explain the Nexus Q’s high price tag). For those of you who are keen on instructions to take apart the Nexus Q or just want to see what its internals are like, head over to the iFixit website for the complete teardown.

By Ubergizmo. Related articles: Nexus 7 tablet gets examined and analyzed, Nexus Q has an Easter Egg as well,

Google’s Nexus Q was arguably the least-polished launch of the IO opening keynote, but there’s no denying that the media streamer itself is a solid and handsome piece of kit. That’s catnip to teardown merchant iFixit, which has opened up its toolkit of screwdrivers and spudgers and promptly stripped the “Designed and Manufactured in the USA” orb down to its nude essentials.

As you may have guessed, Google’s homegrown boast doesn’t necessarily encompass every component inside the spherical shell. Exactly which parts are US-made and which come from the traditional suspects in Asia is unclear, though the hefty outer casing – the lower half of which contributes almost 46-percent of the overall weight – is believed to have come from local suppliers.

A TI OMAP4460 chipset, NFC, 16GB of Samsung flash memory, 1GB of RAM and Texas Instruments TAS5713 25 watt digital audio power amp are all lurking inside. What there’s currently no sign of is the speculated ZigBee mesh connectivity which could allow the Nexus Q to one day be a home automation hub.

Overall, iFixit rates the Nexus Q eight out of ten for repair potential, scoring it highly for the disassembly process (though warning it’s all too easy to lose some of the numerous components) and the minimal use of glue or solder. However this isn’t something the casual tinkerer should crack open: the power supply, for instance, is quickly exposed, which could lead to a nasty shock.

More on the Nexus Q in our full review.

Nexus Q teardown: USA boast pans out partially is written by Chris Davies & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.